*Official* England in South Africa Thread

[duffer]

Is that the sound of a can of worms being opened I hear?

I thought Marc already attatched the worm to the hook with his Amla comment

 

[Langeveldt]

Ntini will never get dropped. Basically cos of the quota system. Unless you have a half decent black / asian bowler waiting in the wings to take his place. That or you have to bring Tsolekile back.

Er, i'll take Ntini

 

[Prince EWS]

Ntini deserves his place regardless of his colour IMO.

But hes not a new ball bowler by any means.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ooooo. Soft dismissal. Poor shot Tres.

See how Bob Key handles the situation now.

 

[S & G Jones Fan]

oooh tresco

 

[S & G Jones Fan]

you stupid stupid stupid idiot key

argggggggggg out for a duck arggggggggg

 

[BoyBrumby]

Great! Big fat zero for Key! Attempted hook at a short one from Pollock that got big on him. Gloved behind to De Villiers.

Come back Butch, all is forgiven!!

 

[S & G Jones Fan]

now vaughan is gone for 11 this is PATHETIC!!!!

 

[BoyBrumby]

First wicket that's arguably been to a good ball rather than a poor shot. Oh dear. 70-3.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Oh dear.

I actually said that out loud. Time for Thorpe and Strauss to dig in...I wish...

 

[Scaly piscine]

As usual numbers 3 & 4 leave it to someone else to get the runs. Vaughan does his usual performance of getting out to a 'good ball' just as he scrapes past double figures. Absolutely pathetic.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Stop over-reacting, for crying out loud... It's like having your own portable News of the World, reading this site sometimes.

 

[S & G Jones Fan]

and now strauss has decided to part

 

[marc71178]

Trying to change the topic are we? You just said about the pitch and making the runs because of it!

Where have I?

The one which bashed the Windies (which was weak but a huge marin isnt a meak achievment) last time around didnt have Rhodes, Cullinan

No, but then again the West Indies side they faced were a shambles. THis England side is not.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Right, people, heads, on.

What we now need to do is to dig in and grind out at least two sessions of play tomorrow, which should eclipse the follow-on target. With luck, either Fred or Geraint will still be there at that point and then should be able to accelerate us to 300-350 before we make a couple of strikes with the new ball before stumps.

We can then chase around 350, with luck.

 

[marc71178]

I hate to see this... especially with bowlers...

Captaincy and selection not meeting eye to eye.

Langeveldt was picked in the team. Correct me if Im wrong but isnt he a genuine swing bowler? Hence, he should have the new ball over Ntini who, despite being a good bowler, doesnt really make the batsman play enough with the new ball, and also doesnt need the new ball to be effective.

Smith is either having a bat piece of captaincy, or he doesnt rate the selection of Charl Langeveldt.

Or maybe the fact that Ntini has opened the bowling for so long makes him a better option than a debutant?

 

[Langeveldt]

Come on boys!!! First test wicket is always a magical feeling.. Lovely to get it against Vaughan..

This is where we cannot let England back in.. Do a Hansie and grind them completely out

 

[Scaly piscine]

Stop over-reacting, for crying out loud... It's like having your own portable News of the World, reading this site sometimes.

I have every right to get annoyed at that lot throwing their wickets away in the 1st innings for the 3rd straight Test - they get well paid to do their job and they aren't doing it. 95-4 on that pitch is an absolute joke.

 

[Langeveldt]

I have every right to get annoyed at that lot throwing their wickets away in the 1st innings for the 3rd straight Test - they get well paid to do their job and they aren't doing it. 95-4 on that pitch is an absolute joke.

Without congratulating SA on bowling well, creating pressure, exploiting weaknesses etc.

You England fans are truly amazing.. I bet most others would be permanantly on cloud nine if they were offered such a dominant run in test matches...

 

[BoyBrumby]

We're just happier moaning; failure we're used to, it's success that's hard to stomach. We just don't have the practice!

I thought it was a fine bowling effort by SA, but Tres & Bob Key will be v disappointed with their dismissals.