*Official* England in South Africa

[Uppercut]

Can see Onions getting ****ed over by the selectors again.

Yeah. He'd be ****ing awesome in South Africa too, would be a disgrace if he missed out.

 

[popepouri]

With Kempie he wasn't even bowling come the end, so at least Albie offers you some overs (albeit shockingly bowled).

Though, I see Kempie has started to turn his arm over again, must have got a second wind after being rejected a visa to play in England next year.

He never embarrassed himself when he bowled for SA. It looks like he snuffed it to concentrate on his mediocre batting which is sad really. He's tall, gets bounce and movement and bowls a tight line.


Oh, happy for Wiese and his 80. He probably could go on and scored his hundred, but that's two international attacks he's scored well against. Sadly Titans persist with the same old, same old.

 

[BoyBrumby]

If Anderson & Sidebottom have slight injury worries. It will be understandable if 5 bowlers are picked & Broad bats @ 7, although it still be make the balance crap. BUT LUKE WRIGHT MUST NOT PLAY!!!!!!

Last time we did that was Headingley, which, as I'm sure all Australians will agree, was an unqualifed success.

If Wright doesn't play it'll be Bell.

 

[chalky]

Last time we did that was Headingley, which, as I'm sure all Australians will agree, was an unqualifed success.

If Wright doesn't play it'll be Bell.

We lost because we played rubbish, doesn't matter about the balance of the side if the majority of them under perform you are going to lose.

If the pitch is flat I think we will struggle to bowl out South Africa (who have a much stronger batting line up than the Australian side in the summer) twice with 4 bowlers. Anderson & Broad also don't really offer any control when not bowling well, Broad especially would worry me in a 4 man attack could see England conceding runs at fair lick.

Just checking on cricinfo Flintoff's test batting average over the last 2 years is about 27 are you weakening the batting that much by replacing him with Sidebottom who averages 17?

I would go with the 5 bowlers don't think Wright offers enough as an all rounder & don't think 4 bowlers are good enough to get 20 wickets cheaply enough.

 

[aussie]

Last time we did that was Headingley, which, as I'm sure all Australians will agree, was an unqualifed success.

As chalky said, it was more due to poor cricket @ Leeds, although such a balance still makes us weak. But as i said i'm only willing to accept it if the injury concerns about Anderson/Sidebottom lasting a test are that serious. Thus we really have to pick 5 bowlers in case one of them breaks down or something..

If Wright doesn't play it'll be Bell.

Bell *sighs*, it should have been Morgan. But i'll tolerate him for now..

If the pitch is flat I think we will struggle to bowl out South Africa (who have a much stronger batting line up than the Australian side in the summer) twice with 4 bowlers. Anderson & Broad also don't really offer any control when not bowling well, Broad especially would worry me in a 4 man attack could see England conceding runs at fair lick.

Just checking on cricinfo Flintoff's test batting average over the last 2 years is about 27 are you weakening the batting that much by replacing him with Sidebottom who averages 17?

I would go with the 5 bowlers don't think Wright offers enough as an all rounder & don't think 4 bowlers are good enough to get 20 wickets cheaply enough.

You know it son, without Freddie this bowling attack is just gash. I have always been behind playing 4-seamers in SA from the start (harsh on Swann although he should play on traditional flat centurion 1st test deck). No combination of what 3 man pace attack is of a McGrath/Dizzy/Kasper quality, but if we pick all 4 quicks although it may be a bit one-dimensional, we stand a better chance of taking 20 Saffies wickets.

 

[TT Boy]

A spinner will be needed for at least three of the test matches. Centurion has seen 14 wickets fall to spinners in the last two test matches played there, Durban aides the spinner as it offers turn and bounce whilst Cape Town is a subcontinent wicket. Swann’s name (rightfully) will be one of the first on the team sheet. Four seamers only is an archaic mentality in the Republic.

 

[TT Boy]

He never embarrassed himself when he bowled for SA. It looks like he snuffed it to concentrate on his mediocre batting which is sad really. He's tall, gets bounce and movement and bowls a tight line.


Oh, happy for Wiese and his 80. He probably could go on and scored his hundred, but that's two international attacks he's scored well against. Sadly Titans persist with the same old, same old.

Two defeats on the bounce could see that change.

Incidentally, I was following the Cricinfo commentary; Francois Plaatjies sounded lethal, combination of inswinging yorkers and climbing throat balls. Just needs to stay injury free because he is definitely the type of cricketer who could be useful with a view to the West Indies next year. He takes the wicket out of the equation.

 

[aussie]

A spinner will be needed for at least three of the test matches. Centurion has seen 14 wickets fall to spinners in the last two test matches played there, Durban aides the spinner as it offers turn and bounce whilst Cape Town is a subcontinent wicket. Swann’s name (rightfully) will be one of the first on the team sheet. Four seamers only is an archaic mentality in the Republic.

It was helping the seamers alot vs AUS this year for the first 2-3 days TBF. Although it flattened out at the end.

 

[TT Boy]

It was helping the seamers alot vs AUS this year for the first 2-3 days TBF. Although it flattened out at the end.

Pitch quickens up at Durban but what happened when Johnson went snooker loopy was he got the ball to swing big and late and you can't rely on the sea breeze, or the tide, or whatever it was associated to happen all the time (and it didn’t happen again in the match). As you said, the wicket traditionally flattens out but a spinner always enjoys the bounce they get there. Paul Harris has said its one of his favourite grounds, Imran Tahir has a good domestic record there and I believe Warney did some damage there as well.

 

[TT Boy]

TBF to Wright it'd be Ian Bell he'd keep out, not Walter Hammond.

Also has a good habit of getting wickets as no one seems to remotely rate his bowling.

 

[zaremba]

Wright is a genuine all-rounder in the sense that his batting and bowling are every bit as good as each other.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Also has a good habit of getting wickets as no one seems to remotely rate his bowling.

England's answer to Paul Harris then.

 

[FBU]

Swann will be the next England all rounder.

Test career
Batting 35.40
Bowling 30.40

2009
Batting 49.00
Bowling 28.58

 

[Jarquis]

True, IIRC the last time he and Broad played together at Notts; Swann batted above Broad.
He's opened for them before in List A games, he can bat, he can bowl, he can field.
Swanneh

Swanneh

 

[Uppercut]

England's answer to Paul Harris then.

There was an interesting interview with him on the BBC website recently. Apparently he acts like a complete asshole to the batsman to put him off his game. WAG. Explains why everyone's so keen to hit him out of the park.

Wonder how he reacted to Midge Johnson taking him apart earlier this year.

 

[TT Boy]

There was an interesting interview with him on the BBC website recently. Apparently he acts like a complete asshole to the batsman to put him off his game. WAG. Explains why everyone's so keen to hit him out of the park.

Wonder how he reacted to Midge Johnson taking him apart earlier this year.

Considering he took over 10 wickets in said match, was MOTM and South African won by an innings, not sure he would give a **** to be honest.

 

[TT Boy]

England's answer to Paul Harris then.

No, that was Stuart Broad before the West Indies tour. Wright is more Simon Katich buy a wicket.

 

[Uppercut]

Considering he took over 10 wickets in said match, was MOTM and South African won by an innings, not sure he would give a **** to be honest.

Different match. Tool.

 

[aussie]

I don't. Kempie isn't a better batsman than Albie and Albie is miles better as a bowler. Rather bring back Andrew Hall, South Africa need a bowling all-rounder.

Indeed. What are the chances of they getting him back you reckon, even if its for a short time given he is 34 now?

 

[DingDong]

england look really good atm dont they? will a win against SA here make them #2 after india?