*Official* England in South Africa Thread

[Scaly piscine]

Looks like Strauss is gonna top score for England for the 4th consecutive innings...

 

[The Baconator]

has that ever been done before?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

South Africans seem to hate him quite a bit. They've been giving him a bit of lip on the field! He just stands there, takes it smiling and lets his bat do the talking.

The fact he was born in SA probably doesnt help his case

 

[Mr Casson]

The fact he was born in SA probably doesnt help his case

Yeah, I assume that's it. Words like 'traitor' etc. probably feature highly in the Saffies' sledging.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Yeah, I assume that's it. Words like 'traitor' etc. probably feature highly in the Saffies' sledging.

If he keeps averaging a century a game vs SA i dont think he's gonna mind

 

[Marcus]

What a team...although Butcher i believe is the weak link at the moment...oka hes been injured however with players like bell knocking on the door can Butcher really stay in the current set up.....ok he was in the pavilion for 5 and 1/2 hours today but when he got to the middle he gave new confidence to the south africans...if strauss goes early t-rrow and the middle order dont perform...we might kiss goodbye to our unbeaten 2004 record.....ive never been a Bell fan but with a player like Butcher holding up a place in the team adn not performing can we really not give places to new upcoming young talent......Strauss and tescothick today though were excellent.....what a team performance all day...it was only when Butcher got to the middle when the South Africans looked good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[S & G Jones Fan]

well done marcus...shame you got out

hope butcher doesnt go cheaply!!

 

[Tom Halsey]

Strauss and Tresco were well and truly amazing.

I think we're now on top, and as long as Jones quites his drain bowling and bowls like he did in the last Test, I think we have every chance of bowling them out. Another big plus is that Gilo should be fit to bowl, and that will give us a new dimension in our attack. On the subject of spin, Boje was complete crap today.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I find it interesting that people have such short memories with regards to Butcher. It's not so long ago he was the mainstay of the middle order - or that he made 79 in the first innings at Port Elizabeth.

The guy doesn't lose class over night.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I find it interesting that people have such short memories with regards to Butcher. It's not so long ago he was the mainstay of the middle order - or that he made 79 in the first innings at Port Elizabeth.

The guy doesn't lose class over night.

Too right. But also rightly so he should be under pressure from Key if he doesnt find form soon. Its pointless lording how we have strength in depth if we dont use them. But thats not to say dropped for good....just dropped to give him a kick up the backside.

 

[djwolf]

We have such a good, 'never die' team now. Only 5 years or so ago we would have just crumbled knowing we were 150 odd runs behind but then we did still have some of the 'old school' I guess. Credit to our batsmen

 

[SpaceMonkey]

We have such a good, 'never die' team now. Only 5 years or so ago we would have just crumbled knowing we were 150 odd runs behind but then we did still have some of the 'old school' I guess. Credit to our batsmen

5? more like just a couple

 

[Mr Casson]

Too right. But also rightly so he should be under pressure from Key if he doesnt find form soon. Its pointless lording how we have strength in depth if we dont use them. But thats not to say dropped for good....just dropped to give him a kick up the backside.

Just wondering, has Key put some weight back on?

 

[steds]

Just wondering, has Key put some weight back on?

I think he's always been like that...

 

[tooextracool]

What a team...although Butcher i believe is the weak link at the moment...oka hes been injured however with players like bell knocking on the door can Butcher really stay in the current set up.....ok he was in the pavilion for 5 and 1/2 hours today but when he got to the middle he gave new confidence to the south africans...if strauss goes early t-rrow and the middle order dont perform...we might kiss goodbye to our unbeaten 2004 record.....ive never been a Bell fan but with a player like Butcher holding up a place in the team adn not performing can we really not give places to new upcoming young talent......Strauss and tescothick today though were excellent.....what a team performance all day...it was only when Butcher got to the middle when the South Africans looked good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i cant believe that people are actually praising this english performance. yes they played well in the 2nd innings on a pitch that got even flatter that what it was initially, but it doesnt cover up for what was a disgraceful performance in the first inning on a wicket where they really should have got at least 300. with regard to whos on top etc, im going to reserve my decision, considering the 2 happy hookers are yet to come. and thorpe really does look like hes in the worst slump of his career. if we bowl anywhere near as badly as we did last inning, well really we dont stand any chance.

 

[Mr Casson]

I think he's always been like that...

I remember someone (was it Alec Stewart?) had a word to him and told him to get off the Mars bars and on the Treadmill. He wasn't looking nearly as bad back in the English summer, but seeing him in the dressing room in SA, he's looking pretty slovenly. Maybe it has something to do with the lack of movement he's being required to do in the dressing room.

 

[Tahsin]

The bounce generated on the first few days of the Durban test were amazing; it ripped apart both South Africa and England's upper order arsenals, with the only exceptions being the amazing Jacques Kallis and Andrew Strauss. Immaculate reply from England's openers on a difficult pitch - I can now only hope South Africa bounces back with some long-due vengeance, since we haven't witnessed that for too mighty a while.

 

[Mr Casson]

LOL!! Absolutely loved the overthrows; thanks Pollie!! Bet Butcher's happy for the bonus, too!

 

[Mr Casson]

Damn, Strauss gone.

 

[Tahsin]

A great innings from Strauss, it was just what England needed to get back into the game. Now, he's been dismissed, and therein lies South Africa's golden chance to bubble back into this Test match. Bring down the rafters, guys.