**Official** South Africa in England 2012

[Jacknife]

Thought so, another one into the body of Steyn.

I like how Finn's been using the crease today, sometimes going wide and firing it in.

 

[NasserFan207]

Is Dale actually hurt there do you think? Might be, but probably making a bigger deal of things than he usually would.

 

[Jacknife]

One over to go and lets put everything you can into this Broad, what do we get 77mph pies, wtf is with that, great way to finish the day mate.


Well another big morning install again you'd have thought. If England can pick up Amla and AB early on, they've got to back themselves to knock them over for under 250 and then it's game on, really could go anyway at all this test.

 

[Stumpcam]

Why Broad for the last over?

Swann tying them up and slowing the scoring well, Broad gifting boundary after boundary.

Go figure.

 

[NasserFan207]

Feel like this is gonna be a close finish. At least I really hope it is. Not all that bothered who wins.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Good day of test match; match still in balance but it's going to be a tough chase esp @ Day 5 if SAf bat a decent amount of time tomorrow

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Feel like this is gonna be a close finish. At least I really hope it is. Not all that bothered who wins.

Could well be a classic match yet and if it is as a cricket fan i'd not really mind which way it goes. England hat on says I obviously want us to win but as it stands now you'd rather be in the South African camp the way the game is.

 

[Heboric]

Is Dale actually hurt there do you think? Might be, but probably making a bigger deal of things than he usually would.

Yep it reminded me of that time wasting by England at that Newlands test. I was at the ground and overs were taking 7 minutes. Trott always not ready, gloves the works

 

[Jacknife]

The good thing about chasing at Lords is the pitch will almost be the same as it is now, can see it changing much at all, so it will come down to the SA bowling, England batting and the pressure.

 

[Stumpcam]

Feel like this is gonna be a close finish. At least I really hope it is. Not all that bothered who wins.

Yeah, AWTA.

To be honest I've made my peace with losing the No.1 status. SA has been better than England for most of this series so I think they deserve No.1 status. Also, it might shock England into performing at their best again, as I think since achieving No.1 status they have dropped off their best form and need a shock to force them back to being hungry again.

 

[Jacknife]

Is Dale actually hurt there do you think? Might be, but probably making a bigger deal of things than he usually would.

I think it did hurt him, he had the shakes when he took his gloves off which is usually a good sign it caught him well.

 

[Jacknife]

Yeah, AWTA.

To be honest I've made my peace with losing the No.1 status. SA has been better than England for most of this series so I think they deserve No.1 status. Also, it might shock England into performing at their best again, as I think since achieving No.1 status they have dropped off their best form and need a shock to force them back to being hungry again.

A part from the shocker of the first test it's been pretty even imo and whoever wins this test deserves it but it goes without saying I want England to win and will be gutted if they don't.

Agree with the point that England haven't been playing their best cricket this series, particularly the batsmen, too many loses of concentration from the top order and too many gifts of wickets, no way in this world do you need to give this attack freebies and England have been guilty of it, so have SA tbf.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Yep it reminded me of that time wasting by England at that Newlands test. I was at the ground and overs were taking 7 minutes. Trott always not ready, gloves the works

In fairness Trott is required to dig a trench each over.

 

[Teja.]

Have a strong feeling ABDv will really shine in this innings.

First ton of the game, IMO.

 

[Dissector]

That Kallis wicket evens things out a bit but I still think it's SA's advantage. 275 should be a par target and I think chances are they will beat that with three batsmen still to come. A draw is still possible which would suit them. And it looks like there will be some turn for Tahir in the fourth innings and the England batting will be under huge pressure with the series and no.1 ranking at stake. Despite Bairstow's 95 I still think they will miss KP at the crunch.

 

[grecian]

That Kallis wicket evens things out a bit but I still think it's SA's advantage. 275 should be a par target and I think chances are they will beat that with three batsmen still to come. A draw is still possible which would suit them. And it looks like there will be some turn for Tahir in the fourth innings and the England batting will be under huge pressure with the series and no.1 ranking at stake. Despite Bairstow's 95 I still think they will miss KP at the crunch.

just don't see how you can say that, direct replacement scores 95, I know Kp scored more on his last innings, but no guarantee.

 

[Teja.]

just don't see how you can say that, direct replacement scores 95, I know Kp scored more on his last innings, but no guarantee.

Haha, yeah. Apart from arguably, Bradman v. everyone, Paynter v. Australia, Hammond v. NZ and a handful of other situations across the history of the game, there's no way that you'd trade in a wicket that you in hindsight know is directly worth 95 runs for a batsman. KP's good but not that good.

 

[Dissector]

Well obviously no one knows for sure, but I would still rather have KP in a crunch situtation in the fourth innings. He is so good at soaking in the pressure and turning a game round quickly. I have a feeling that the England batsmen will get bogged down and let the SA bowlers get completely on top.

 

[GIMH]

I actually feel a little bit easier about us chasing something around 200 than a really low target, we just seem to screw those up.

Obviously there's a fair chance we will have to chase more than that, just speaking hypothetically

 

[grecian]

Well obviously no one knows for sure, but I would still rather have KP in a crunch situtation in the fourth innings. He is so good at soaking in the pressure and turning a game round quickly. I have a feeling that the England batsmen will get bogged down and let the SA bowlers get completely on top.

Yeah, but we wouldn't have had a remote chance, if KP had done what he'd done in the first Test, rather than the second.

Anyway, I agree with you, we're massive odds against to win here, but there's still a chance.