England-SA ratings 1st Test

After that drubbing for England, I'll have a go at rating each player from both sides and give my reasoning.

England:

1. Cook: 7

Played superbly on the first day, magnificent 100 but played a uncharacteristic poor shot and then got a good one 2nd innings. Still and excellent 100.

2. Strauss: 4

Got out once again to Morkel around the wicket first over then played a poor shot when he needed to dig in and protect his wicket.

3. Trott: 6

Made a good 71 but needed to make a big score to set up a big first innings score. Played to false shots outside off and lost his wicket.

4. KP: 3

Played the 'macho man' role and tried to blast SA out of the game. Got to 42 and played a poor hook shot and gifted SA the much needed wicket on the first day. Again played carelessly in the second innings and was set up superbly by Morkel.

5. Bell: 5

One of the ones who didn't contribute 1st innings, played well second and got a good one in all fairness. 1st innings however, he needed to score big and he didn't.

6. Bopara: 4

Failed in both innings on his return to Test cricket. The final day was a big test and unfortunately got the dreaded inside edge back onto the stumps. Played some nice shots but failed to make runs, which is what England desperately needed.

7. Prior: 7

Cracking knock first time round that got England to 385, could have been allot worse. Good knock second time round but played a rash shot that gifted SA a wicket just before the new ball. Still a good Test match.

8. Bresnan: 4

Never really threatened with the ball despite being one of the two to take a wicket at least.

9. Broad: 3

Really disappointed with Broad. Didn't run in with any intesnity and had a very poor Test match by his high standards.

10. Swann: 2

On a pitch that was spitting and bouncing, to not take a wicket from almost 50 overs was pretty poor. Tahir showed that the pitch could assist the spinners greatly yet he looked ineffective and average.

11. Anderson: 3

Not much in the pitch but was distinctly poor. Steyn stepped up to the mark but England's main man didn't.

SA

1. Smith: 8

Just keeps scoring big runs against England and in his 100th Test match. Was fed straight balls and he duly abliged and clipped everyone to the boundary on the onside. Set up the big 1st innings total and used his bowlers superbly in short sharp spells.

2. Peterson: 2

Got a duck, not much to say.

3. Amla: 10

Simple really, scored a triple century and highlighted what an unbelievable player he is. Broke the record for the highest individual socre by a SA batsmen and took the England bowling attack apart. Great knock.

4. Kallis: 10

Somewhat overshadowed by Amla, but his knock was almost as good. Hit Swann all around the park and never looked like getting out. Took Bell and KP's wickets and took his catches too. Fabulous player, fabulous Test match.

5. AB Devilliers: 7

Wasn't needed with the bat but still took 8 catches. Missed a pretty straight forward catch off Tahir but for a stand in keeper he didn't look out of place.

6. Rudloph: N/A

Didn't bat, bowl and can't really score him on his fielding.

7. Dumminy: N/A

Couple of overs and didn't bat, see above.

8. Steyn: 8

Despite keeping it tight he didn't bowl great 1st innings but took Cook's wicket on the second day to set up the England collapse. Outstanding second innings, had England batsmen all over the place and bowled with real intensity, unlike the England bowlers. Deserved his 5 wicket haul and out played Anderson.

9. Morkel: 8

Superb 1st innings taking 4 wickets and did a decent job second innings. Bowled with intensity and imtimidation and set up KP with wonderful short pitch bowling, followed by a fast straight one.

10. Philander: 6

Kept it tight but perhaps didn't bowl as well with the new ball as we have seen. Pitch didn't help him a great deal so he may have a bit more luck up at Headingly.

11. Tahir: 7

Fantastic second innings. Bowled beautifully giving the ball plenty of flight and using his googly to great effect. Highlighted what the spinners could get out of the pitch and outplayed Swann.

Excellent ratings mate, cant add anymore to what you have already said

spot on for me too, could perhaps dock Amla a point for not breaking a sweat but no complaints otherwise

Galted wrote:
spot on for me too, could perhaps dock Amla a point for not breaking a sweat but no complaints otherwise

haha, I'll think about it, cheers guys not much more to say when a team is completely outplayed

Yep, when you get done you get done. Onwards and upwards

I would have Bell as a 6, considering he tried digging in for the 2nd innings facing 220 balls for his 55, if others could have replicated that we could have been looking at a different outcome.

hodge wrote:I would have Bell as a 6, considering he tried digging in for the 2nd innings facing 220 balls for his 55, if others could have replicated that we could have been looking at a different outcome.

1st innings killed England, he wasn't able to contribute big runs on a flat wicket first time around. He did play superbly second innings though, shame Prior couldn't stick around.

5 is probably fair for Bell - unless you compare it to 4 for Strauss. I've have him as a 3 - while 1st-innings ducks happen, the 2nd innings dismissal was poor, and he didn't offer too many plan Bs or Cs captaincy-wise (those plans might not have worked admittedly).

