**Official** South Africa in England 2012

[BackFootPunch]

These England bowlers haven't been bowled into the ground by any means though. Since the start of the Sri Lanka tour (in late March) Anderson has played 1 FC game, 5 ODIs and this is his 5th Test. Swann had more than two weeks off before this match and Bresnan and Broad had at least a week.

I got the feeling they were underdone actually. Broad and Bresnan in particular looked like they weren't in any sort of rhythm and were down on pace as a result.

Having said that, would still suggest Finn should come in purely because I believe he's proven himself to be a better bowler than Bresnan.

 

[Spark]

This is a pretty good point. Clearly Swann has underperformed here as well. During the 1st session of day one, all the commentators were banging on about how dangerous the rough would be for the left handers, but Swann only got Smith to play and miss a couple of times at most from what I saw. I suspect the commentators misread the extent of the spin on offer, but I think you'd have hoped for more action from Swann - at least from what I've seen (which, to be fair, is only the first session of each day)

Tahir was getting some alarming **** to happen it seems, though tbf he is a wrist spinner.

 

[popepouri]

Jesus, played inside it, didn't he?

Great spell from Morkel, but Pietersen didn't wanna know, did he? Came to play his shots and **** the consequences.

He did that the last time against SA at Headingly in a similar situation. 13 off 5.

 

[Jayzamann]

If the conditions are good for spin or he's just taken a wicket, he's all over you.

Helps when he has the knack for getting a wicket almost as soon as he's brought on.

 

[Spark]

You just know there's going to be at least one game where SA have a brain explosion. I mean, they had one against SL's attack.

Yeah this is very true. You can almost always bank at least one win against SA per series, as they just have this habit of losing somehow every now and then. Not through playing particularly badly or anything, just... losing.

 

[uvelocity]

I just think it's a sign that most of the major test sides are very close together. On a given day any team can realistically win, people are quite used to one team dominating, but it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the poms to turn it around.

When burgey joked about tahir cleaning them up, that would be a big psychological blow if it came to pass as it's really one area I'd expect both teams to be weak in, in English conditions, spinning. Other areas there really isn't that much between the sides.

 

[Viscount Tom]

@BFP: Except he hasn't. He's done well in the ODIs because we've been playing teams who are either filled with rubbish batsmen (Pakistan and Aus for the most part) or can't handle pace (India).

Not saying Bresnan's better because I don't think he is but I just don't feel dropping Bresnan is the answer to our problem especially as the next pitch is I rekcon more likely to do something that our bowlers can exploit. Finn might have got something out from this pitch that the other bowlers couldn't given his pace and bounce but at Headingley I can't see that mattering that much.

 

[BackFootPunch]

@BFP: Except he hasn't. He's done well in the ODIs because we've been playing teams who are either filled with rubbish batsmen (Pakistan and Aus for the most part) or can't handle pace (India).

Not saying Bresnan's better because I don't think he is but I just don't feel dropping Bresnan is the answer to our problem especially as the next pitch is I rekcon more likely to do something that our bowlers can exploit. Finn might have got something out from this pitch that the other bowlers couldn't given his pace and bounce but at Headingley I can't see that mattering that much.

Yeah you're probably right. In all likelihood Bresnan will do just fine in the next Test.

It's actually an interesting problem for England though. None of their bowlers are actually under-performing and yet they have a guy on the sidelines who, arguably, should be playing every game. It must be tough to drop a guy when he's not really doing anything wrong.

Bresnan is very much a genuine Test player so how do you fit all 4 of your top quality pace bowlers in the side. Must be a nice problem to have.

 

[Spark]

Pretty insane odds going for this first test match. Eng at 2.94, SA at 4.4 and the draw at 2.26 (bad weather on the horizon perhaps?). But geez 4.4, that is tempting to say the least.

So who did end up getting on this?

 

[Ruckus]

Wish I did in retrospect, although at the time I backed out because the weather forecast legitimately looked bad. Was the only thing stopping me though, and of course the damn forecast had to improve massively a day or two in

 

[Jono]

I told my mate to get on SA at the end of day 1. He did, I didn't.

