**Official** South Africa in England 2012

[benjy]

Both England and South Africa have great bowling attacks, but I would fancy England to bowl out any team in their own conditions. The SA batting line-up has been weakened considerably without Prince and Boucher, who is also such a great keeper.
The English batsman are used to bowling in their own conditions, and the batting goes down to number nine at least, so I think England will win this series 2-1.

 

[Heboric]

People saying Proteas are going to get hammered is real pie in the sky stuff and surely not based on real cricketing facts.

Things I have read is amusing I give you that.

I wont be surprised if the Proteas win the series and it shouldnt be considered an upset

 

[flibbertyjibber]

People saying Proteas are going to get hammered is real pie in the sky stuff and surely not based on real cricketing facts.

Things I have read is amusing I give you that.

I wont be surprised if the Proteas win the series and it shouldnt be considered an upset

I disagree, some are making out that SA are favourites when England are unbeaten at home in ages and are the top ranked side in the world. It will be a surprise if England don't win the series, won't be the thrashing some are winding you up with though and you are clearly biting way too easily.

1-0 England with 1 match rain ruined and the other a draw at the Lords road.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Think that England will dominate 2 out of the 3 tests, South Africa the other. Rain will affect one and make it a draw. Let the pot luck begin.

 

[Furball]

People saying Proteas are going to get hammered is real pie in the sky stuff and surely not based on real cricketing facts.

Things I have read is amusing I give you that.

I wont be surprised if the Proteas win the series and it shouldnt be considered an upset

England haven't lost a series at home for 4 years. Of course it would be an upset.

 

[Heboric]

England haven't lost a series at home for 4 years. Of course it would be an upset.

Proteas havent lost an away series in 6 years

 

[Arachnodouche]

Samuels, Chanderpaul, and Sammy proved that you can score against England, even in their conditions, provided you're willing to stay in there for long periods, because I'm not sure there's much by way of a plan B or C. SA definitely have the batting to do just that, so I'm thinking if they get to about 350, they'll be well set to take the game. A drawn series, or 1-0 to SA.

 

[Ruckus]

Spikey, burnsauce gif is needed

 

[alinedian48]

why they are not selecting wayne parnell

 

[Marius]

I think 1-1 will be a fair reflection.

I dunno why the Poms are so confident to be honest.

They were rubbish against Pakistan, and if WI were slightly better the series could well have been drawn.

But they are a good team, and ptrobably deserve their current Number One ranking to be honest.

On openers, I would say Enland shades SA at the moment, only because of Petersen's relative inexperience. He has been in good form since getting a recall.

Middle-orders are pretty equal I would say, Bopara has a weak link in Bopara, but Rudolph has been iffy of late, and Duminy has been out of the Test side for long (although he did score a 100 last time he played).

Keepers, I would say SA shades it, only because AB is a better batsman than Prior. When Tsolekile comes in for SA, the Poms have it.

Seam attacks, SA by a nose. Broad and Anderson are good, but the third seamer could be a weak link.

Spinners: England.

England also bats much deeper than SA which could also be an influence.

Either way, interesting series.

And it is an absolute disgrace that it is only three Tests.

Shows us where the priorities of the ECB and CSA lie.

 

[Flem274*]

Steyn will destroy worlds.

And South Africa will still find a way to lose, especially since the English are playing very un-English-like.

 

[theegyptian]

Going tomorrow. Hopefully see some cricket.

 

[grecian]

Well, I'm not really that confident, but a bit of trash talking is all fun. It really is a series where anything can happen, and should be fun, Steyn or Philander could easily make our batting look brittle, but our 4 could do the same to them.

As I've bored on about before, I'm most worried about our catching which has been appalling this "summer", should have murdered the Windies and Australians even more than we did.

Really can't afford to do that here, could be the difference in a tight series.

 

[Heboric]

why they are not selecting wayne parnell

He has gone off the rails so to speak , plus the rise of philander slammed the door for a while

I think 1-1 will be a fair reflection.

I dunno why the Poms are so confident to be honest.