ENGLAND

Strauss-3
Cook-7
Trott-6
KP-5
Bell-8- not only got a 50, but he also in the 2nd innings when everyone was falling he hung around for over 250 deliveries
Bopara-4
Prior-5
Swann-3
Bresnan-4
Broad-5
Anderson-7

SOUTH AFRICA

G.Smith-7
Peterson-1
Amla-10
Kallis-10
AB-8 (solid with the gloves)
Rudolph-7 standard 7 as did nothing
Duminy-7 (read above)
Philander-7
Steyn-9
M.Morkel-8
Tahir-7

Can't really argue with them ratings except possibly Bell as people have said. Hopefully this is a wake up call for England and they can raise their game for the second test and send this one into a winner takes all situation for the third.

How can you give a standard 7 to people and then give a 7 to Graeme. This was probably his best declaration yet and he scored a hundred. Would say atleast 9 for Graeme. (Dont want this to sound confrontational, just asking). Probably his best game in a while.

And I feel a lot of people are judging KP - 42 and 16, 28 average is a bit on the low side but he can't score every time.

I agree with fern, Smith should at least get .5 for his century extra and another .233557 for his declaration and another .266543 for his post match interview.

biltongbek wrote:I agree with fern, Smith should at least get .5 for his century extra and another .233557 for his declaration and another .266543 for his post match interview.

Biltong - predictable scoring from you, I see.

guildfordbat wrote:

biltongbek wrote:I agree with fern, Smith should at least get .5 for his century extra and another .233557 for his declaration and another .266543 for his post match interview.

Biltong - predictable scoring from you, I see.

Just can't help myself. My friends always mock me saying I got a maths cake on my second birthday.

I need help

Other than Andrew Strauss, Ravi Bopara, Kevin Pietersen, and Graeme Swann, I would agree mostly.
Strauss got out first over of the match without scoring, then got out playing a rather poor shot 2nd time round. There was nothing special from the captaincy part either. I would have him at 3.
Bopara too for me has been overrated, a duck on test comeback, nothing much in the 2nd innings either. Would have him at 3, and 2 of those are for his bowling that at times was better than that of Broad.
KP looked pretty good in the first innings, and he scored more than the combined runs of Bopara and Strauss. I don't think expecting KP to play like Cook or Trott is fair, as is the case the other way round. I would have him at 4.
Swann didn't take a wicket after bowling 50 overs, but his battles with Smith was the only highlight for England on the field. While the seamers went over 3, Swann was a touch better there as well. I'd have him at 3.

Generous to a few. Would give Strauss 2 - a duck and throwing his wicket away second innings - he's the captain! I think he's in decline and not up to it against a top attack, not his fault, age catches up with eveyone.

Bopara also 2 for me. The most predictable duck in cricketing history followed by a lazy swipe when he'd done the hard part of getting in this morning.

Broad probably a 1. No runs, no wickets. Terrible match for him.

Martyr - good thread. Thanks for kicking things off with your reasoning.

I didn't see much of this Test so can't fairly comment on all ratings. Just a few thoughts, no major disagreements

Tough on Peterson getting a '2' when he only had one knock but I suppose that's the way things have to be when Amla is a fellow batsman.

I mentioned last night that de Villiers (then) had taken 7 catches and hardly been noticed - that's praise indeed for a stand in keeper. Even with his drop today of Bell, I would nudge him up to an '8'.

As many other posters do, I think you overrate Kallis. Considerable ability and tremendous concentration skills certainly put him above the likes of Jim Allenby in the all rounder stakes . However, in this Test like many others before it, he wasn't the match winner - coming to the crease at 260-2 hardly presented a pressure situation. Arguably his wickets of Pietersen and Bell first time round were more valuable. I'll give him a '9' and hope that won't get too many rocks thrown at me.

I'm inclined to feel Bopara's '4' is a tad generous but that probably doesn't really matter. Quoting Mike quoting others, it already looks like the time to be 'caringly ruthless' is getting near.

guildfordbat wrote:Martyr - good thread. Thanks for kicking things off with your reasoning.

As many other posters do, I think you overrate Kallis. Considerable ability and tremendous concentration skills certainly put him above the likes of Jim Allenby in the all rounder stakes . However, in this Test like many others before it, he wasn't the match winner - coming to the crease at 260-2 hardly presented a pressure situation. Arguably his wickets of Pietersen and Bell first time round were more valuable. I'll give him a '9' and hope that won't get too many rocks thrown at me.

No problem Guildford.

