England v South Africa, The Oval, 1st Test Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Here we go then, England v South Africa at The Oval where the battle for Number 1 will commence. A win or draw in the series for England will see them retain that coveted spot whereas South Africa need a series win to take the crown. This will be a true battle of the World's two best Test teams. Here are the lineups:

1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson

England bat down to 10 with the formidable Cook opening (made 294 less than 12 months ago), KP (who walks into any team at the moment) and the best WK batsmen in the game, Matt Prior (averages over 40 and he bats at 7). Add the fact that their probable No.8 bats with an average over 40! England have probably the best all-round bowling attack in the game - 2 World-class quicks, a World-'class spinner and a very good all-rounder in Tim Bresnan who averages over 40 with the bat and under 30 with the ball. One weak link though, Ravi Bopara.

1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Jacques Rudolph, 7 JP Duminy, 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran Tahir

7 specalist batsmen which includes the best no.3 in the World and the best all-rounder seen in this era. There's also Graeme Smith and De Villiers who both average a shade under 50. Then the best fast bowling attack in the World, Steyn (best bowler in the World), Morkel and Philander (average of 14.15 in 7 Tests). Weak links? Petersen isn't the best opener, Boucher the usual WK is injured and Tahir is far from the best spinner in the World.

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My series prediction: 2-0 England.

Enjoy the game!

[liverbnz]

Steyn has been given two wickets, both gift wrapped and handed to him on a gold platter.

Yep, but he's creating pressure by bowling extremely well.

[Mike Selig]

I'm not going to shoot Bopara too soon. OK it was a poor shot, but his first innings since returning to the test side, let's not start the whole "Bopara isn't good enough at this level" until he's had at least a couple more eh?

Steyn getting nice shape, and that was a good bouncer to Bopara as well.

This is a quality South African attack in helpful conditions, so we shouldn't be too surprised. Prior, Bresnan and Broad (and Bell of course) really need to get runs - even 20s or 30s to get England up to 350+.

[Fists of Fury]

England have scored 26 runs in the last 20 overs for 3 wickets since the last drinks break yesterday.

Pathetic.

[skyeman]

Crap, Cook gone. Just what Eng did not need.

Bops please prove me wrong, but i see him out soon.

Thought he might have got more than 0 though, maybe 1

[Ozzy3213]

If England can get to 400 then this will be a tight test match. The pitch is flat and there are runs in it, but there is also a bit for the bowlers and there will be more for them as the game goes on.

[trebellbobaggins]

Bops is good enough in short forms but not got it into head for this for,. Experiment failed I fear. Does need one more match. Four innings failures though and he has to go.

[DouglasJardinesbox]

Finn would probably have scored more than a duck, and he can bowl.....weak team selection again.

[trebellbobaggins]

If England can get to 400 then this will be a tight test match. The pitch is flat and there are runs in it, but there is also a bit for the bowlers and there will be more for them as the game goes on.

I think we see eng are outclassed here now. Facing the best test team in the world.

[Fists of Fury]

Prior making Philander look like a proper bowler...

He'll be out soon.

[Fists of Fury]

If Prior makes any more than 20 I will eat my second hat of the Test.

[Duty281]

I wonder if all this negativity will continue when England have won the Test.

[Fists of Fury]

No chance, Duty. We aren't going to roll their batting unit over twice, let alone for less than our paltry total.

[ChequeredJersey]

Yeah guys this is a 5 day match - even if we don't get a large score, we will get another bite and our attack is even better in this conditions than SA's

[Ozzy3213]

If England can get to 400 then this will be a tight test match. The pitch is flat and there are runs in it, but there is also a bit for the bowlers and there will be more for them as the game goes on.

I think we see eng are outclassed here now. Facing the best test team in the world.

What an utterly nonsense comment. Two excellent teams going at each other. England had the best of yesterday and the South Africans, with helpful overhead conditions have fought back this morning. Now England have to do the same, which they are more than capable of doing.

Outclassed.

[ChequeredJersey]

Want to bet FoF? We will defs get 20 wickets

[ChequeredJersey]

For Christ's sake, 6 of the World's top 10 test bowlers (plus Bresnan at 14) are playing this match. It's damp and swinging. There are going to be wickets for both sides

[trebellbobaggins]

If England can get to 400 then this will be a tight test match. The pitch is flat and there are runs in it, but there is also a bit for the bowlers and there will be more for them as the game goes on.

