**Official** South Africa in England 2012

[MW1304]

haha , that made me laugh so bloody hard ... HAHAHAHAHA

no, i meant even as in both sides has now lost a good player, not even as in same strength.

SA was always stronger and better than england, need i remind you that even with one of our top players being removed we are still 1-0 up in the series, and i have no doubt had weather not interfered with last match it would now be 2-0.

Every game people post about chokers etc etc, but both matches now, no choking, and it was England who had to sit and block every ball to save the game and try push for a draw, not SA.

Look I feel bad about what happened to Bouch and everything, but you didn't lose one of your best players. In fact he probably didn't even deserve to be in the team anymore, he was retiring for a reason. I said before the series started that it would benefit you to have the extra batsman as well as a perfectly good keeper, and much much better batsman, keeping in place of him. Nothing has happened that would change my mind about that, not that the quality of the lower middle order, or keeping, has been particularly important in South Africa leading this series anyway.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Stopped reading after the first word, ITBT.

How about the word of one of the most respected cricket journalists in the country?

BBC Sport - Kevin Pietersen: ECB brave to drop him, says Jonathan Agnew

 

[Spark]

Look I feel bad about what happened to Bouch and everything, but you didn't lose one of your best players. In fact he probably didn't even deserve to be in the team anymore, he was retiring for a reason. I said before the series started that it would benefit you to have the extra batsman as well as a perfectly good keeper, and much much better batsman, keeping in place of him. Nothing has happened that would change my mind about that, not that the quality of the lower middle order, or keeping, has been particularly important in South Africa leading this series anyway.

There have been a lot of extras conceded by SA tbf - though I don't think byes are the main contributor to those

 

[Thriel]

So if they lost it'd be a massive underachievement then, given how hugely superior they are now?

This conversation just goes in circles forever.

They wont lose, England may as well forfeit now. Either way, SA is taking their spot, it was a given already before SA even landed in England, third game is just a formality.

SA played TERRIBLE cricket in the last match, TERRIBLE, both bowlers and batsman under performed, they been getting flak back home about it, and on our worst day against a England team that came back strong, it was the English who had to hold on for a draw. SA is going to come back strong in the next game, and you saw what happened in first test when SA fires all barrels...

 

[akilana]

 

[Spark]

2nd Test: South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg, Nov 17-21, 2011 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo
1st Test: South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg, Feb 26-Mar 2, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo
2nd Test: South Africa v Australia at Durban, Mar 6-10, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo
2nd Test: South Africa v India at Durban, Dec 26-29, 2010 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo
2nd Test: South Africa v Sri Lanka at Durban, Dec 26-29, 2011 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Truly invincible. No idea how they ever lost a Test match ever, really.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Thriel stop smoking pot England only started playing for a draw because they lost their quick scoring batsmen KP and Prior the only reason they lost wickets was because they were going to see if they could chase the target down.

SA were always very unlikely to ever force the results at Headingley England gifted them the wickets they got there, had there been more time left in the game the pitch was good enough for batting for England to chase it down.

 

[TT Boy]

It’s remarkable South Africa have ever won a test match let alone a series in England or anyone else for that matter that they are expected without question to win the Lord’s test against the number 1 side in the world. Thought England’s success was a team affair, built on their world class disciplined attack, lose one player and its game over?

 

[BoyBrumby]

For the record SA have lost the final test of every series up here since their readmission.

Just sayin'.

 

[MW1304]

They wont lose, England may as well forfeit now. Either way, SA is taking their spot, it was a given already before SA even landed in England, third game is just a formality.

SA played TERRIBLE cricket in the last match, TERRIBLE, both bowlers and batsman under performed, they been getting flak back home about it, and on our worst day against a England team that came back strong, it was the English who had to hold on for a draw. SA is going to come back strong in the next game, and you saw what happened in first test when SA fires all barrels...

You didn't play terribly in the last match at all, it was just a much more even contest. Not everything that happens in a match is down to what South Africa has done, England were much improved (admittedly mainly due to KP) and South Africa's top order couldn't keep up the superhuman efforts of the first game.

I think I'm choosing the wrong things to call you out on tbh.

 

[Thriel]

O please, we had 3 injured players who still walked out and did their duty, dont say we played the same or make some crappy excuses about SA played the same. you dont know the team, i do, i know when i see a crap performance and they played absolute crap.

Say what you guys want, but iv'e been pretty accurate with my predictions so far, and im telling you England WILL NOT WIN this next match.

but results will speak for themselves. I will be the one after the match posting "i told you so" on this thread

 

[Spark]

It’s remarkable South Africa have ever won a test match let alone a series in England or anyone else for that matter that they are expected without question to win the Lord’s test against the number 1 side in the world. Thought England’s success was a team affair, built on their world class disciplined attack, lose one player and its game over?

No one's saying England won't win. But if SA don't win here, then that'll just reinforce what I and others have been saying - they play consistently below their potential.

 

[Pup Clarke]

If Onions isn't injured then he has to be in the X1 for mine.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I think with Woakes his bowling just doesn't offer enough. As part of a 4 man attack he's not a good enough bowler. As part of a 5 man attack he offers no variety, nothing extra. If the other seamers are struggling he will do nowt. If the other seamers are looking dangerous well then they'll keep bowling and he'll only bowl if he's part of 3 seamers - if there are 4 seamers moving it around he'll hardly get a bowl.

England need to pick Onions, Broad, Anderson and Swann for Lord's. I will be extremely pissed off if we persist with Bresnan who isn't fit or Finn who isn't good enough yet.

 

[social]

Situation reflects incredibly badly on both KP/his advisors and England's management including Strauss

 

[Prince EWS]

No one's saying England won't win. But if SA don't win here, then that'll just reinforce what I and others have been saying - they play consistently below their potential.

And if South Africa play to their potential and lose anyway (which is pretty unlikely, but still definitely possible) we'll have a whole heap of people on here incorrectly extrapolating that and drawing false conclusions.

 

[Spark]

O please, we had 3 injured players who still walked out and did their duty, dont say we played the same or make some crappy excuses about SA played the same. you dont know the team, i do, i know when i see a crap performance and they played absolute crap.

Say what you guys want, but iv'e been pretty accurate with my predictions so far, and im telling you England WILL NOT WIN this next match.

but results will speak for themselves. I will be the one after the match posting "i told you so" on this thread

Bull****. You see exactly what you want to see, whatever allows you to doublethink your way into believing that this South African team is the greatest, most amazingest team possible. You obstinately refuse to give any credit to the opposition ever, instead making spurious and dull excuses about how it's all SA, all SA, all SA.

It's beyond tiresome.

 

[Spark]

And if South Africa play to their potential and lose anyway (which is pretty unlikely, but still definitely possible) we'll have a whole heap of people on here incorrectly extrapolating that and drawing false conclusions.

Well, we'll see. They certainly won't get away with that scarcely believable collapse on Day 1 last year where they threw their wickets away against frankly **** bowling in the softest imaginable manner.

 

[TT Boy]

No one's saying England won't win. But if SA don't win here, then that'll just reinforce what I and others have been saying - they play consistently below their potential.

It doesn't work like that. England might play well or better than they have or like the number 1 team in the world, what then?

 

[Prince EWS]

Well, we'll see. They certainly won't get away with that scarcely believable collapse on Day 1 last year where they threw their wickets away against frankly **** bowling in the softest imaginable manner.

indeed