***Official*** South Africa in England

[zaremba]

All the England players made a point of warmly shaking ABdV's hand as he walked off the field at lunch.

I suspect he must have done a bit of abject apologising to the England team after his cheating, and they're all best buddies again.

 

[Richard]

Atherton is apparently not sure why de Villiers got booed, hmm.

Big applause on the balcony but boos around the ground, it's not clear why. So he briings up 100 runs from 264 balls, the slowest of his Test hundreds


How thick are Cricinfo commentators (and Atherton too it seems)?

Atherton being slightly disingenuous there "A round of boos, I'm not sure why?". Claiming grassed catches never likely to endear a player to the opposing fans is it, Michael?

Poor show from the crowd all the same, like to think we're better than that as a nation.

Few similar posts coming in then.

 

[pasag]

BTW having not seen any of yesterday's second and third sessions (whatever there was between rain) I'm not totally sure if there were any let-offs - were there?

Not that I can remember, no.

 

[Richard]

I'm struggling to see any hint of logic in that. If he were to do well then we would have discovered a bowler capable of success at Test level. In which case I'd have no problem him being in the frame for more games.

I don't think he would, though. I cannot ever see a 30-year-old who's been playing on merit top-level cricket for all of 3 months being capable of much Test success.

Blah blah obvious fluke blah blah not test class blah blah Dominic Cork better blah blah first chance average

WTF?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Pattinson played a few seasons in and out of the Victorian side as well.

 

[Richard]

Pattinson made his Victoria debut in 2006/07, played 3 First-Class games that season, and 2 the next one. He was only ever a replacement player when Harwood\Lewis\McDonald\Wise\Denton\Nannes\McKay\Siddle were injured. I'd hardly count that as playing top-level cricket myself.

 

[zaremba]

I don't think he would, though. I cannot ever see a 30-year-old who's been playing top-level cricket for all of 3 months being capable of much Test success.

Well that's a different thing entirely. You're now saying you don't think he will succeed. Earlier on you were saying you hoped he failed.

 

[zaremba]

Pattinson made his Victoria debut in 2006/07, played 3 First-Class games that season, and 2 the next one. He was only ever a replacement player when Harwood\Lewis\McDonald\Wise\Denton\Nannes\McKay\Siddle were injured. I'd hardly count that as playing top-level cricket myself.

Oh come off it, it's plainly top-class cricket, regardless of the reasons why he was playing it.

 

[Richard]

Well that's a different thing entirely. You're now saying you don't think he will succeed. Earlier on you were saying you hoped he failed.

I hope he fails this match because I don't believe he can succeed long-term.

Makes sense now I hope?

 

[Richard]

Oh come off it, it's plainly top-class cricket, regardless of the reasons why he was playing it.

But 3 games in one season and 2 in the next isn't exactly playing it regularly, is it? And it's especially questionable when so many players have to be missing for you to get the gig.

Nonetheless, post modified to perhaps reflect better.

 

[nexxus]

I've got to admit I'm perfectly happy about ABdV getting booed. I'm disappointed that he got any runs at all in fact.

But luckily Vaughn got exactly what he deserved after his 'catch' so it's all good.

 

[Richard]

luckily Vaughn got exactly what he deserved after his 'catch'

He did?

What was that then?

 

[zaremba]

Nexxus is, I think, trying to pretend that Amla's let-off (due to an inevitably inconclusive replay) was somehow comparable to de Villiers' cheating, and that Vaughan's early dismissal was his payback.

 

[Richard]

But he said "after his 'catch'" - nothing of note has happened to Vaughan after his Amla catch\near-catch. Apart from the catch being turned-down of course - which ended-up making not-that-much difference as Amla was out before that many had been added.

 

[zaremba]

But he said "after his 'catch'" - nothing of note has happened to Vaughan after his Amla catch\near-catch. Apart from the catch being turned-down of course - which ended-up making not-that-much difference as Amla was out before that many had been added.

You're right. Perhaps Nexxus will enlighten us what he's banging on about

 

[Richard]

Boucher dropped by Pattinson.

And on that note, I'm off to play... again.

 

[Mister Wright]

How good is de Villiers? One of my favourite cricketers. Has so much potential.

 

[zaremba]

How good is de Villiers? One of my favourite cricketers. Has so much potential.

Yup, a very good cricketer.

 

[pasag]

Pretty obvious that England will lose this match, possibly by an innings. If they keep the same side they'll lose the series, simple as.

Wouldn't mind seeing this side in the next match:

Strauss
Cook
Vaughan
KP
Bell
Shah
Ambrose
Flintoff
Sidebottom/Jones/Hoggard
Anderson
Monty

 

[Scaly piscine]

Shah, just what England need - yet another soft mentally dodgy batsman...

Accommodating a toothless finger spinner who can't bat or field is a recipe for Flintoff getting injured again.