**Official** West Indies in South Africa Thread

[luckyeddie]

466444

28 off the over.

Salute the great one - world record.

 

[Mister Wright]

466444

28 off the over.

Salute the great one - world record.

So much for seeing out the day!8D

 

[marc71178]

What a way to approach the follow-on!

And the 7 of us who picked BCL now feel a bit more comfortable.

 

[Langeveldt]

Well if South Africa can clean up earlyish tomorrow, they will still be in the drivers seat... BCL though, what an innings...

Robbie Peterson is undoutebly the worst bowler to don South African colours...

Id rather SA did the English thing, admit they dont have any decent spinners while Boje is out, and dont pick one for home tests...

Congrats to BCL for smashing Peterson back to a career in provincial cricket..

 

[Rik]

Id rather SA did the English thing, admit they dont have any decent spinners while Boje is out, and dont pick one for home tests...

But England ALWAYS pick a spinner in the home Tests, for "variation," even though the "variation" ends up costing about 70 runs a wicket.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Robbie Peterson is undoutebly the worst bowler to don South African colours...

Peterson was mistreated. Smith gave him his first 12 overs in 4 different spells and he appeared under orders to bowl flat, when it was clear that he would do better tossing it up.

In the penultimate (28-run) over, Smith certainly did not help him by not having anyone back on the boundary. Shocking captaincy and I dare say that Lara would've hit Murali for 28 with those field placements and his form.

Id rather SA did the English thing, admit they dont have any decent spinners while Boje is out, and dont pick one for home tests...

From looking at cricket in South Africa I would say that you need to pick a spinner. The pitches aren't exactly seamer friendly, and only one which is expected to be in this series.

 

[Langeveldt]

From looking at cricket in South Africa I would say that you need to pick a spinner. The pitches aren't exactly seamer friendly, and only one which is expected to be in this series.

I'd say they are more seamer friendly than most, look at the life Andre Nel got out of it... Anyway if SA must pick a spinner, Claude Henderson is a good bowler, and did okay against Australia last time around..

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Hylton Ackerman (?) after the Lara 28-run feast:

"That's an astonishing piece of brilliance from a genius."

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'd say they are more seamer friendly than most, look at the life Andre Nel got out of it

Andre Nel got bounce, not life from the pitch. The pitch is quicker than on day 1 and 2.. no doubt about that, but it still isn't offering any significant movement.

 

[luckyeddie]

Apart from the Lara onslaught, the highlight of the day was Nel's confrontation with Lara.

Great cricket. I loved the bit when Lara avoided his glare, walked down to the other end and tapped the pitch about 3 yards (it seemed) from the bowler's end. Nel was fuming.

At the time, Lara was playing very loosely and seemed likely to get himself out at any time. A few from Nel had him concentrating again - and it seems that Peterson paid the price late in the day.

 

[Langeveldt]

Hylton Ackerman (?) after the Lara 28-run feast:

"That's an astonishing piece of brilliance from a genius."

One of the Afrikaans commentators on SABC after Jacques Rudolph getting out for 2 on Friday...

"If that boy was back at school, he wouldnt make the first eleven.."

 

[marc71178]

But England ALWAYS pick a spinner in the home Tests, for "variation," even though the "variation" ends up costing about 70 runs a wicket.

I think he meant admit they had no good spinner, but even that is being made to look wrong by Giles in SL.

 

[Rik]

I think he meant admit they had no good spinner, but even that is being made to look wrong by Giles in SL.

Well, the problem is we have no spinners who are effective in England. Giles has only had success in the subcontinent and was very poor against Bangladesh. In England I don't see the point in playing a spinner like Giles who relies on the pitches turning to take wickets. Unless, of course, the ECB do something about those dead wickets which are prepared fearing that they might get in the dock about it turning too much. When we have home advantage, why not prepare each pitch to suit the result we want, within reason. I would like to see more helpful pitches to both spinners and seamers, rather than the "Batathons" we have had to cope with lately.

Giles has done well so far in Sri Lanka, on dustbowls. As for South Africa not having any good spinners, I'd rate Paul Adams ahead of Giles and Claude Henderson about equal.

 

[Salamuddin]

Andre Nel

How quick is Andre Nel ?

Around the 145 km/hr mark ?

 

[Salamuddin]

Lara inspired by India

Lara said in a post match interview he was inspired by the batting exploits of Dravid/Laxman and plucky Parthiv Patel.

Well mate I hope WI and India both manage to save their respective tests.

 

[age_master]

always pleased to see lara making runs

 

[Craig]

One advantage that Lara has is that he has Chris Gayle coming in after Merv. I would take an injuried Gayle over Colleymore anyday with the bat.

 

[Kenny]

Gee, I would have liked to have seen that 28 run Lara assault - it was very close to stumps wasn't it?
Amazing.

 

[Mister Wright]

Gee, I would have liked to have seen that 28 run Lara assault - it was very close to stumps wasn't it?
Amazing.

Yeah, 3rd or 2nd last over.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Re: Andre Nel

How quick is Andre Nel ?

Around the 145 km/hr mark ?

Around about that.

Yeah, 3rd or 2nd last over.

Second to last.

Well mate I hope WI and India both manage to save their respective tests.

Clearly Lara is going to bat all day tomorrow and rack up 379 not out before declaring with a lead of 300 runs and putting SA in for 5 overs from hell tomorrow evening. Clearly...