*Official* England in South Africa Thread

[Magrat Garlick]

Didn't Bangladesh U19s win the WC?

Plate WC. I.e., they finished ninth.

Beat the Aussies in the final though. Perhaps that created the misconception.

 

[James90]

They were unlucky to be in the plate really...almost beat NZ in the pool match

 

[chris.hinton]

i just did not understands England Batting today. South Africa and Langveldt are simply not good enough and England are under estimating them...

 

[Arrow]

Boy does kallis ever get out for less than 100 these days? Seems like every innings hes getting 100s. Nobody can get him out.

 

[chris.hinton]

Kallis is a good good players.... but South Africa dont have world class players apart from him and Pollock

 

[Langeveldt]

i just did not understands England Batting today. South Africa and Langveldt are simply not good enough and England are under estimating them...

Tell me, how many times have you actually seen Charl Langeveldt bowl?

Sure knocks the stuffing out of Kabir and Kadder!

 

[nikhil1772]

You cant keep SA down for much long,maybe they dont have world-class players but they are slowly and surely on their way to being one of the top teams in the world...might be too early to say...but this test is showing the signs

 

[Tom Halsey]

England didn't play too well today, to say the least. I think there was an element of over-confidence against the bowlers, but credit where it's due - SA bowled well.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Three straight days of crap from England.

Still, SA's conservative approach in a) not enforcing the follow on and b) crawling along after tea has left the slightest chink of light for England. We're going to have to bat for five+ sessions to save the game, but if we can reach stumps with no more than two down then we have a fighting chance.

 

[SJS]

Not enforcing the follow on seems to have become the norm. Maybe the follow rule should be abolished

Its ridiculous that every team just goes on to bat a second time.

 

[marc71178]

Broken bone in his left hand after being hit by Flintoff.. Doesn't seem to have affected his bowling (which he is in the team for?), and he can stop a ball

But what if he's got to catch a ball?

Or one is driven at him so hard he can't get the hand out of the way?

 

[marc71178]

Yeah, poor old Darrel received a bit of a grilling from Nass and Botham afterwards too. Not a test match standard umpire in my opinion.

Apparently he's made a fair few shockers.

 

[marc71178]

SA's conservative approach in a) not enforcing the follow on

I wonder how much of it was after how we batted in the Second innings last time out?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Not enforcing the follow on seems to have become the norm. Maybe the follow rule should be abolished

Its ridiculous that every team just goes on to bat a second time.

I thought it was an odd call TBH. Admittedly I've been back to work today (following score thru cricinfo and suppressing various & assorted expletives) so hadn't seen the 3rd day til tonight's highlights, but SA's bowlers bowled us out in only 24 overs today! They're hardly going to be flogged stupid after that!

Kallis looks in imperious form, whilst Harmy really needs to start practicing hitting the cow's ar$e with his banjo again!

 

[Langeveldt]

I've played in a cast before.. I'd take a few misfields and dropped catches over the possible lack of control and no balls from Steyn. Although Steyn seemed to be improving with that..

Langeveldt seemed a bit uneasy at playing himself, apparently he is going to make the decision tomorrow.. Which will probably be a big fat negative..

Harmison bowled the second worst ball I have ever seen in FC cricket.. Even Andrew Flintoff at 2nd slip couldnt get it

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Apparently he's made a fair few shockers.

3 by my count. The Amla one was horrible and the one against Dippenaar today was about the same. Add that to the not out against Smith in first innings and you've got a hat-trick.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Not enforcing the follow on seems to have become the norm. Maybe the follow rule should be abolished

Its ridiculous that every team just goes on to bat a second time.

Why? Tactically it's the best plan at times. Depending on the state of the pitch and quality of opposition, it could be unwise to enforce the follow on.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

You cant keep SA down for much long,maybe they dont have world-class players but they are slowly and surely on their way to being one of the top teams in the world...might be too early to say...but this test is showing the signs

Nay. It's FAR too early to say. South Africa has fallen so far from the quality of team of a few years aback. It's not as though success has been so long ago. You speak like it's been a long toil and South Africa are finally showing signs of recovery.

South Africa has two truly world-class players in Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis. The likes of Graeme Smith, Jacques Rudolph and Makhaya Ntini are very good too though, but still aren't at the level of the above two mentioned.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Apparently he's made a fair few shockers.

At least fans here seem to take the poor decisions fairly gracefully - SA had their fair share in the second match, too. It evens out. Just like this series...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

i just did not understands England Batting today. South Africa and Langveldt are simply not good enough and England are under estimating them...

England batted attrociously, but the South Africans did bowl very well.