*Official* England in South Africa 2019/20

[NUFAN]

Love seeing a wicket first ball of a series.

Only way is up for SA.

 

[trundler]

A very South African first over. A wicket and plenty of runs. Sooooooooooft dismissal though.

 

[Gnske]

God Jimmy really struggled to get to the crease for that wicket didn't he.

Aids from Elgar

 

[fredfertang]

Touch of the 'after the Lord Mayor's show' about this

 

[StephenZA]

The way Hamza exposes his stumps freaks me out a little.

 

[SeamUp]

Been a good start by these two.

Love it when a batting team is under the pump and a batsman counter-punches.

 

[Daemon]

Anderson's been quicker than usual I feel but still looks a bit out of sorts.

 

[SeamUp]

Welcome Sam Curran......

 

[Gnske]

That's a strange stroke from Markram.

 

[SeamUp]

Bye Aiden Markram.

Pretty poor.

 

[Gnske]

That's even stranger.

Absolute village.

 

[StephenZA]

Another terrible shot from Markram... just poor.

 

[StephenZA]

Bye Aiden Markram.

Pretty poor.

I`m thinking Markram needs to be sent back down to FC level. Something is not right with his game mental state.

 

[Bahseph]

Yeah, Markram really does mix the sublime with the appalling. You could just see that he wanted to take Curran on. Curran makes stuff happen, you have to respect him.

 

[SeamUp]

I`m thinking Markram needs to be sent back down to FC level. Something is not right with his game mental state.

We have a massive problem at the other end too but I am still convinced these are our 2 best openers so it is a tough one.

 

[Dendarii]

I`m thinking Markram needs to be sent back down to FC level. Something is not right with his game mental state.

Although Boucher knows him pretty well, so might be able to do something with him.

 

[Gnske]

He needs softer hands and to learn how to hit a ball along the ground to start with imo. That four he hit at the beginning of the over really shouldn't have been that aerial.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Markram's regressed so much since the Australia series last year where he looked superb. Such a **** shot too.

 

[StephenZA]

We have a massive problem at the other end too but I am still convinced these are our 2 best openers so it is a tough one.

I still think Markrams natural attacking mindset makes him more suitable at 4. I really think with the way Moore is playing maybe a better option to open.

Although Boucher knows him pretty well, so might be able to do something with him.

True. But I do think much of Markram mental problems is the pressure and expectations he puts on himself. When he is in a good head space can see how much more relaxed he is. It just feels like he is trying to hard.

 

[SeamUp]

From 2 down for nothing with a batting line-up trying to find itself still but batting quite deep... I think we would like 300 because it is going to be so crap batting last on this wicket.