*Official* England in South Africa Thread

[JASON]

Test on a knife edge !! All depends on how much the current partnership (Tresco and Gerraint Jones) and Giles can do to stretch the lead .

250-270 would make it a very interesting game. Anything more would put it in England's favour or a draw. Any less would possibly favour SA. (depending on time consumed prior to closure of England innings)

 

[Mr Casson]

Test on a knife edge !! All depends on how much the current partnership (Tresco and Gerraint Jones) and Giles can do to stretch the lead .

250-270 would make it a very interesting game. Anything more would put it in England's favour or a draw. Any less would possibly favour SA. (depending on time consumed prior to closure of England innings)

I can't see England winning it mate. The best they can hope for is bowling SA out in two sessions, which is a massive ask against a long batting lineup like SA's.

 

[wpdavid]

Test on a knife edge !! All depends on how much the current partnership (Tresco and Gerraint Jones) and Giles can do to stretch the lead .

250-270 would make it a very interesting game. Anything more would put it in England's favour or a draw. Any less would possibly favour SA. (depending on time consumed prior to closure of England innings)

As we speak, Jones has holed out. Nice one Geraint! Apart from the number of dropped catches, you'd have to say that his batting has been considerably less than we were led to believe. Ability, sure, but not a lot up top, AFAICS.

 

[social]

Having not seen Steve Harmison bowl since the NZ/ENG tests in May. I can't work out how he struggling with form. I was so impressed with the way he bowled against NZ, he was easily the most dangerous English Bowler. In fact I thought he was the difference between NZ and Eng in that series.

Having just seen his results a late via cricinfo and not T.V, could someone plse explain what seems to be wrong.

Has he lost pace?
Accuracy?
Confidence ?

??

Confidence.

The pace, bounce and movement are all there and, on the occasions that it all clicks, he still looks England's best bowler.

However, he is basically doing an unrythmic jog to the wicket and trying to "place the ball" in the spot where he wants it. As a result, he is not completing his action and spraying it everywhere (most often short and wide of off stump).

His figures in the first innings are a classic example of why you shouldnt read too much into statistics. At first glance, 12.5 - 25 - 0 looks like tight bowling. In reality, he struggled to get the ball within arm's length of the batsmen.

 

[Zinzan]

Confidence.

The pace, bounce and movement are all there and, on the occasions that it all clicks, he still looks England's best bowler.

However, he is basically doing an unrythmic jog to the wicket and trying to "place the ball" in the spot where he wants it. As a result, he is not completing his action and spraying it everywhere (most often short and wide of off stump).

His figures in the first innings are a classic example of why you shouldnt read too much into statistics. At first glance, 12.5 - 25 - 0 looks like tight bowling. In reality, he struggled to get the ball within arm's length of the batsmen.

On Harmison

He is an akward looking character, so your probably right in suggesting he needs consistent (but not too much) cricket to keep his rhythm and co-ordination going.

When everything clicks for him as in did in the Windies and NZ he reminded me of an Ambrose-type bowler, though not as smooth.

 

[Mr Casson]

If Vaughan is planning on bowling Anderson a fair bit today, the lead needs to be extended by about another 400 runs, unfortunately.

 

[Zinzan]

England lead by 245 runs with 4 wickets remaining 84.2 overs remaining in the day.You'd think S.A need to get these last 4 wickets within 10 overs to have a chance of maybe chasing 270 in 70 overs ...thats a Runrate of 3.86.

That would be quite a chase

I'd still favour the draw or outside S.A win. can't see England bowling this S.A's long batting lineup out.

Hows the pitch looking? Is it cracking or slowing up ?

 

[Zinzan]

7 down....
but lead is up to 265...these last 3 wickets must be wrapped up in a flash for S.A to have a chance.

 

[Pratters]

8 wickets down now. Draw still looks the most probable result but its not impossible for either team to win. Smith has been very defensive apallingly all morning and I am doubtful wether South Africa will go for the chase. Losing all their 10 wickets in 70 some thing overs will be dificult for England to achieve though. Specially when Giles has middled the bat well in the morning, one sees the pitch is still not worthless for batting. And I know Giles has been batting well but still him meddling the ball so well shows more about the pitch than any thing.

 

[wpdavid]

England lead by 245 runs with 4 wickets remaining 84.2 overs remaining in the day.You'd think S.A need to get these last 4 wickets within 10 overs to have a chance of maybe chasing 270 in 70 overs ...thats a Runrate of 3.86.

That would be quite a chase

I'd still favour the draw or outside S.A win. can't see England bowling this S.A's long batting lineup out.

Hows the pitch looking? Is it cracking or slowing up ?

Giles & Hoggard gone now, so it looks like we'll have a run chase.

According to the radio, the pitch is cracking up, but not much is misbehaving at this stage. The other factor is the light - England will be quite capable of slowing the over rate down to bowl a lot less overs before it gets dark if SA are threatening.

 

[shaka]

Kallis seems to be wrapping up the tail at the moment. I doubt Harmison will make runs once more.

 

[wpdavid]

Kallis seems to be wrapping up the tail at the moment. I doubt Harmison will make runs once more.

The odds must be against him making runs 3 innings on the trot.

Just quick word about Tresco, who hasn't always impressed me, but this must be one of his finest ever test innings given the wicket, the bowlers and the match situation.

 

[Pratters]

Trescothic, not getting out in the first hour of the match and his runs in the second inning, has been the unlikely player of this match.

 

[shaka]

I have no idea as to why Boje is being continued with in the current situation

 

[Zinzan]

Kallis seems to be wrapping up the tail at the moment. I doubt Harmison will make runs once more.

Trescothick has done too much damage now 14 and 11 of the last 2 Boje overs...Thats a lead of 290...hope is dwindling for s.a

 

[Mr Casson]

Marcus Trescothick is a hero.

And that's all I have to say about that.

 

[shaka]

Those big might mean bad bowling or the more likelihood of a declaration coming soon. At least Ntini has replaced Boje now.

 

[twctopcat]

Tres seems to be hitting it everywhere to the tune of tchaikovsky's 1812 overture, what a don!!

EDIT: New ball could be fatal.

 

[twctopcat]

My kiss of death strikes again...........

 

[Pratters]

When David Lloyd says 'all will be revealed', I get scared.