***Official*** South Africa in England

[Manee]

Nice, get to see Steyn and co first up.

Indeed, especially on what promises to be a very moist pitch under some warm sunshine - just how the infamous sticky wickets were made.

 

[Richard]

Nice, get to see Steyn and co first up.

Ind33d, good toss for Smith to win, should be.

We now wait to see.

 

[wpdavid]

You'd have throught there will be a heck of a lot of juice in the wicket after the amount of rain that's fallen. England all out by tea imo.

 

[Richard]

ITB certainly thinks so.

 

[wpdavid]

ITB certainly thinks so.

Juicy wicket, England ao by tea or both?

 

[gio]

Vaughan seems pretty nervous, hope it's not a sign of things to come.

 

[Richard]

Juicy wicket, England ao by tea or both?

Former. You know him, it'll take quite a bit to be pessimistic about England. Especially before the start of a series.

Closest he stretched was "it might very well be a good toss to win".

 

[Uppercut]

Former. You know him, it'll take quite a bit to be pessimistic about England. Especially before the start of a series.

Closest he stretched was "it might very well be a good toss to win".

I think Ian Botham is the best impartial observer out of all the English commentators. It's when Lloyd says "it might very well be a good toss to win" that you know England are in deep trouble.

I am shivering with excitement.

 

[Richard]

I think Ian Botham is the best impartial observer out of all the English commentators.

Are you being serious?

 

[Uppercut]

Are you being serious?

Certainly. Maybe not impartial, but he's more capable than most of them of stopping what he so clearly wants to happen from clouding his judgement horribly.

 

[Uppercut]

How big a first-innings total for England? I'm gona say about 200.

 

[duffer]

I find Botham alright most of the time. Only when he's commentating an Australia game do I see the blinkers come on from him tbh. Maybe I'm just not looking for it like a lot of his haters are.

 

[Richard]

Certainly. Maybe not impartial, but he's more capable than most of them of stopping what he so clearly wants to happen from clouding his judgement horribly.

True, but he rarely makes predictions of England failing, unless it's already in motion.

BTW, think I'd honestly rate David Gower (on the rare occasion he ventures into such a thing as giving an opinion), Bob Willis and Paul Allott as capable of being more realistic.

 

[Uppercut]

True, but he rarely makes predictions of England failing, unless it's already in motion.

BTW, think I'd honestly rate David Gower (on the rare occasion he ventures into such a thing as giving an opinion), Bob Willis and Paul Allott as capable of being more realistic.

Read bob willis's predictions on cricket365 then say that again.

 

[duffer]

True, but he rarely makes predictions of England failing, unless it's already in motion.

Well, he's just backed the Saffies for this Test.

 

[Richard]

I meant on-commentary comments TBH.

Steyn gets swing from the very opening ball but no bounce.

EDIT: bloody hell, the opening two deliveries have barely got off the ground.

 

[duffer]

Wow, first two balls have died. Jeebus.

 

[Manee]

86.2mph and taken by the keeper's ankles, this is interesting.

 

[andruid]

Ian bell to compile the ***iest looking 80something in recent times before holeing out causing England to collapse from 250 odd for 4 to 300 all out.

 

[Richard]

Wow, first two balls have died. Jeebus.

You on invisible now too?

Guess the lack of preparation opportunity manifests itself. The 3rd and 4th deliveries just, and I mean just, carry to Boucher.

Little use for slips this game methinks - it's going to be bowleds and lbws FTW.