*Official* England in South Africa

[GIMH]

Nice reception for Pietersen, wonder if there'll be uproar like there was when Ponting got a boo or two

 

[zaremba]

I seem to remember Greg Matthews during the Ashes coverage saying he'd be surprised if Swann took another wicked after Cardiff

Given that Greg Matthews knows so much about not taking wickets in Test cricket, I'm surprised he got that prediction so badly wrong

 

[Woodster]

Jimmy bowling well here, got it reversing both ways with Boucher struggling a little. Would start with Anderson and Onions straight after tea.

 

[Pothas]

Yes pretty sure Nasser's hand would have come worse off.

Andy Caddick may be another in the frame, but gonna stick with Adams.

Yeah I thought Caddick as well actually.

 

[four_or_six]

Wow... just got home to see the score!

 

[Jono]

For these reasons, it was stone dead out. The 3rd umpire decision was an absolute shocker.



I disagree. There was no visible deviation, but so what? With a fine nick like that one you wouldn't expect to see a deviation. The key evidence was the clear nick that the stump mic picked up, which came at precisely the right split second and which could not have come from any other obvious source, eg bat on pad or bat on ground.

Are you referring to the Amla caught behind?

I'm not sure how you could call the third umpire's decision not to overrule a shocker. That's incredibly harsh.

 

[Jono]

Nice reception for Pietersen, wonder if there'll be uproar like there was when Ponting got a boo or two

Not the opposition captain with over 10k runs to be fair, but I see your point.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah and just to be clear, as far as I could tell the main outrage came from within these shores so it's not aimed at the Aussies or anything

 

[Rant0r]

Given that Greg Matthews knows so much about not taking wickets in Test cricket, I'm surprised he got that prediction so badly wrong

He does know a bit or 2 about spin bowling, I mean, Troy Cooley couldn't buy a wicket at state level and now he's a highly sought after bowling coach.

But yes, the point is well taken that he got it wrong, sometimes technique isn't everything

 

[Rant0r]

Nice reception for Pietersen, wonder if there'll be uproar like there was when Ponting got a boo or two

Yeah funny that

 

[Goughy]

Bumble & Athers being prick teases here; Bumble "let it slip" that a fellow tourist clocked Swanneh in the gents (not a euphemism ) on our 99/00 tour and gave him a fat lip. Any guesses?

Interesting that they mention it today of all days, just when the Mail on Sunday are running a story on Swann and mention it. Maybe they felt they could say it now it had been in the paper.

Graeme Swann: I got drunk, punched and dropped on my first tour of South Africa | Mail Online

and later found himself sporting a busted lip caused by a short-arm jab from one of the more senior pacemen following an undisclosed difference of opinion.

 

[GIMH]

Was it really because of that incident that he had to wait nearly eight years for another chance, or was he just not good enough earlier in his career? I mean, we picked some shoddy spinners in the interim, particularly in ODIs

 

[Rant0r]

Juicy

 

[Jono]

JP

Calling a Boucher ton here.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Interesting that they mention it today of all days, just when the Mail on Sunday are running a story on Swann and mention it. Maybe they felt they could say it now it had been in the paper.

Graeme Swann: I got drunk, punched and dropped on my first tour of South Africa | Mail Online

Interesting, indeed. Caddy, Gough or Mullally would've been the senior quicks. Mullally surely too laid back and Caddick never struck me as a fighter either. So...?

 

[GIMH]

Hopefully Swann will write a book when he retires to put this one to bed!

 

[Rant0r]

except from the daily mail

"...Although I had a bit of a dip in the first Ashes Test at Cardiff when I bowled like a tool, since then things have gone from good to better..."

AHAHAHAA

 

[Goughy]

Interesting, indeed. Caddy, Gough or Mullally would've been the senior quicks. Mullally surely too laid back and Caddick never struck me as a fighter either. So...?

Goughy would have been my bet as well

 

[GIMH]

Cracking partnership this. Breakthrough needed, Anderson should be on. Has been the best seamer today/

 

[Rant0r]

Yeah i'm going for Goughy BTW, who will now become even more of an idol to County Players around England