*Official* England in South Africa

[shivfan]

I really hope that SA retain Ntini. I just don't see him creating any consistent pressure or many magic balls.

Ntini's retained, as de Wet makes way for Steyn's return....

Personally, I would've preferred to see de Wet play instead of Morkel.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Bell playing. Pffft. Genuinely hope he does well, because he's a nice guy and he's wearing an England shirt, but, man, it seems harder to get out of the team than into it nowadays. I don't wanna see a return to the bad old days of trigger happy selectors who pick 57 players for a five match series but equally I'd like the faith shown to underperformers translated into some tangible returns.

 

[shivfan]

Today, the crowd is much better than it was for any day of the first Test at Centurion....

At Centurion, aside from one day's play, the crowd was extremely poor. On some days, only three men and a dog turned up to watch.

 

[wpdavid]

Bell playing. Pffft. Genuinely hope he does well, because he's a nice guy and he's wearing an England shirt, but, man, it seems harder to get out of the team than into it nowadays. I don't wanna see a return to the bad old days of trigger happy selectors who pick 57 players for a five match series but equally I'd like the faith shown to underperformers translated into some tangible returns.

Doesn't help that we only have six batsmen in the squad - looked odd at the time, and looks downright peculiar now.

And Broad's just removed Amla, which we needed.

 

[grecian]

Blimey, Broad actually pitching it up and getting Amla, will wonders never cease

 

[King Pietersen]

Bowling Broady. Hopefully that'll encourage him to keep bowling full.

 

[grecian]

Bowling Broady. Hopefully that'll encourage him to keep bowling full.

Was a very good first over, particularly as I thought him coming on would release all the pressure we'd built up. Lets hope he can do it for a spell now.

 

[Sir Alex]

Go England go! I really want them to win this series and chuck into the dustbin the A beat B, B beat C so A is automatically better than C argument.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Today, the crowd is much better than it was for any day of the first Test at Centurion....

At Centurion, aside from one day's play, the crowd was extremely poor. On some days, only three men and a dog turned up to watch.

Would've only been three men if Matt79 had his way

 

[Burgey]

Fat Grae's thumb still has a target drawn on it by the looks of things.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Would've only been three men if Matt79 had his way

The dog would be there; it'd just be on the brai.

 

[Burgey]

Go England go! I really want them to win this series and chuck into the dustbin the A beat B, B beat C so A is automatically better than C argument.

Hell yeah, me too! There's been nothing else spoken of these past few weeks. Terrible stuff. Reckon that's why England have started so well here - they really want to stick it to the A > B > C brigade! I for one really hope they do it.

 

[fredfertang]

Hell yeah, me too! There's been nothing else spoken of these past few weeks. Terrible stuff. Reckon that's why England have started so well here - they really want to stick it to the A > B > C brigade! I for one really hope they do it.

After those first four words I was looking for a rogue underscore and a dodgy looking post count

 

[Burgey]

After those first four words I was looking for a rogue underscore and a dodgy looking post count

Merry Christmas mate. Hope all went well.

It being Christmas, I just wanted to be agreeable

 

[King Pietersen]

Why has Anderson stopped bowling the inswinger to the left hander? He's capable of swinging it both ways and Smith has been susceptible to the inswinger in the past, yet Jimmeh's bowled basically all outswingers to him.

 

[archie mac]

An out of form Smith, on a tough pitch against some good bowling, really showing great fight

 

[archie mac]

I don't think my wife is happy, all day watching cricket and now most of the night

 

[tooextracool]

Been some pretty ordinary bowling from England thus far from everyone bar Onions. It is a crime to bowl too short to Smith and yet that is exactly what Anderson has been doing and I still dont understand why he doesnt bowl inswingers at Smith when we all know that hes well capable of it and hes the only one in the side who can do it, its just plain stupidity at this point.

 

[Hit_Wicket]

**** I love test cricket in South Africa! (admittedly just following the action on Cricinfo). The contest between bat and ball is so often stimulating and fascinating as a spectacle.

Actually felt a peculiar sense of ennui watching the Australians bat today; after the first hour or so the Pakistanis became defensive and lost their verve, in effect eradicating the contest. It took some glorious batting and a sprightly partnership from Ponting and Hussey to revive my conciousness (this coming from an Australian supporter!).

Fortunately, this game appears to be progressing briskly. The early assistance and movement provided by the pitch is sure to keep the bowlers interested and the batsmen alert.

 

[archie mac]

Been some pretty ordinary bowling from England thus far from everyone bar Onions. It is a crime to bowl too short to Smith and yet that is exactly what Anderson has been doing and I still dont understand why he doesnt bowl inswingers at Smith when we all know that hes well capable of it and hes the only one in the side who can do it, its just plain stupidity at this point.

I thought for the first hour they bowled really well