*Official* England in South Africa Thread

[SpaceMonkey]

Dunno if it was mentioned earlier (i checked back a few pages and didnt see anything) but Pieterson has got a call up to the One day squad. Unusual that they would call him up dispite no injury to anyone, when they had originally left him out. But its a very good move. Perhaps they think Flintoff might need a rest?

 

[twctopcat]

Vaughan said if they wake up to a damp track he will consider declaring immediately in the hope of nipping a couple out before the sun comes out and flattens the track out, will have to see.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Vaughan said if they wake up to a damp track he will consider declaring immediately in the hope of nipping a couple out before the sun comes out and flattens the track out, will have to see.

I guess it depends on the forcast. If its meant to be cloudy all day then i dont see the rush. But if its only gonna last the morning i think we should declare if not instantly then after 30 mins of throwing the bat (thats if Harmo and Anderson do get out in 2 balls and force things :P)
Anderson and Hoggard would be unplayble if the conditions were as bad as they were for much of today.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Forecasts seem to indicate some rain about for tomorrow, especially early on. Mind they also said it'd be sunny today...

 

[marc71178]

Slog please

ive missed both the first 2 days (guess i was spoiled that the first 3 tests all started while i was off) so id love to see Vaughan put up his ton and Harmy get his maiden 50 with an on drive off Pollock for six, then Jimmy can play a couple of reverse sweeps. Declare/get out with half an hour before lunch for 500 -

If we're slogging I'd expect more than 89 in 2 hours!

 

[marc71178]

I think the key is to get them batting on the worst of whatever there is.

That may mean declaring overnight, and I hope Vaughan would do that rather than try for a ton himself if the situation dictated it.

My thinking is that we have the runs to avoid defeat, now we need to get them batting ASAP to get the 20 wickets.

 

[marc71178]

One thing I thought when looking at the figures so far.

The so-called battle of the All Rounders has been a bit of a damp squib:

as it stands - Kallis has been superb with the bat (448 @ 74.66, second only to Strauss) but absolutely terrible with the ball (1 wicket for 201 in 71 overs) whereas Flintoff hasn't been quite so extreme, his batting rating as perhaps mediocre (129 @ 21.50), but his bowling as very good indeed (14 @ 24.85)

 

[SpaceMonkey]

One thing I thought when looking at the figures so far.

The so-called battle of the All Rounders has been a bit of a damp squib:

but absolutely terrible with the ball (1 wicket for 201 in 71 overs)

it looks better when you say it as 1 @ 201.00

 

[Barney Rubble]

I think it would be better for the team if Vaughan at least gave himself a chance to reach his hundred, and Harmy a shot at the fifty - I always think declaring in a situation like that can put the team on a bit of a downer, especially a team with unity like England have - I get the feeling they'd all be really disappointed to see Harmy not even getting a shot at a 50, this could be one of the best chances he gets.

Vaughan needs a hundred in the bank too, if only for psychological reasons - and so that when the tour is over he is not marked down as one of the batsmen who didn't contribute significantly. That's pressure he doesn't need going into an Ashes summer.

 

[Scaly piscine]

One thing I thought when looking at the figures so far.

The so-called battle of the All Rounders has been a bit of a damp squib:

as it stands - Kallis has been superb with the bat (448 @ 74.66, second only to Strauss) but absolutely terrible with the ball (1 wicket for 201 in 71 overs) whereas Flintoff hasn't been quite so extreme, his batting rating as perhaps mediocre (129 @ 21.50), but his bowling as very good indeed (14 @ 24.85)

That would mean the classic measure of an all-rounder batting average minus bowling average would give:

Kallis -126.34
Flintoff -3.35

Aren't stats great... ?

 

[GotSpin]

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

One thing I thought when looking at the figures so far.

The so-called battle of the All Rounders has been a bit of a damp squib:

as it stands - Kallis has been superb with the bat (448 @ 74.66, second only to Strauss) but absolutely terrible with the ball (1 wicket for 201 in 71 overs) whereas Flintoff hasn't been quite so extreme, his batting rating as perhaps mediocre (129 @ 21.50), but his bowling as very good indeed (14 @ 24.85)

I think Kallis has bowled a lot better than his stats show. Today he bowled well IMO, but the slogging of Harmison did him in a little bit. He certainly has not been a 201.00 bowler this series.

 

[social]

One thing I thought when looking at the figures so far.

The so-called battle of the All Rounders has been a bit of a damp squib:

as it stands - Kallis has been superb with the bat (448 @ 74.66, second only to Strauss) but absolutely terrible with the ball (1 wicket for 201 in 71 overs) whereas Flintoff hasn't been quite so extreme, his batting rating as perhaps mediocre (129 @ 21.50), but his bowling as very good indeed (14 @ 24.85)

Kallis really shouldnt be regarded as an all-rounder these days. He has a dodgy knee which has prevented him from bowling significant overs for some time. The fact that he is being called on this series is more an indication of SA's bowling stocks.

 

[Mr Casson]

Since July, Harmison's averaging 28.83!

Ouch, that is hitting all-rounder territory!! He's just about getting the averages in the right order...

 

[Mr Casson]

I think it would be better for the team if Vaughan at least gave himself a chance to reach his hundred, and Harmy a shot at the fifty - I always think declaring in a situation like that can put the team on a bit of a downer, especially a team with unity like England have - I get the feeling they'd all be really disappointed to see Harmy not even getting a shot at a 50, this could be one of the best chances he gets.

Vaughan needs a hundred in the bank too, if only for psychological reasons - and so that when the tour is over he is not marked down as one of the batsmen who didn't contribute significantly. That's pressure he doesn't need going into an Ashes summer.

I'd be more impressed with Vaughan if he was captained well AND batted well. He's already done one of those in this innings, let's go for the other eh?

 

[badgerhair]

I guess it depends on the forcast. If its meant to be cloudy all day then i dont see the rush. But if its only gonna last the morning i think we should declare if not instantly then after 30 mins of throwing the bat (thats if Harmo and Anderson do get out in 2 balls and force things :P)
Anderson and Hoggard would be unplayble if the conditions were as bad as they were for much of today.

I don't see the rush either. Every run makes the follow-on target bigger, and we should be aiming to enforce it on this occasion.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Craig]

Ouch, that is hitting all-rounder territory!! He's just about getting the averages in the right order...

And if he is a true tail ender he will want a move up to number 9

Geez what the hell is wrong with Flintoff's batting form? Or does he only score the bulk of his runs in his own back yard?

 

[Mr Casson]

And if he is a true tail ender he will want a move up to number 9

Geez what the hell is wrong with Flintoff's batting form? Or does he only score the bulk of his runs in his own back yard?

Who knows... Maybe it's form, maybe it isn't. One thing I have noticed though is a worrying correlation between Flintoff and Geraint Jones to score similarly. Back in the English summer there was much talk about the Flintoff/Jones partnership and the success it was having. It seems like when one performs, they both perform and vice versa. Over in South Africa, their only noticeable contributions have come in Durban (?) when Flintoff scored 60-odd and then Jones polished off another 72 or 73.

It looks a bit like the Michael Clarke/Damien Martyn relationship; they've done the same thing.

 

[superkingdave]

England have declrared under leaden skies and a greem pitch, lets hope the bowler put it in the right places

 

[_Ed_]

Impressed by Vaughan's declaration, thought with the form he has had lately that he might want the chance of getting to a century.