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

[91Jmay]

Shot of the match from Woakes. Beautiful.

 

[Pothas]

425 would fine I would have thought, I would be very surprised if SA did not just block from the outset.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Am I the only one who thinks there's no way they should be declaring if and when we're 400 ahead?

They already have enough but they will go to 420.

 

[Compton]

Nice shot of Cook in the pavilion, presumably using the laptop to calculate what 120 overs @ 5 an over is.

Batsmen better get a move on!

 

[Compton]

Opening batsman and fielding in the grippers, yet his part-time trundlers have been the only competent part of Van Zyl's test match

 

[91Jmay]

Just letting van Zyl bowl is really weak from Bairstow. Mid on and off are up, you have to go for it down the ground.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Just letting van Zyl bowl is really weak from Bairstow. Mid on and off are up, you have to go for it down the ground.

Slagging off the bloke who has scored freely is taking the anti Yorkshire thing you have a bit far don't you think.

 

[91Jmay]

Slagging off the bloke who has scored freely is taking the anti Yorkshire thing you have a bit far don't you think.

glad Jonny agreed with me, no need to apologise. I've also defended Bairstow more than most other posters on this site, I couldn't really give a **** about Yorkshire. Not a particularly relevant place to be honest.

 

[Scaly piscine]

South Africa were basically 214 for 15 in their first innings, scoring at not much over 2 and England are about 300-12 in this innings against a team with 3 bowlers.

I don't know why people are trying to make out there's a decent chance of South Africa chasing 400 or so. It's not easy to score on this pitch. Occupying the crease is much more doable.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Then isn't that more of a reason to set them less of a target?

Set them 550, they'll just be ****s and block the game out. Set them 400 and they might have a go for a while and lose a few wickets, hence giving you a better chance to win.

Yeah it is, hence as I say it complicates things. Normally I advocate batting on longer than most people but there is a fine line here because yeah you don't want them blocking from the outset.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

The tonk is on.

 

[Furball]

Lolling at Smith pretending he'd even be thinking about declaring.

 

[Compton]

That was brilliant. Bairstow smashes a six to bring up the 400 lead, camera flashes to Cook expectantly... Cook looks relatively disinterested whilst picking his teeth.

He should at least put on the Steve Smith mockers and change into his whites.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Give him 25-30 minutes from now to get a ton.

 

[Compton]

That's a great catch.

 

[Niall]

Then isn't that more of a reason to set them less of a target?

Set them 550, they'll just be ****s and block the game out. Set them 400 and they might have a go for a while and lose a few wickets, hence giving you a better chance to win.

Exactly dangle them a carrot.

England have more than enough qualiuty to defend 400, heck I'd fancy most bowling attacks bar West Indies to defend that against this out of form South Africa batting.

 

[wpdavid]

South Africa were basically 214 for 15 in their first innings, scoring at not much over 2 and England are about 300-12 in this innings against a team with 3 bowlers.

I don't know why people are trying to make out there's a decent chance of South Africa chasing 400 or so. It's not easy to score on this pitch. Occupying the crease is much more doable.

I suppose it depends on whether we make inroads with the new ball second time around. If Amla comes and goes early on again, then fair enough, but if he comes in against or survives the new ball then it isn't such a silly idea, even allowing for his poor form of late. And we all know that AB is capable of doing just about anything if there's some support.

Anyway, Broad's just gone so that should be the declaration.

 

[Pratters]

Blockathon on the cards.

 

[91Jmay]

We are still batting. This is top class trolling from Cook. Hope Bairstow just goes for it now, pedal to the metal.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

I love seeing the number 11 wondering out when a team is 400 ahead.

If Finn plays more than two forward defences he should retire out.