I think we see eng are outclassed here now. Facing the best test team in the world.

What an utterly nonsense comment. Two excellent teams going at each other. England had the best of yesterday and the South Africans, with helpful overhead conditions have fought back this morning. Now England have to do the same, which they are more than capable of doing.

Outclassed.

In conditions they should have enough experience to play properly, they are being shown how to play by steyn and co. outclassed today

[Duty281]

No chance, Duty. We aren't going to roll their batting unit over twice, let alone for less than our paltry total.

Dear oh dear. It's overcast, and we're facing the best bowler in the World who's on form this morning. Of course it's going to be difficult. We're still going to make a minimum of 400 and that will be more than enough on a dry crumbling track on which SA have to bat last on against the World's best spinner.

[trebellbobaggins]

For Christ's sake, 6 of the World's top 10 test bowlers (plus Bresnan at 14) are playing this match. It's damp and swinging. There are going to be wickets for both sides

Bet the sun bakes down when Safas play. God hates England confirmed.

[liverbnz]

No chance, Duty. We aren't going to roll their batting unit over twice, let alone for less than our paltry total.

Dear oh dear. It's overcast, and we're facing the best bowler in the World who's on form this morning. Of course it's going to be difficult. We're still going to make a minimum of 400 and that will be more than enough on a dry crumbling track on which SA have to bat last on against the World's best spinner.

Saeed Ajmal plays for Pakistan, as England should be fully aware of.

[Fists of Fury]

Confirmed: We are utter bottlers. This is pure garbage.

[Duty281]

No chance, Duty. We aren't going to roll their batting unit over twice, let alone for less than our paltry total.

Dear oh dear. It's overcast, and we're facing the best bowler in the World who's on form this morning. Of course it's going to be difficult. We're still going to make a minimum of 400 and that will be more than enough on a dry crumbling track on which SA have to bat last on against the World's best spinner.

Saeed Ajmal plays for Pakistan, as England should be fully aware of.

Swann is still the best spinner in the World.

[skyeman]

Some controlled aggression now needed

[mystiroakey]

jeas just turned it on and bell goes .. I underestimated these saffas. And i got way to cocky!!

The one positive is there looks like loads of reverse swing here, we can hurt them in there innings

[liverbnz]

No chance, Duty. We aren't going to roll their batting unit over twice, let alone for less than our paltry total.

Dear oh dear. It's overcast, and we're facing the best bowler in the World who's on form this morning. Of course it's going to be difficult. We're still going to make a minimum of 400 and that will be more than enough on a dry crumbling track on which SA have to bat last on against the World's best spinner.

Saeed Ajmal plays for Pakistan, as England should be fully aware of.

Swann is still the best spinner in the World.

Sense the smiley.

[LivinginItaly]

bell gone

[Duty281]

Confirmed: We are utter bottlers. This is pure garbage.

Yeah, a shocking record of 1 Test Series lost in the last 3 years. Disgusting record. Fantastic ball by Kallis that but Bell shouldn't have left it.

[Ozzy3213]

Wow. England are facing one of the best bowling attacks in the world in swinging conditions and because they lose some wickets they are suddenly bottlers and outclassed.

[LivinginItaly]

Let's see how good englands much vaunted lower order is now in a real pressure situation.

[Mike Selig]

Gee the negativity is actually annoying me now. We know it comes from trebbs, but disappointed in Fists.

South Africa have bowled very very well. They are a very good bowling attack, they're in helpful conditions.

The game has a long way to go, and England already have runs on the board, albeit it looks like they'll fall well short of the expected 400+.

But there have been numerous instances in the last 3 years where everyone has said 400 was needed and 270 turned out to be a winning score.

[ChequeredJersey]

Now that's bad. Bell out = me a lot more pessimistic

[LivinginItaly]

400+ still a possibility. Just less probable than at the beginning of the days play.

[mystiroakey]

We have to target 400

[trebellbobaggins]

jeas just turned it on and bell goes .. I underestimated these saffas. And i got way to cocky!!

