***Official*** South Africa in England

[Uppercut]

Also it's just slightly irritating how often people move between saying second-innings and first-innings runs are most important. I've heard stupid calls like only first-innings runs should be counted in your average; then you hear people saying second-innings runs are by far the most important.

Simple truth of the matter is there's no hard-and-fast rule, just like there isn't with whether bowling without any support is easier or more difficult. The best thing is just to treat overall tallies of first-innings and second-innings runs as the same thing.

I don't think they're more important, certainly not. All runs count the same, and in many ways I'd rather have KP in my team than Smith- he's a better player. But Smith is mentally much tougher, and fourth innings runs are as good a statistical indicator of this as I can find.

 

[GIMH]

The problem is, not all 4th innings targets are tricky ones. Smaller targets give the batsman all the time in the world to score their runs, and red ink to boot which helps the 4th innings average. I don't really think any innings suggests mental toughness more or less than any other, it's the situation. The way Smith played over here did show great character, without doubt, but then again so has KP when we have seen him take us from less than 100 for 3 to 350-4

 

[Richard]

I get the chance to test my theory now that the Morkels have pretty similar bowling-actions.

Obviously Morne is quicker than Albie and Albie is a much better batsman than Morne.

 

[GIMH]

South Africa really must have been on the ale since winning the 3rd Test. They are all over the place. ENGLAND are 89-0 from 12 overs, LOL!

 

[Richard]

fourth innings runs are as good a statistical indicator of this as I can find.

I don't think they automatically are though - there's times when they're easy, times when they're hard. Similarly runs in all other innings.

It's much best to look at things on an individual basis.

 

[Richard]

South Africa really must have been on the ale since winning the 3rd Test. They are all over the place. ENGLAND are 89-0 from 12 overs, LOL!

As I said earlier - nouwt whatsoever to do with that IMO. I've long worried about what SA's ODI bowling post-Pollock was going to be like and in these last couple of games those fears have looked substantiated.

 

[Days of Grace]

Why is it that all the latest English wicketkeepers are bald?

 

[social]

Please ban Nick Knight from commentating when Bell is batting

 

[Richard]

Why is it that all the latest English wicketkeepers are bald?

It's a bloody annoying trend across the damn country currently.

Whenever I head down the gym the vast majority of the lads there are shaven-headed.

 

[Uppercut]

The problem is, not all 4th innings targets are tricky ones. Smaller targets give the batsman all the time in the world to score their runs, and red ink to boot which helps the 4th innings average. I don't really think any innings suggests mental toughness more or less than any other, it's the situation. The way Smith played over here did show great character, without doubt, but then again so has KP when we have seen him take us from less than 100 for 3 to 350-4

Would you put Pietersen, though, in the top 10 mentally toughest batsmen in the world? As far as talent goes he's probably in the top 3. As far as mental toughness goes, I'd probably put him behind someone like Paul Collingwood, and definitely put him behind Smith, Boucher, Chanderpaul, Yousuf, Younis Khan and Mike Hussey. Pietersen is infinitely more talented than any of them, if he has the mental strength to match them, why doesn't he score a lot more runs than they do?

 

[GIMH]

As I said earlier - nouwt whatsoever to do with that IMO. I've long worried about what SA's ODI bowling post-Pollock was going to be like and in these last couple of games those fears have looked substantiated.

Their batting hasn't been up to much either, though

 

[zaremba]

M Morkel to Bell, no run, 9.2 mph short-of-length delivery angling towards the off stump, Bell gets forward, head over the ball and defends compactly to the off side. Two slips watch with interest.

Morne's slower ball keeps Bell in check.

 

[GIMH]

Please ban Nick Knight from commentating when Bell is batting

Surely you don't find Knight to be a biased commentator?

Anybody listening to him gloating at Pollock on Tuesday? Talk about unprofessional!

 

[andruid]

Why is it that all the latest English wicketkeepers are bald?

Aerodynamics

 

[zaremba]

Would you put Pietersen, though, in the top 10 mentally toughest batsmen in the world? As far as talent goes he's probably in the top 3. As far as mental toughness goes, I'd probably put him behind someone like Paul Collingwood, and definitely put him behind Smith, Boucher, Chanderpaul, Yousuf, Younis Khan and Mike Hussey. Pietersen is infinitely more talented than any of them, if he has the mental strength to match them, why doesn't he score a lot more runs than they do?

Fair point. However I'm not sure it's as straightforward as that. He's certainly talented but a lot of his ability comes from his mental toughness - in particular his relentlessness in practising.

 

[Precambrian]

What a start!! Speechless! Is Gibbs playing?

 

[GIMH]

Would you put Pietersen, though, in the top 10 mentally toughest batsmen in the world? As far as talent goes he's probably in the top 3. As far as mental toughness goes, I'd probably put him behind someone like Paul Collingwood, and definitely put him behind Smith, Boucher, Chanderpaul, Yousuf, Younis Khan and Mike Hussey. Pietersen is infinitely more talented than any of them, if he has the mental strength to match them, why doesn't he score a lot more runs than they do?

I don't know; it wasn't me who commented on his mental toughness initially. Just don't think that 4th innings runs necessarily prove anything.

 

[GIMH]

It's a bloody annoying trend across the damn country currently.

Whenever I head down the gym the vast majority of the lads there are shaven-headed.

Don't think Prior is bald by choice though

 

[Uppercut]

Fair point. However I'm not sure it's as straightforward as that. He's certainly talented but a lot of his ability comes from his mental toughness - in particular his relentlessness in practising.

Fair point too- but we don't really have any way of knowing how much each player does in relation to his peers (although I have heard, as I'm sure you have, that Pietersen thinks about his batting more than his style would suggest). Based on what we can see, i don't think Pietersen can be labelled one of the mentally toughest around.

 

[stumpski]

Why is it that all the latest English wicketkeepers are bald?

He always reminds me of 'Kev' from those old 'Kev! Bev!' commercials. Him, and 'funnyman' Lee Hurst.