I had Kallis as a 10 for his all round contribution with bat, ball and then in the field. Although he came in at 260-2, he still had to make the runs. Ian Bell came in at 251-3 for England in the 1st innings, he scored just 13. Kallis came in and yes, I see what your saying, the pressure was off somewhat but he still had to score runs. He didn't just score 100, he scored 183 n.o. 9/10, its basically the same, perhaps your just too harsh

Explanations later probably

Strauss - 3
Cook - 7
Trott - 5
KP - 3
Bell - 7
Bopara - 3
Prior - 6
Bresnan - 1
Broad - 1
Swann - 2
Jimmy - 4


Smith - 9
Alviro - 1
Amla - 10
Kallis - 9.5
AB - 7
Rudolph - N/A
Duminy - N/A
Philander - 6
Steyn - 8
Morkel - 6
Tahir - 7

ENGLAND

Strauss 4 - A poor match, and his second innings stroke suggested of a scrambled brain.
Cook 8 - Superb first innings ton, but would have liked to kick on. Got a good ball second time round.
Trott 7 - Strong partnership with Cook. Unusual for him to knick off twice in one match.
Pietersen 6 - Showed intent but second innings effort has been described as reckless.
Bell 7 - The only England batsman to show prolonged concentration second time round.
Bopara 4 - Two poor shots in my view. Both excusable for their own reasons, but he needs a big score soon.
Prior 8 - As good as ever with the gloves. Two useful knocks but should put the sweep away.
Bresnan 5 - Tried hard, but other than the wicket of Smith could make little impact.
Broad 3 - Looked very down on pace/nip, which made his fuller length used to such good effect last summer become floaty. Didn't get any runs either.
Swann 5 - Not getting wickets on flat surfaces in the way he did early in his Test career.
Anderson 6 - The pick of the bowlers.

SOUTH AFRICA

Smith 9 - Skippered well; battled early on in his innings but once he got in made England pay - again.
Petersen 3 - Little to comment on.
Amla 10 - An almost faultless triple-hundred. Very difficult to get out, and doesn't even sweat!
Kallis 10 - This man is a genius. End of.
de Villiers 8 - Kept well on the whole, but drop of Bell could have proved careful. Didn't bat.
Rudolph 5 - Didn't bat. Dropped catch on opening day.
Duminy 6 - Bowled pretty effectively. Didn't bat.
Philander 8 - Not quite as threatening as he was in the winter. But still giving the batsmen plenty to think about.
Steyn 9 - Bowled well throughout, and got better and better as the game goes on.
Morkel 9 - The best bowler in the first innings, and also took key wickets second time round. Had his loose spells but more than made up for them.
Tahir 7 - Did a good job on the last day. Still bowls too many bad balls and offers zero control in the first innings.

Strauss 2 - Got out to tahir
Cook 6 - bril ton then F all when it matted most
Trott 6 - same as cook
Pietersen 5 - solid 1st up then same as cook and trott
Bell 6 - dug in well 2nd time around
Bopara 3 - Poor
Prior 7 - Solid
Bresnan 3 - got a wicket
Broad 1 - a monkey could not do as bad.
Swann 1- same as broad
Anderson 3 - same as bresnan

SOUTH AFRICA

Smith 9 - top draw
Petersen 0 - no runs = no score
Amla 10 - world class
Kallis 9.5. top draw
de Villiers 7 - Kept well
Rudolph 5 - Didn't bat
Duminy 5.5 - Didn't bat.
Philander 6 - not much luck
Steyn 9 - showed why he is the best in the world
Morkel 8 - well but inconsistent
Tahir 6 - how can he get wickets he so bad

Shelsey93 wrote:

Kallis 10 - This man is a genius. End of.

Shelsey - I think we should try to meet in the middle on this one. I've already gone so far as to say he's better than Jim Allenby. Your move.

Agree with all the rating in the op, though I think Smith could be a 9.

And guildford, as a Glammy fan, I can assure you that no matter how good Kallis is, it is preposterous to compare him to the once in a life time talent, soon to be all time great Jim Allenby.

guildfordbat wrote:

Shelsey93 wrote:

Kallis 10 - This man is a genius. End of.

Shelsey - I think we should try to meet in the middle on this one. I've already gone so far as to say he's better than Jim Allenby. Your move.

I think you might be right with Allenby. Kallis is now nearly as great as onetime England all-rounder Chris Lewis

Shelsey93 wrote:

I think you might be right with Allenby. Kallis is now nearly as great as onetime England all-rounder Chris Lewis

I trust Kallis will end up in a better place than Lewis.

Harsh on KP and Anderson, OP.

Anderson was still our best bowler, and the conditions can't be helped - SA had some favourable conditions on that second morning, we didn't at any point in the field.

KP made 42, got out needlessly yes, but it was still better than most contributed.

Knock one off Strauss for winning the toss and batting - turned out to be a good toss to lose, as SA got the most helpful bowling conditions (days 2 and 5) and got to bat on an absolute road on days 3 and 4.

Oh, and Amla's being under-rated...

Amla is the type of guy who would ask his rating to be shared around his teammates.