***Official*** England in South Africa 2015/16

[flibbertyjibber]

Such a class act is Root.

 

[91Jmay]

Yeah Root again changing the momentum of the innings with his style of play. Great player.

 

[Stace]

Its Root's 25th birthday in 2 days, already got 3,000 Test runs, 2 times in the ICC Test team of the year, been rated No.1 batsman in the world. The next 10 years are going to be amazing for us English guys.

 

[smash84]

Dale ****ing Steyn is injured again. Seems to be getting injured fairly often these days

 

[91Jmay]

Superb day. Ali/Broad/Finn great with the ball, then Root/Compton/Taylor putting us in a commanding position. Another 2 hours of batting should really be enough tomorrow to get a target that is beyond them. Glad Taylor has come in and looked so good. Scores quickly, and bats brilliantly with Root.

Root tends to be a bit of a poor re-starter but would love him to get a hundred here to set series off.

 

[weldone]

Those dropped catches and the injured Steyngun is costing SA dearly.

 

[Niall]

Dale ****ing Steyn is injured again. Seems to be getting injured fairly often these days

strangepasserby ‏@strangepsbcric 4h4 hours ago
@InnoBystander since the semi-final defeat to NZ Steyn's bowled 932 balls in all formats (155.2 ov) in 18 games. Not a great deal of cricket

Seems to break down a bit these days, as does Vern. Then when you have so few batsmen in form, you are going to struggle horribly.

I think England will smash them this series, yes I know England are not perfect, but their is much fewer question marks over their team at the moment.

 

[smash84]

Seems to break down a bit these days, as does Vern. Then when you have so few batsmen in form, you are going to struggle horribly.

I think England will smash them this series, yes I know England are not perfect, but their is much fewer question marks over their team at the moment.

I also think that perhaps they get abdv as test captain as well instead of Amla.

 

[91Jmay]

England aren't consistent enough with the bat to smash anyone (other than in England where a team scoring 550-600 runs in a test match is easily enough on most grounds) at the moment. Need far more consistency or Cook/Root to have a god series.

 

[Spark]

Taylor makes that whole middle order just look so, so much better.

 

[91Jmay]

Taylor makes that whole middle order just look so, so much better.

Compton has also added another gear to his game, to get his SR up to around the mid 40s which makes him look a lot more valuable at 3.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Taylor makes that whole middle order just look so, so much better.

Should have been in ages ago. Big mistake leaving him out.

The fact we have so many mid 20's aged players is good for the future.

 

[harsh.ag]

Constructive criticism is great and all, but this English side is becoming a good one. The bowling is doing fine, even without Jimmy. Woakes was quite good today as well. Taylor has been splendid recently and is a worthy addition to the side. Compton is one of those dogged bats they needed, even if he lacks the required technique and flair. Stokes is a gem of a player to have, esp to lessen the burden on the pacers. Hales is their only big worry.

 

[91Jmay]

Stokes needs to start scoring runs. I'm not worried about his bowling, he is a very skillful and versatile 4th seamer but he needs to be averaging 38-42 with the bat (which @ his strike rate of 70s will mean plenty of destructive innings).

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Stokes needs to start scoring runs. I'm not worried about his bowling, he is a very skillful and versatile 4th seamer but he needs to be averaging 38-42 with the bat (which @ his strike rate of 70s will mean plenty of destructive innings).

If he averages 35 and whoever the keeper does too then Mo gets his average in the low to mid 30's then we will be fine. Any more is a bonus.

 

[vcs]

"I don't think there was even one copy sold in India." Holding says about his book's sale. India does have some of the poorest cricket book sales. For a country which loves cricket so much, I would hope more cricket books were sold. There is a large middle class who loves cricket, not just poor. However, no one seems to read much on the game.

I received his autobio as a prize in school for something or the other. I loved every word of it, especially the description of that over to Boycott. Been a fan of him ever since, greatest action ever.

 

[Stefan9]

Those dropped catches and the injured Steyngun is costing SA dearly.

The batting is costing us more...

I also think that perhaps they get abdv as test captain as well instead of Amla.

He is poor tacticly , would be a poor choice.

Seems to break down a bit these days, as does Vern. Then when you have so few batsmen in form, you are going to struggle horribly.

I think England will smash them this series, yes I know England are not perfect, but their is much fewer question marks over their team at the moment.

Depends how soon the selectors decide to fix the batting...They have the players they just need to axe the likes of van zyl,faf and duminy...Knowing our selectors they will only make the needed changes after we are 3-0 down...

 

[Niall]

Depends how soon the selectors decide to fix the batting...They have the players they just need to axe the likes of van zyl,faf and duminy...Knowing our selectors they will only make the needed changes after we are 3-0 down...

You better give the gloves to QDK then if you are going to drop De Villiers best mates, or his mood will be even worse than it is at the moment.

Cook in for Van Zyl is the obvious choice. The commentators were talking about Rilee who is in the squad, has he opened much in four day cricket?

 

[Stefan9]

You better give the gloves to QDK then if you are going to drop De Villiers best mates, or his mood will be even worse than it is at the moment.

Cook in for Van Zyl is the obvious choice. The commentators were talking about Rilee who is in the squad, has he opened much in four day cricket?

He is not an opener. He has opened in odi/t20 cricket but he has batted all his first class career at number 3.

This how the side for newlands should look(I am assuming steyn would make a remarkable recovery) if I were in charging of selections but they won't change the squad for newlands as that mean admitting they got the initial squad wrong...

1.Elgar
2.Cook
3.Amla
4.AB
5.Rossouw
6.Bavuma
7.QDK
8.Abbot
9.Piedt
10.Radaba
11.Morkel

 

[91Jmay]

That looks a lot better, still a bowling option light though for me.