They were rubbish against Pakistan, and if WI were slightly better the series could well have been drawn.

But they are a good team, and ptrobably deserve their current Number One ranking to be honest.

On openers, I would say Enland shades SA at the moment, only because of Petersen's relative inexperience. He has been in good form since getting a recall.

Middle-orders are pretty equal I would say, Bopara has a weak link in Bopara, but Rudolph has been iffy of late, and Duminy has been out of the Test side for long (although he did score a 100 last time he played).

Keepers, I would say SA shades it, only because AB is a better batsman than Prior. When Tsolekile comes in for SA, the Poms have it.

Seam attacks, SA by a nose. Broad and Anderson are good, but the third seamer could be a weak link.

Spinners: England.

England also bats much deeper than SA which could also be an influence.

Either way, interesting series.

And it is an absolute disgrace that it is only three Tests.

Shows us where the priorities of the ECB and CSA lie.

I agree that England are a good side, but this whole thrashing of the Proteas I dont agree with

 

[Scaly piscine]

Parnell is ****, has always been ****.

His bowling is Albie Morkel level, if that. The batting is worse.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I think 1-1 will be a fair reflection.

I dunno why the Poms are so confident to be honest.

They were rubbish against Pakistan, and if WI were slightly better the series could well have been drawn.

But they are a good team, and ptrobably deserve their current Number One ranking to be honest.

On openers, I would say Enland shades SA at the moment, only because of Petersen's relative inexperience. He has been in good form since getting a recall.

Middle-orders are pretty equal I would say, Bopara has a weak link in Bopara, but Rudolph has been iffy of late, and Duminy has been out of the Test side for long (although he did score a 100 last time he played).

Keepers, I would say SA shades it, only because AB is a better batsman than Prior. When Tsolekile comes in for SA, the Poms have it.

Seam attacks, SA by a nose. Broad and Anderson are good, but the third seamer could be a weak link.

Spinners: England.

England also bats much deeper than SA which could also be an influence.

Either way, interesting series.

And it is an absolute disgrace that it is only three Tests.

Shows us where the priorities of the ECB and CSA lie.

Heh. The poms are confident because even when we were **** we would very much compete with South Africa. England now are far stronger and South Africa are weaker.

It's one thing de Villiers being a top batsman when he's not burdened with the gloves, but it's completely different when you are keeping as well. ODI and T20 it's generally not a problem, but it is a factor in Test cricket. Alec Stewart for instance dropped off over 10 runs when he kept wicket.

England's third seamer will be better than Morkel, whoever plays.

South Africa are far more vulnerable to further injuries as well.

 

[Heboric]

England's third seamer will be better than Morkel, whoever plays.

South Africa are far more vulnerable to further injuries as well.

What I find hilarious is the ragging of Morkel, dont worry about comparing him to Englands third seamer, Stuart Broad is hardly any better. But I am sure someone will come with something intangible that will sky rocket Broad way ahead, like what happened with Flintoff. Maybe its the type of shoe laces Broad uses. #justsaying

 

[Uppercut]

Proteas havent lost an away series in 6 years

I hadn't realised, that's really quite an impressive achievement.

 

[Heboric]

I hadn't realised, that's really quite an impressive achievement.

Sri Lanka 2006 - where there was a ridiculous partnership for Sri Lanka

 

[Scaly piscine]

What I find hilarious is the ragging of Morkel, dont worry about comparing him to Englands third seamer, Stuart Broad is hardly any better. But I am sure someone will come with something intangible that will sky rocket Broad way ahead, like what happened with Flintoff. Maybe its the type of shoe laces Broad uses. #justsaying

Morkel has a Test average of over 30 and that's with the help of battering rubbish like Bangladesh, West Indies (2010 version) and New Zealand. England are the only decent side he averages less than 30 against. It's not like he's started off being completely awful and has improved out of sight - as Broad and Anderson have done. Finn, Onions, Bresnan and so on all average below 30 and do it against decent sides, not by bullying rubbish.

If there are typical English conditions then I'd be very disappointed if Morkel averages under 35. England can get after him and Imran Tahir.