**Official** South Africa in England 2012

[Spikey]

Nah, the more I think about it the more I think the England selectors have made a collossal ****-up here. Basically relying on a spell or two of unvarnished brilliance by their kingpins, which is not really how you want to go into a crunch Test match

See if I said this KP would end up taking 5....

 

[Spark]

See if I said this KP would end up taking 5....

He almost certainly will now.

 

[smash84]

England seem well and truly on their way to getting screwed

 

[Jayzamann]

This will be interesting, how will the English pacemen be feeling when they go to bed tonight?

 

[smash84]

amla to ton up again.....you heard it here first

 

[Jono]

Leaving Swann out?

itstl.

 

[Briony]

SA often stuffs up after a big win so you never know England could turn things around. Strauss seems to win a lot of tosses.

 

[Spark]

I might, perhaps his elbow flared up overnight or something? Otherwise I'm just struggling to see the merit.

 

[blahblahblah]

Will be really interesting if Proteas get on to a big start here, but scoring in first innings here is really difficult, so not such a bad decision by England

 

[bombay_bomber]

Not that he was a spinner, but I remember Kumble taking a 7-fer here....you got to pick your best bowling attack regardless of conditions unless we are talking square turners

 

[wpdavid]

Batting 2nd worries me as much as dropping Swann. Gives the only spinner in the match the final innings to bowl, and sends the message that we don't fully back our batsmen. Which we don't, but you don't need to make it so obvious.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Brave move dropping the spinner. Hope they have read it right, good to see Finn get a game. Good luck Taylor.

 

[uvelocity]

must be injured. or trying to play through pain and the management figure that isn't good enough

 

[CWB304]

Big call by England. Time will tell, but on the whole I'm not against. Finn had to be given an opportunity so we can see just what he can do against top batsmen like Kallis, Amla and Smith. Given Bresnan's skill with the older ball (and his batting chops), he had to be retained as insurance. But on the whole it's a bold attacking move which I like as a one-off.

 

[bombay_bomber]

Insurance and bold attacking move in the same post?

 

[Briony]

Batting 2nd worries me as much as dropping Swann. Gives the only spinner in the match the final innings to bowl, and sends the message that we don't fully back our batsmen. Which we don't, but you don't need to make it so obvious.

Strauss mentioned that the weather at the back end of the test, as forecast didn't augur well for spin.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

But on the whole it's a bold attacking move which I like as a one-off.

Yeah I don't mind it as a one off, just hope we don't have a brain freeze and decide to do it again if it goes well. Need a spinner at Lords as it is so flat.

 

[Jayzamann]

Love being reminded of that 88ao effort.

 

[Spark]

Big call by England. Time will tell, but on the whole I'm not against. Finn had to be given an opportunity so we can see just what he can do against top batsmen like Kallis, Amla and Smith. Given Bresnan's skill with the older ball (and his batting chops), he had to be retained as insurance. But on the whole it's a bold attacking move which I like as a one-off.

Too risky without a 5th bowling option, though, surely? Even if they bowl SA out late today, that's a fair few overs that will be have to be bowled by the likes of KP et al. If Swann is injured they don't have much choice IMO but I would have thought that if all five are fit, the best way to fit Finn in is to play a 5 man attack.

 

[Jacknife]

It really is a big call, considering how much it can spin at Headingley