***Official*** South Africa in England

[SJS]

You know the answer to those questions

Sadly yes I suppose

 

[SJS]

How does one keep one's motivation level high in such circumstances. South African team has a double disadvantage in their bid to become the top Test nation in the world.

No politics in sport - right ?

 

[stumpski]

I understand that the South Africans are more interested in getting practice than setting a target, as such, but I would hope they don't bat all day. Should declare if and when McKenzie gets his ton IMO. Bowlers need time in the middle too.

 

[SJS]

I understand that the South Africans are more interested in getting practice than setting a target, as such, but I would hope they don't bat all day. Should declare if and when McKenzie gets his ton IMO. Bowlers need time in the middle too.

Well Duminy (64), Amla (172), Kallis (160), Prince (63*) and de Villiers (47*) got enough in the first knock. Surely giving Neil McKenzie (plus numbers 7 to 11) another hit is not reason enough to ruin a game from the spectator point of view.

 

[SJS]

And match practice is not just about batting and bowling, winning situations and how to go through them is not something to be scoffed at. Setting aggressive fields, bowling to demolish the opposition, racing against time to set up an improbable win are priceless situations for experience

 

[stumpski]

Trouble with playing a three day game on a flat wicket I suppose. If this had been a four-dayer -as many tour games are now - it would have provided a much more meaningful contest.

 

[Perm]

I reckon South Africa are only batting again to give Neil McKenzie a chance to get runs under his belt. A shame Mark Boucher was out for not-many, as he would have been another one the South African management are looking to play into form.

When McKenzie goes, I reckon South Africa will declare. Although they may look to give AB de Villiers some more time in the middle.

 

[TT Boy]

Well Duminy (64), Amla (172), Kallis (160), Prince (63*) and de Villiers (47*) got enough in the first knock. Surely giving Neil McKenzie (plus numbers 7 to 11) another hit is not reason enough to ruin a game from the spectator point of view.

Totally agree, they should have enforced the follow on and just watch their fast bowlers (who haven’t bowled since May and in the case of Morkel are coming back from injury) break their backs on an absolute road for the purpose of entertaining a couple of hundred people.

 

[TT Boy]

How does one keep one's motivation level high in such circumstances. South African team has a double disadvantage in their bid to become the top Test nation in the world.

No politics in sport - right ?

In what circumstances? Jacques Kallis is not captain for he resigned as vice-captain last year and stipulated he longer wanted to be considered as a candidate for captaincy. Ashwell Prince also has greater experience of being a captain but that point seems to be irrelevant here.

 

[SJS]

In what circumstances? Jacques Kallis is not captain for he resigned as vice-captain last year and stipulated he longer wanted to be considered as a candidate for captaincy. Ashwell Prince also has greater experience of being a captain but that point seems to be irrelevant here.

hmmm . Didn't know that.

 

[Marius]

SJS, you shold know by now that tour matches are nothing but glorified net sessions. No need to risk injuries to your bowlers when they all got a good workout in Somerset's innings.

There's another tour match before the first Test anyway I believe.

 

[Richard]

Yep - though again it's a three-dayer, this time at Uxbridge.

BTW, bit disappointed the SAfricans have batted on as long as they have. Why on Earth do Morkel and Harris need to bat?

Obviously you want a break between bowling and if Prince had enforced the follow-on that'd have been mad. But if you want time batted, just send Amla and (if fit) Kallis back in.

Giving tailenders a chance to slog a few is really pointless.

Bit of a shame de Villiers just missed a half-century in both innings, that's one thing, along with the already mentioned Boucher failure. And I suppose McKenzie would've liked a century too.

Harris as of this post 38* off 29.

 

[Richard]

BTW, I hope Somerset don't give Munday another contract after this season. 24-163-1 this match. Patent demonstration of his inadaquecies.

 

[TT Boy]

Yep - though again it's a three-dayer, this time at Uxbridge.

BTW, bit disappointed the SAfricans have batted on as long as they have. Why on Earth do Morkel and Harris need to bat?
Obviously you want a break between bowling and if Prince had enforced the follow-on that'd have been mad. But if you want time batted, just send Amla and (if fit) Kallis back in.

Giving tailenders a chance to slog a few is really pointless.

Bit of a shame de Villiers just missed a half-century in both innings, that's one thing, along with the already mentioned Boucher failure. And I suppose McKenzie would've liked a century too.

Harris as of this post 38* off 29.

Because Morkel will bat at eight in the test team and is expected to score some runs?

 

[Richard]

Morkel is not a front-line batsman yet. If he scores runs in tour-games it is not going to greatly affect the chances of him scoring in Tests, unlike front-line batsmen.

Anyway, Harris gets 50* off 48 balls and Prince disappointingly falls to the might of Arul Suppiah, thus meaning he (2-73) has better match figures than Caddick (2-157). And indeed anyone else. And just before he declares too.

Hope Nel can go well in Somerset's second dig.

 

[SJS]

SJS, you shold know by now that tour matches are nothing but glorified net sessions. No need to risk injuries to your bowlers when they all got a good workout in Somerset's innings.

There's another tour match before the first Test anyway I believe.

I am aware of that but that doesn't make it right. Just because something wrong is going on for a few years is no reason to accept it and let the game die.

Thats exactly what was happening in the fifties and support for the game was dropping and then came Benaud to start with and Worrell to follow and they went ahead trying to get results from most games even taking the odd risks and cricket received much needed oxygen.

Today with the longer version of the game under threat, this is just the kind of stuff from captains that the game does not need.

 

[Richard]

Seem to recall Graeme Wright in the 2002 Wisden saying near enough exactly what you (SJS) say there.

 

[Richard]

Nel dismisses Hildreth in his opening over - good.

Chance of a result virtually nil but hopefully they can grab a few more wickets.

Morkel 42 off 5 overs (3 no-balls) BTW.

 

[Manee]

You seem to not rate youn' Morne, but trust me - England will not survive against him and Steyn.

 

[Richard]

I don't think Morne is anywhere near as good as a great deal of people have professed yet. Seems there's been talk of him already being more worth a place than Nel. Which, well, he simply isn't.

Morkel Jnr obviously has potential, but no more than that currently.