*Official* England in South Africa

[SeamUp]

Bloem is probably the biggest ground in South Africa and if you add a slow turning wicket it can be a difficult place to score big at and so the 1's and 2's are important as the field is pretty big and there are large gaps. Probably 120 to 130 would have been a good score.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Agreed but a meaningless game.

Interesting to see that Morgan averages a 50 virtually every 20 games in domestic T20. Given T20 is a game that requires the top order to contribute more than an ODI and depth is less important then that is a worrying figure.
T20 isnt a game for all to chip in but the top 5 to contribute approx 75% of runs (at a guess)

How long did he spend down the order there, though?

 

[Notorious1]

England really struggle in the shorter formats of the game.

 

[four_or_six]

England really struggle in the shorter formats of the game.

Has a less debatable thing ever been said on this forum?

 

[Pup Clarke]

Calling Richard...

 

[Scaly piscine]

T20s going to be pretty painful if our openers are Cook and Denly.

 

[four_or_six]

Cook is going to stun everyone with his strike rate in the first T20. Around 140 I reckon.

 

[aussie]

T20s going to be pretty painful if our openers are Cook and Denly.

Indeed.

 

[Goughy]

Cook is going to stun everyone with his strike rate in the first T20. Around 140 I reckon.

7 off 5 balls?

 

[Langeveldt]

analyst,
wpdavid has been kind enough to answer so thank you wp. There are so many South Africans playing county cricket, working, and under current rules after four years they can qualify to play for England and I think we have the talent that we can nurture to rise to the occasion.

It also peeves me that KP and many others abandoned SA because of the quota system which may be necessary to redress the balance of years of injustice in a perverse society and the majority of players who initially benefitted were/ are good players and I do not expect this quota system to be operational for much longer.

Trott played for SA under 15 and 19 and as a cricketer I know if I play a game I want to win but when it is country it is different. Trott would say that he is loyal to the English cause and he is really going home to play. I am sure he will try his best as would Pietersen but there must be mixed loyalty.

We have Key, Bopara and many other home grown talents who could be in the team.

Sorry, have to disagree with you here.. I don't care if we live in a perversely injust society or not, the quota system stifles growth and lowers standards.. and do you think the black players in SA are happy with the lable "quota pick"? None of them are.. It's demeaning, and the quota system will be in effect for a long time to come, it's effects will be felt for much longer as well.. mind you, the subject has been done to death everywhere, so i'll leave it there.. If England want to build a team around imports, then best of luck to them..

 

[zaremba]

7 off 5 balls?

 

[wpdavid]

T20s going to be pretty painful if our openers are Cook and Denly.

Cue SA en masse copying Clive Lloyd's 'drop' in the 1979 WC final if anything does go to hand from those two?

 

[Notorious1]

England seem to have the players for shorter formats of the game but they just don't perform.

 

[Notorious1]

Whay are guys like Blackwell not picked? he is perfect for shorter formats.

 

[wpdavid]

Whay are guys like Blackwell not picked? he is perfect for shorter formats.

He barely made a score when he did play for the oneday side.

 

[superkingdave]

Strange team from England. Can't say im surprised though. Would actually be more surprised if we put out a sensible side.

Lose toss and bat first anyway. Good to see some cricket again.

 

[superkingdave]

Interesting decision first up.

Would have opened with Trott anyway...

 

[Scaly piscine]

Hmm this is going to be epic...

 

[Scaly piscine]

Run off the bat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Scaly piscine]

Batsmen are meant to be hitting the ****ing ball, strange concept I know to our openers of all players. Pathetic.