*Official* England in South Africa

[jboss]

A lot of confusion a few pages back on the FC system in SA. Basically SA used to have a number of "provinces" before and had a system before the SS series where these provinces competed individually for the major FC competition. Then came a merger or provinces into franchises. An example would be Boland and Western Province merging to form the Cape Cobras. There also used to be a bowl competition for each provincail "B" team that always had FC status anyway, so no difference between todays "B" provincial games and the ones that existed way back.

Vernon being left out is a bit of a shocker as he is leading wicket taker on wickets no suited to pace bowling in both Paarl and Cape Town. Another shocker is Dean the run machine Elgar who missed out on his 6th hundred this weekend and is leading run scorer and is an opener. One can ask many questions on why he is ledt out when SA have a spot for an opener.

A very good team on paper(for 1st test) would be

Smith
Elgar
Amla
AB
Prince
Kallis(who can bat and take the place of Dumminy until he fixes the short ball)
Khun who is as good a keeper as Boucher but scores more runs.
Philander
Harris
Morkell
Steyn

 

[NUFAN]

Jboss in dissing Boucher and pumping up Elgar shocker.

 

[BoyBrumby]

We lost because we played rubbish, doesn't matter about the balance of the side if the majority of them under perform you are going to lose.

If the pitch is flat I think we will struggle to bowl out South Africa (who have a much stronger batting line up than the Australian side in the summer) twice with 4 bowlers. Anderson & Broad also don't really offer any control when not bowling well, Broad especially would worry me in a 4 man attack could see England conceding runs at fair lick.

Just checking on cricinfo Flintoff's test batting average over the last 2 years is about 27 are you weakening the batting that much by replacing him with Sidebottom who averages 17?

I would go with the 5 bowlers don't think Wright offers enough as an all rounder & don't think 4 bowlers are good enough to get 20 wickets cheaply enough.

We were gash at Leeds, yeah, but Broad at 7 leaves us with a tail like a rat. We have two batsmen who can send down medium pace that isn't completely woeful, so if Wright were to miss out I'd be happier if we stacked the batting with Bell.

I'm not particularly thrilled by the thought of either being named in the starting XI, but we have to play the hand we're dealt.

 

[TT Boy]

Different match. Tool.

Not exactly going to remember Harro getting smashed for 26 runs off an over, am I?

 

[Uppercut]

Haha, no, but your smartarse response was somewhat out of line with your sub-standard memory

 

[chalky]

We were gash at Leeds, yeah, but Broad at 7 leaves us with a tail like a rat. We have two batsmen who can send down medium pace that isn't completely woeful, so if Wright were to miss out I'd be happier if we stacked the batting with Bell.

I'm not particularly thrilled by the thought of either being named in the starting XI, but we have to play the hand we're dealt.

Yeah there is logic behind both selections it's a pay your money take your chance regarding playing the extra batsman or bowler.

 

[Woodster]

Tough choices for the selectors, personally I think (and hope) that they will opt for the extra batsman in Ian Bell at number 6. Luke Wright has not done enough to warrant selection in this side, and I would also hope they only pick Jimmy Anderson if he is 100% fit. It is difficult to predict if he will cope with the rigours of a Test match, only a two-day game under his belt of late, and there were similar concerns of Ryan Sidebottom, returning recently from a side strain, but 'Siddy' was believed to be 'hitting the gloves of Prior hard' suggesting he has his nip back, and if he is fit I would have no quarms in selecting him rather than risk the rest of Jimmy's tour to be included in the opener.
So my side would be -
1. Strauss
2. Cook
3. Trott
4. KP
5. Collingwood
6. Bell
7. Prior
8. Broad
9. Swann
10. Anderson (if fit) / Sidebottom
11. Onions

 

[grecian]

Bell over Wright obviously. Would prefer Joyce over either though, but it can't happen.

The thing about the bowling is, if they use four bowlers (which I hope they do), it may come down to which one's are the most fully-fit, with most carrying injuries.

 

[HMas]

Come on SA...please beat Eng 2-0 or 3-1

 

[Jarquis]

 

[Jarquis]

Anybody got any ideas what will happen if either Strauss or Cook get crocked on the eve of one of the Tests?

 

[GIMH]

Luke Wright to open IMO

 

[Jarquis]

I remember when Morne Morkel opened for SA.

 

[TT Boy]

Anybody got any ideas what will happen if either Strauss or Cook get crocked on the eve of one of the Tests?

Presumably they would call up Carberry or Moore who already in Pretoria with the England performance programme.

 

[TT Boy]

Apparently the programme finishes before Christmas, so any injuries on the eve of the second and third tests and England wouldn't have that luxury.

 

[Jarquis]

Presumably they would call up Carberry or Moore who already in Pretoria with the England performance programme.

There's the answer then

Apparently the programme finishes before Christmas, so any injuries on the eve of the second and third tests and England wouldn't have that luxury.

Or maybe not then Maybe keep one of them with the squad anyway?

 

[four_or_six]

They might keep Denly around after that huge knock. Or probably they'd do what any other team would have to do, shift the order and have someone like Trott open.

 

[Jarquis]

Denly's huge knock?

 

[TT Boy]

Tour Match: Northerns v England Performance Programme at Pretoria, Dec 8-10, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com

 

[Jarquis]

Was wondering why it didn't turn up as his latest FC game then I saw it was 13v14. Is there all that much point in them?