WAC.

 

[social]

Yeah you're probably right. In all likelihood Bresnan will do just fine in the next Test.

It's actually an interesting problem for England though. None of their bowlers are actually under-performing and yet they have a guy on the sidelines who, arguably, should be playing every game. It must be tough to drop a guy when he's not really doing anything wrong.

Bresnan is very much a genuine Test player so how do you fit all 4 of your top quality pace bowlers in the side. Must be a nice problem to have.

600/2 is definitely doing something wrong

IMO, the warning signs were there for all to see during the recent odi series against Oz and Tests against Windies

Ignoring their overall figures, both Bresnan and Broad looked decidedly pedestrian - disciplined but down on pace and without much movement

Neither deserved to be dropped for this test but I dont think either could have much of an argument if it happened for the second

 

[Ruckus]

I told my mate to get on SA at the end of day 1. He did, I didn't.

WAC.

geez he is going to be reeling it in. Must have been up near 10 or something at the end of day 1.

 

[ProteasFan]

wow,

At the end of Day1, I was telling my mate that we were in for a pasting and we need to pull our socks up to salvage anything from this match.

It's been a quite extraordinary turnaround by SA. Firstly, to take the the last 7 wickets for ~120 runs was brilliant. ( at the end of Day1, I thought you lot were on par for 550+)

What followed was a batting masterclass by SA. Smith and Amla batted with the due care at the close of Day 2 and followed that up with a difficult period in the first hour of day 3. after that, we began to assert ourselves.

It must surely be worrying for England that their bowlers looked down on pace and that they couldn't extract any seam movement. Also, the threat of swann was non existant. We took him out the equation and England looked toothless. 2 wickets in 2 days of play will surely demoralise the English and it will be interesting too see how they come back in the rest of the series.

going on to day5, the challenge is simple for england. Survive. Do that and they may see it as a victory. Bell or Bopara need to bat through the first session if England are to have any chance and SA will come out guns blazing today.

Come on boys! let's wrap it up and look forward to the second test!

 

[GIMH]

600/2 is definitely doing something wrong

IMO, the warning signs were there for all to see during the recent odi series against Oz and Tests against Windies

Ignoring their overall figures, both Bresnan and Broad looked decidedly pedestrian - disciplined but down on pace and without much movement

Neither deserved to be dropped for this test but I dont think either could have much of an argument if it happened for the second

Broad was outstanding in the Tests against the Windies.

 

[Spark]

Hmm, he was, but I remember commenting on the time that when he didn't seem in rhythm (which was the first two sessions at Lord's and post Day 1 at TB) he just seemed to be bowling sort of... floaty. Not badly per se as he was still getting a little movement and he seemed to be getting each ball basically where he wanted, but... floaty. Didn't seem quite right. Last two days have been exaggerated versions of that.

Must get his pace up quicksmart, he is not a 130kmh bowler.

 

[GIMH]

Dropping him would be ludicrous though, he's been our best bowler for twelve months

 

[Spark]

Very much so, but it's certainly a cause for concern.

 

[GIMH]

With Headingley next, the attack we have now is the one I want to see. And if we were going to change seamers I'd pick Onions for that Test.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Broad was outstanding in the Tests against the Windies.

He was once he got Barath in the first test, as Sparko rightly said, initially he looked a little down on pace & intent. It all seemed to click once he'd taken one.

With Headingley next, the attack we have now is the one I want to see. And if we were going to change seamers I'd pick Onions for that Test.

TBH, Onions would be third on my list of the serious options, unless (God forbid, etc) Jimmeh went down. There is a slightly sameyness to our seam attack (especially since Chris jr started bowling a fuller line) and Onions, much as I love him, wouldn't change this.

I'm a massive Tremmers fan, so would play him without hesitation, but it'd be hideously unfair on Finn were he leapfrogged after being our best bowler in the Oz ODI series and having taken 20-odd FC wickets in the five games he's played this season.