*Official* South African tour of England and Ireland 2022

[BazBall21]

Sibley is so hated?? ex players on Sky used to have random digs at him all the time. His face is definitely on a darts board in the studio.

 

[BazBall21]

This relentless speed is absorbing.

 

[wpdavid]

Ah bugger. If Stokes goes cheaply, what odds will we get on Crawley carrying his bat?

 

[Heboric]

Nice needed that and on 49 lovely

 

[social]

Nortje is improving rapidly

 

[Uppercut]

They could really run through the batting here. Coming in against this bowling will be nightmarish, and the set batsman is shite.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

I just think it's funny that he's attracting praise for playing exactly the same innings that Sibley got dropped for always playing. Just shows how much he's lowered expectations.

TMS had the stat earlier that Crawley's 12* was the lowest ever score for an England opener when the team score reached 100, breaking a Chris Tavare record for #nointent.

I don't know what to make of it, because I was fine with Sibley playing that way so don't want to criticise Crawley for doing it now. Except that Crawley seems to have been specifically selected to not do that.


Meanwhile Nortje is very good.

 

[Gremlin]

Ah. Done by a beaut. Well bowled.

 

[trundler]

Well that's over with. Don't see a 100 ball 38 by an opener described as a vigil too often. In the first innings too.

 

[GRAB]

Well played Crawley! Shaping up to be a great match... Wish I wasn't at work!

 

[BazBall21]

Outstanding from Nortje

 

[Chubb]

It was a good ball, I’m not going to be mean.

 

[Uppercut]

TMS had the stat earlier that Crawley's 12* was the lowest ever score for an England opener when the team score reached 100, breaking a Chris Tavare record for #nointent.

I don't know what to make of it, because I was fine with Sibley playing that way so don't want to criticise Crawley for doing it now. Except that Crawley seems to have been specifically selected to not do that.


Meanwhile Nortje is very good.

They were also really leaning on his (imagined?) ability to go big when set. But he got a lot of time at the crease without looking any better.

Also kind of ironic that seeing off 100 deliveries would usually be a big help to the middle order in England, but this is the one innings in 100 where the bowlers get serious reverse swing and it hasn't got easier at all. Not that that's Crawley's fault.

I love how the commentators have rebranded "repeatedly almost getting out" as "battling".

 

[Neil Young]

Great viewing watching Nortje and Rabada. Rabada is such an excellent bowler.

 

[Neil Young]

Would be good to see a Stokes special here.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Great spell by Nortje this morning. Even though it has caused us problems it was a joy to watch. Pace like that is just great fun.

 

[BazBall21]

Harmer’s action isn’t the most pleasing

 

[Gob]

Is two spinners justified?

 

[Uppercut]

Cricket has such a curious relationship with chucking. Bowling with a bent arm is treated as the sporting equivalent of rigging a bus of elderly nuns to blow up orphanages. You’d think this would stamp it out, but no. Accusing someone of chucking would be such a serious accusation that you daren’t mention it, no matter how obvious it is. So it’s pretty common.

On a totally unrelated note, what do we make of Harmer?

 

[Gob]

I'd like to see more of that kissing couple