**Official** South Africa in England 2012

[GIMH]

The point stands though doesn't it, that the turnaround has been remarkable.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Cook seems to me like the sort of player who will go through plenty of peaks and troughs in his career. Given his proven pedigree, he's likely to be the sort of player England will stick with through those troughs, so assuming he doesn't go all Atherton on us, he should rack up the centuries.

 

[GIMH]

Looks grey as ****.

 

[MW1304]

Steyn's pitch map to right handers was impeccable as usual, credit to Trott. Just don't understand his round the wicket strategy to Cook, he looked much more likely shaping it in over the wicket, even if it seems a slightly negative tactic. Keep it on that spot and Cook will nick one.

 

[Stapel]

I think the press and some fans made more of it than there was, we didn't really have another option and still don't as an opener. Trott would probably have to do it as Root isn't ready yet and I don't think they rate Carberry as he got dropped quickly.

Apart from not having an obvious alternative, there is another reason he was not going to be dropped. He has always look promising and simply was too good. All the chit-chat about Cook's place in the past was merely, as you said, a press hype. And not even a strong hype. It was like "a few more of these innings and his place might be under threat". He never got close to a single rescue innings. A proper return to form and a never missing show of class have secured his place. IMHO, his status has already grown so far that a serious decline lack of runs is something he can handle.

 

[Jacknife]

Need these two to soften that new ball and dishearten the SA's again, no early wickets.

 

[Jacknife]

A lot of people have banged on about how Steyn was down on pace, they're wrong he's bowled the same pace he has for the last couple of years which is in the mid 80's.

 

[GIMH]

Hard to see how he won't TBH, unless he's savaged by a killer sheep, or summat.

All the more reason to keep Test Cricket away from Cardiff

Too high surely

 

[MW1304]

One point is that, on a flat pitch, it might be worth him trying to notch it up a gear. I just thought his tactics to the lefties were all wrong. I mean again that was an accurate enough first over to Bell, I wouldn't worry about that too much.

Edit: There you go, he's edged one.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

A lot of people have banged on about how Steyn was down on pace, they're wrong he's bowled the same pace he has for the last couple of years which is in the mid 80's.

Yeah he has, can crank it up now and then when he needs to like Anderson does occasionally but uses skill more than speed to get wickets now like Jimmy does and Pollock and Mcgrath did years ago.

 

[MW1304]

Exactly. Infinitely better tactic.

Now I'm a bit worried.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

**** a duck.

 

[GIMH]

Well that was a beauty.

If we get the old Ravi then all of a sudden it's a different game.

 

[jan]

Steyn'd!

 

[Jacknife]

Oh ffs Cookie, well played but exactly whet we didn't want.

 

[Bahnz]

That was coming. Lovely from Steyn.

 

[Scaly piscine]

This is where you could end up paying for the gimme dismissals yesterday.

 

[Stumpcam]

Steyn is getting loads of swing today, but the one which got Cook barely swung at all. Purely a batsman's mistake IMO.

EDIT: Hawkeye reckons a 33cm deviation? It didn't look that much to me.

 

[Jacknife]

Come on Ravi show us what you're made of, can't afford another wicket because this could end up being all out for 300 odd.

The pitch looks a little quicker today and there's defo a bit more swing.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

They needed that, now for Bopara to seize his chance.