*Official* England in South Africa

[BoyBrumby]

Finally. Steyn edges Jimmy behind. Shame, really, deserved his 50.

 

[Jayzamann]

No 5-for for Swanny, and no 50 for Steyn.

Double letdown.

 

[zaremba]

Good hitting from Ratboy at the end there. That's about par I imagine?

 

[social]

Good hitting from Ratboy at the end there. That's about par I imagine?

Nah, 300 would've been acceptable

343 is excellent

 

[BoyBrumby]

Don't wanna tempt fate & magic him a wicket, but Ntini chucking pies in his first coupla overs. Line and length all over the place and no movement at all.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Strauss pulls Ntini's first ball of his third for 4. Contemptuously is the only adverb, tbh.

& drives the third down the ground for another boundary. De Wet to sue, IMHO.

EDIT: round the wicket and cut away for yet another one. Woeful stuff, tbh.

 

[chalky]

Odds on this being Ntini's last test?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Odds on this being Ntini's last test?

Hmm.

Letting that one go through to the keeper.

 

[Jayzamann]

Pains the soul to see Ntini get carted this way. Even moreso when de Wet is the point of comparison.

 

[King Pietersen]

Strauss > Sehwag tbh. Striking at over 100.

Woah, that was a real loosener from Kallis. Short, leg-side and at 75mph. Keep bowling those please Jacques!

 

[BoyBrumby]

Big Fella don't look fit to bowl to me. Bit of movement, but just wobbling them down in the mid-70s mph.

Still looks better than Ntini tho, but.

 

[Jayzamann]

Pains the soul to see Ntini get carted this way. Even moreso when de Wet is the point of comparison.

Oh wow and to be replaced by a crippled Kallis, too. Ouch.

 

[Briony]

With Kallis unfit, it was even a riskier strategy to pick Ntini for political reasons. Surely he has to do the decent thing and retire. And Smith might have erred by batting first and insisting that Ntini plays.

 

[NasserFan207]

I switch on to see Kallis bowling with the new ball. Smith.

 

[King Pietersen]

Some quality strokeplay from Andrew Strauss, really taking it to the bowlers. They're bowling pies but Strauss is cashing in brilliantly and making the most of every bad delivery. He's also taking some of the pressure off Cook as well, as he can just plod along not needing to play any expansive strokes. Good batting from the skipper, and he's still striking at over 100!

 

[Briony]

Two contrasting attacks really, England's opening bowlers had the ball moving everywhere while SA has pie chuckers. de Wet might return in Cape Town but that pitch won't suit him as much.

 

[jboss]

Go England! loving seeing a quality team teach CSA a lesson for dropping the De Wet for the Ntini. Seriously makes me more happy knowing that I chose not to support proteas anymore.

 

[King Pietersen]

Another beautiful drive from Strauss. It's a shot that's got him into trouble quite abit, but he seems to be playing it nicely today. A Strauss cover drive looks so good when it comes off. Class player.

 

[GIMH]

Brilliant batting from Strauss

 

[jboss]

With Kallis unfit, it was even a riskier strategy to pick Ntini for political reasons. Surely he has to do the decent thing and retire. And Smith might have erred by batting first and insisting that Ntini plays.

I agree partly but watch SA lose the series and Smith take the blame which I do not agree with. Smith is not given a team to select based on merit so hardly correct to blame him if the team can't be selected on merit in 1st place.