***Official*** South Africa in England

[silentstriker]

Enjoying watching this innings from KP - normally I can't stand the guy. I like almost every other player on the England's team though, especially Cook and Vaughan.

 

[Richard]

Gower really has no respect for Harris don't think I've ever heard him be more condescending towards a player.

Not the only one either.

Odd, as you'll see worse fingerspinners than Harris. Two have played for England not so long ago in Dawson and Batty.

 

[silentstriker]

Harris isn't bad - SA just can't use him right it seems. He doesn't know his role, and neither does South Africa. If you let him attack and don't mind him going for runs, he can do a real good job, I feel. He has been looking so much worse ever since he has been used to slow down run rates and play contain.

 

[Richard]

Enjoying watching this innings from KP - normally I can't stand the guy. I like almost every other player on the England's team though, especially Cook and Vaughan.

And all of a sudden SA are just letting this slip.

 

[Richard]

Harris isn't bad - SA just can't use him right it seems. He doesn't know his role, and neither does South Africa. If you let him attack and don't mind him going for runs, he can do a real good job, I feel. He has been looking so much worse ever since he has been used to slow down run rates and play contain.

Harris isn't good enough to attack on these sorts of pitches, nor is any fingerspinner. You can "use" (whatever that means) him however you want, won't make any difference.

He can be a good attacking force on the right surface though.

 

[silentstriker]

Morkel isn't looking right.

 

[silentstriker]

Harris isn't good enough to attack on these sorts of pitches, nor is any fingerspinner. You can "use" (whatever that means) him however you want, won't make any difference.

He can be a good attacking force on the right surface though.

I pretty much agree with that. Even on spinning surfaces, I don't feel they set the right fields to him, or bring him on in the proper situations for him to prosper.

 

[chalky]

Harris isn't good enough to attack on these sorts of pitches, nor is any fingerspinner. You can "use" (whatever that means) him however you want, won't make any difference.

He can be a good attacking force on the right surface though.

I agree don't think he has been significantly worse than Monty this series TBH

 

[chalky]

South Africa have lost control after tea just seen a stat that England are scoring at 6 an over really without taking any risks.

 

[Richard]

I pretty much agree with that. Even on spinning surfaces, I don't feel they set the right fields to him, or bring him on in the proper situations for him to prosper.

Well I've never seen him bowl on a turning surface unfortunately, so I don't know about matters there. But as I say, it wouldn't matter what you do on surfaces like these 3 so far, or the 5 we had in SA in 2007/08. He's still never going to be effective - just doesn't spin the ball enough.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I pretty much agree with that. Even on spinning surfaces, I don't feel they set the right fields to him, or bring him on in the proper situations for him to prosper.

Probably more to do with the fact Smith has had little to no experience of captaining good spin bowlers. England have had similar problems in the past.

 

[silentstriker]

Just popped over to cricinfo for the run rate: 6.80 in the last ten overs. I'm watching it live, and didn't think it went that high.

Great counterattack here. I love Test cricket. Watching this game in the morning, while watching the back and forth with India-SL yesterday - well it's close to sports nirvana for me...

 

[Richard]

Probably more to do with the fact Smith has had little to no experience of captaining good spin bowlers. England have had similar problems in the past.

Well, TBF apart from Mark Taylor and Arjuna Ranatunga (plus at home Mohammad Azharuddin and Sourav Ganguly) who has had said experience since covered pitches?

 

[Stapel]

Right, I get away from the action a moment, return and notice this:

Last 10 ovs 68/0 RR 6.80

What's happening?

 

[silentstriker]

And here's Harris bowling outside leg.....

 

[silentstriker]

Right, I get away from the action a moment, return and notice this:

Last 10 ovs 68/0 RR 6.80

What's happening?

A proper Test cricket counterattack.

 

[pskov]

Right, I get away from the action a moment, return and notice this:

Last 10 ovs 68/0 RR 6.80

What's happening?

KP and Colly are taking it to them, batting positively and when they go for the odd risky stroke it comes off in their favour.

 

[Richard]

Right, I get away from the action a moment, return and notice this:

Last 10 ovs 68/0 RR 6.80

What's happening?

South Africa's seamers bowling utter rubbish, pure and simple.

 

[silentstriker]

You know that's true when Collingwood is almost batting at an S/R of 80.

 

[pskov]

What do you reckon would be a potentially matchwinning lead for England? 250 or so? I can see them reaching that as long as these two stick together and Flintoff bats as well as he did in the first innings.