The one positive is there looks like loads of reverse swing here, we can hurt them in there innings

You and many others. It was hurting reading the comments yesterday knowing it would blow up in our faces.

This has been a stuffing.

[Ozzy3213]

These two need to dig in now. To be fair to them they have shown heart and courage in the past when we've been in the poo, so I am sure they will give everything for the cause here. This game is not over by a long stretch and anyone who thinks that it is is deluded.

[Fists of Fury]

Gee the negativity is actually annoying me now. We know it comes from trebbs, but disappointed in Fists.

South Africa have bowled very very well. They are a very good bowling attack, they're in helpful conditions.

The game has a long way to go, and England already have runs on the board, albeit it looks like they'll fall well short of the expected 400+.

But there have been numerous instances in the last 3 years where everyone has said 400 was needed and 270 turned out to be a winning score.

I'm just doing it as a means of hopefully changing our fortunes. Me praising us only ever leads to a downfall. Just ignore me, it is for my own peace of mind

[ChequeredJersey]

I have faith in Jimmy Anderson and Broady and Swann

[skyeman]

Turning into the tough cricket that we all expected

[Guest]

In no way has this been a stuffing. I thought yesterday, we did well to unsettle the Saffers and score what are turning out to be some handy runs. Let's face it, with hopefully 300+ on the board and in favourable conditions, Jimmy, Broady, Bres and Swann can put in the same sort of shift.

Have faith!

[mystiroakey]

Gee the negativity is actually annoying me now. We know it comes from trebbs, but disappointed in Fists.

South Africa have bowled very very well. They are a very good bowling attack, they're in helpful conditions.

The game has a long way to go, and England already have runs on the board, albeit it looks like they'll fall well short of the expected 400+.

But there have been numerous instances in the last 3 years where everyone has said 400 was needed and 270 turned out to be a winning score.

I'm just doing it as a means of hopefully changing our fortunes. Me praising us only ever leads to a downfall. Just ignore me, it is for my own peace of mind

admitting it isnt gonna help matters- jeas

[Biltong]

Geez, you guys change your moods quicker than the weather.

You're not out yet.

[Liam]

Test cricket at its best. SA battered by England yesterday, looked lost out there. A good night sleep, complete change in attitude and they have come out, fired up with shed loads of intensity and have took it to England today, and england haven't had the answers for them.

England should be targeting 360 now rather than 500+, good bowling conditions so not a disaster if England are bowling most of the day. Plus the pitch will dry even more so on the weekend with the good weather, time for Swanny to come to the party.

[skyeman]

No disrespect to Shakib being the No1 Test all-rounder but to me Kallis is most definitely mine.

[Biltong]

The one good thing SA has done is keep the scoring rate pedestrian.

By keeping it to 2.8 an over they have managed to save 40 or so runs already.

[Biltong]

Test cricket at its best. SA battered by England yesterday, looked lost out there. A good night sleep, complete change in attitude and they have come out, fired up with shed loads of intensity and have took it to England today, and england haven't had the answers for them.

England should be targeting 360 now rather than 500+, good bowling conditions so not a disaster if England are bowling most of the day. Plus the pitch will dry even more so on the weekend with the good weather, time for Swanny to come to the party.

I think they can still get 400

[Pal Joey]

Spot on Sainty... and Ozzy & Mike's comment above.

Some of you guys are setting the bar very high (which is good) but even if England score around 350... that's still a tall order for SA with your splendid bowling attack and SA's lack of match batting practise. I would much rather be in England's position.

[Ozzy3213]

IF, and it is a big if with the South African attack bowling well, these two can see out the next 45 minutes, then I fancy us to get near to 400. All about technique and heart out there right now.

Come on ENGLAND!!!

[Guest]

Even if the tail can wag a wee bit and get us to something "competitive", then this game is still alive for me.

Irrelevant of the overnight score, I'd have happily taken between 300 and 350 when we won the toss, as Linebreaker rightly says, despite warm up runs, the Saffers are undercooked in terms of test cricket as of late and the hopefully the crowd will get right behind our new ball pair.

Bring it on I say, test match cricket at it's absorbing best!!

[Ozzy3213]

Proper TEST match this one Sainty, the way it should be.

Cricket needs tough, tight tests like this to keep its appeal.

[Guest]

Bang on, Ozzy!

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