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

[Niall]

Bavuma's also a decent player of spin, so i reckon that's also why they gave him a go

Yeah, don't think anybody really will have to much beef with Bavuma getting selected, hasn't done anything wrong in his brief international career so far,strong domestically recently, and gunned it against a pretty strong English Lions last year.

Really looking forward to this test now.

Although typical of my 2015, my biggest bet for months on England to win the series and Anderson goes and gets injured

 

[Gob]

Loss of Jimmy A is bigger than my penis which makes it huge

 

[Magrat Garlick]

 

[SeamUp]

Hear Hear Hash !

No disrespect to the 2nd tier of top nations but there is nothing better than competitive test cricket on good cricket wickets and this series promises all that !

"Performance will tell us when you have moved from one phase to another," Amla said. "For the last four years we've wonderful Test performances and you could easily say that phase was when South African cricket was at the peak and that's how we got to No. 1. Now both teams are in similar phases with quite a few [new] faces in the team; guys who are hungry to establish themselves and a few experienced guys as well. Both teams are searching for a bit of hope. Both teams are looking for a way to start their resurgence. That's why I think it will be a good series."

 

[Gob]

Really looking forward to this. Anderson missing out is a big but still r00t vs Steyn and ABDV vs Broad are ok

 

[harsh.ag]

Hear Hear Hash !

No disrespect to the 2nd tier of top nations but there is nothing better than competitive test cricket on good cricket wickets and this series promises all that !

Yeah, no disrespect to England and South Africa, this series should finally see the Saffers pitted on an even keel with their opponents.

 

[SeamUp]

Yeah, no disrespect to England and South Africa, this series should finally see the Saffers pitted on an even keel with their opponents.

Cool.

HitANerve.Com ?

Anyways I'm here to chat about this series and I can't wait for it & I think many are the same.

 

[harsh.ag]

Cool.

HitANerve.Com ?

Anyways I'm here to chat about this series and I can't wait for it & I think many are the same.

StoicMuch.Com?

Excited too tbh

 

[OverratedSanity]

I've too often been disappointed by series I was looking forward to devolve g into one sided thrashings (sa in India, nz in Aus, India in eng). Have a feeling this one is going to live up to the hype and be awesome.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

I think Amla will score a few this series. Don't think Root will fair too good though.
Jimmy missing yet again, so Broad's form could struggle against Saffers at home. It really depends how the support bowlers go and I tend to agree with AD that the English back up is ****

 

[grecian]

On Woakes, I'm disappointed by Jimmeh not making it, and I may have gone with Footit, but in the end Woakes has been around the Test squad for a long while, it shows consistency in selection to play him. In his last Test match his figures were 4-54 in the two innings, so not awful. His bowling has improved over the years. Gives us a ***y batting line-up too.

 

[Scaly piscine]

On Woakes, I'm disappointed by Jimmeh not making it, and I may have gone with Footit, but in the end Woakes has been around the Test squad for a long while, it shows consistency in selection to play him. In his last Test match his figures were 4-54 in the two innings, so not awful. His bowling has improved over the years. Gives us a ***y batting line-up too.

Him and Jordan couldn't even get Indian batsmen out in English conditions, only at their third attempt did they pick up some 'meaningful' wickets, by which time India's batting mentality had already took the plane home.

Consistency is exactly the thing the selectors don't show. Plunkett has somewhere, somehow been leapfrogged by Woakes (and Jordan) when they've been toilet.

 

[Spark]

I've too often been disappointed by series I was looking forward to devolve g into one sided thrashings (sa in India, nz in Aus, India in eng). Have a feeling this one is going to live up to the hype and be awesome.

tbf series in SA seem to tend to live up to the hype fairly consistently. see: the last few times aus have toured, last few times india have toured, 2009-10 england.

 

[grecian]

Him and Jordan couldn't even get Indian batsmen out in English conditions, only at their third attempt did they pick up some 'meaningful' wickets, by which time India's batting mentality had already took the plane home.

Consistency is exactly the thing the selectors don't show. Plunkett has somewhere, somehow been leapfrogged by Woakes (and Jordan) when they've been toilet.

They probably don't trust Plunkers injury problems, and TBH I don't blame them.

 

[WalkingWicket]

3-0 SA - England will run them close in two (40 runs/4 wickets), SA will dominate in one - the last one, probably, and rain/a huge innings from Amla will intervene in the other. England's bowling just doesn't look as incisive enough any more, and I'd fancy SA to come good on home pitches.

 

[SeamUp]

Him and Jordan couldn't even get Indian batsmen out in English conditions, only at their third attempt did they pick up some 'meaningful' wickets, by which time India's batting mentality had already took the plane home.

Consistency is exactly the thing the selectors don't show. Plunkett has somewhere, somehow been leapfrogged by Woakes (and Jordan) when they've been toilet.

Is Plunkett really better than either though ?

Jordan averages 35 in 8 test matches, Plunkett averages nearly 38 in 13 & Woakes is 52 in 4. In my opinion on potential in the last 12 months I would say there is more to work with in Woakes than Plunkett ? He has shown improvement hasn't he ? Picked up his pace and hasn't lost side-ways movement and hits more or less the same areas.

I agree with Egyptian that it is too risky for Footitt. Didn't exactly knock the door down in the warm-up games and then had an issue in the second game.

 

[Stefan9]

Personally from what I have seen I prefer Plunket but always prefer faster guy unless the slower bowler has supreme skill.

 

[cnerd123]

I'm predicting this to turn out like NZ/Aus. England to get smashed initially, and by the time they find their feet they'll already be 1-0 or 2-0 down in the series.

 

[Furball]

Is Plunkett really better than either though ?

Jordan averages 35 in 8 test matches, Plunkett averages nearly 38 in 13 & Woakes is 52 in 4. In my opinion on potential in the last 12 months I would say there is more to work with in Woakes than Plunkett ? He has shown improvement hasn't he ? Picked up his pace and hasn't lost side-ways movement and hits more or less the same areas.

I agree with Egyptian that it is too risky for Footitt. Didn't exactly knock the door down in the warm-up games and then had an issue in the second game.

You can't read too much into Plunkett's average - IIRC the only full series he's had was the West Indies back in 2007, the rest of his career has been the odd test here and there which doesn't lend itself to good performances.

See also: Jimmeh 2003-07

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I'm predicting this to turn out like NZ/Aus. England to get smashed initially, and by the time they find their feet they'll already be 1-0 or 2-0 down in the series.

Wouldn't be surprised at all.