England vs South Africa: 2nd Test Match Thread

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

Here is the match thread for the 2nd test at headlingley

Likely teams

England: Strauss,Cook,Trott,KP,Bell,Taylor,Prior,Bresnan,Swann,Broad,Anderson

S.Africa: Smith,Peterson,Amla,Kallis,AB,Rudolph,Duminy,Philander,Steyn,Morkel,Tahir

Although massive rumours going around that, england will play 4 quicks and leave out swann!

DISCUSS MATCH HERE

[GSC]

The first one was a big edge, dunno about the 2nd.

[eirebilly]

You know, i think that England still have one eye on the win...

[GSC]

155 or so is hardly a big total in T20 cricket. Building a platform then they can be in a position where they aren't likely to lose it.

[eirebilly]

I honestly never thought it possible but its still very much on, even with Trott

[GSC]

Cook gone

[eirebilly]

Thats defo it now

[eirebilly]

No no, Prior sent out. Strauss still believes. Good show Strauss

[GSC]

Last chance saloon I suspect. Sensible move, if he goes then England shut it down.

Bell and Taylor both solid in defense.

[GSC]

This is basically what i do in cricket captain in chasing down declarations

[eirebilly]

150 off 120 sounds doablebut SA will go very defensive now.

[Liam]

If we require 40/50 when all overs are completed, is that the game or can we get an extra half hour if the light is good

[mystiroakey]

prior in or out!!

[mystiroakey]

out darn

[Liam]

ridiculous running there, game over now, time to cut your losses and draw.

[eirebilly]

Not sure, there have been alot of overs lost due to weather so it may be a possibility...


Damn, Prior. Thats defo it now

[msp83]

Even Trott's playing his shots here, England still are believing, pretty good sign, they won't give up the number 1 rank without a fight unlike India did last summer!.

[GSC]

Silly boy

[mystiroakey]

noooo- keep going for the win

[msp83]

Prior runout, terrible under the circumstances!. The match was shaping up very well indeed.

[Biltong]

Steyn is putting it down here, 89.6 mph

[mystiroakey]

is taylor coming in- because if he is and goes for it- he can do this

[Liam]

tbh the win went out the window when KP was out let's be honest. Shame, lesson to England's bowler's art Lord's:

Pitch the ball up on flat wickets, you don't pick up wickets for bowling half track deliveries which are asking to be hit. Broad's spell was due to him pitching the ball up. All afternoon I was screaming at the TV to pitch it up. What happens, Broad pitches it up and performs a superb spell of bowling.

[GSC]

Don't think theres any need to keep going now

[mystiroakey]

oh right lol- its trott and bell. over to the olympics..

[msp83]

Bell the new man, England will now have to be careful may be Smith can bring JP Duminy for a couple of overs along with Tahir to see what the spin combination could do.

[msp83]

If the weather stays good, there are another 18 overs. Think the chances of an England win are gone with Prior, but SA are in with a chance if they get another wicket in the next 2-3 overs. Bell have to be careful here, no space for the kind of mistake that he made in the first innings.

[eirebilly]

For some reason, i am still retaining hope, especially if the light staysgood and they can get the extra overs in

[JDizzle]

This is brilliant cricket. Cracking Test Match now! Draw still the most likely result but one wicket now for SA and we could have some fun...

[GSC]

Steyn's revved up.

[msp83]

Steyn is generating real serious pace, but I think there should be spin from one end, particularly as Bell is just into his innings and the ball is turning.

[eirebilly]

Smith may smell blood here...

[Duty281]

Going to be a draw now. Silly run-out really. Plenty of positives to take for England, this was a much improved display. Took 19 South Africa wickets, restricted SA to under 300, made 400+ with the batting, KP and Prior in form, the other English batsmen showing signs of returning to form.

So the final Test, victory would see England hold on to their NO.1 Ranking.It's being played at the home of Cricket, Lords, and it is Captain Strauss' 100th Test Match. It's fate that England will win!

[mystiroakey]

This game has really wound me up. But on the positive it was high quality cricket from both teams- so evenly matched

[Liam]

7/8 matches at Lord's have been results someone wrote earlier. That's a positive. Broad has shown signs of form finally, pitching the ball up. Anderson has been ok and Bresnan average along with Finn. I still think Finn should take Bresnan's place at Lord's, being its his home ground, with Swann in for Bresnan as a result.

[GSC]

For once I agree with Botham. Taylor/Prior should've gone 3/4, then Strauss, Trott and Bell to fend off

[mystiroakey]

100% correct - taylor at 3

[mystiroakey]

either go for it or dont- it was way to half and half

[GSC]

I can see the logic in building a foundation tbf, can't blame them for a bit of indecisiveness, its a tough balance, constantly changing

[mystiroakey]

what odds would you give england on getting 250 odd in a dl affected one day game reduced to 39 overs- id give us 10/1 usually- but at the moment on the one day run plus kp!! 5/1

we should have just gone for it , problem is we let the draw play on our minds,. its the mentality of test cricket.

kp cook, taylor, prior, bell, broad, then trott and strauss would have been my order

[GSC]

Bit silly Myst, day 5 pitch, no fielding or bowling restrictions, more flexibility with wides.

Theres a reason nobodys ever come close.

[mystiroakey]

yes the reason is because teams will take the draw. as i said the mentality of test cricket.

if we were pushed into having to go for it 100%(as you are in one day) we may have won

[GSC]

We may have done, we would lose far more than we won though.

[Liam]

I would have gone:

1. Bell
2. Cook

ODI openers

3. KP
4. Prior
5. Taylor
6. Strauss

[Duty281]

what odds would you give england on getting 250 odd in a dl affected one day game reduced to 39 overs- id give us 10/1 usually- but at the moment on the one day run plus kp!! 5/1

we should have just gone for it , problem is we let the draw play on our minds,. its the mentality of test cricket.

kp cook, taylor, prior, bell, broad, then trott and strauss would have been my order

I agree with you. If you wanna go for the win, go for it 100%, not 60% as Strauss seemed to have done. All or nothing, do or die.

[mystiroakey]

Yep offcourse

[Biltong]

Well I think both teams and their captains deserve a huge round of appluase. i wasn't really going to watch today as I expected it to be boring stuff.

Luckily I switched on when Broad was havinh that magnificent spell, and since then it has been top class from two positivecteams.

[msp83]

I don't understand why Smith is bowling Kallis at this stage, He has had an injury concern, there is some turn available as well. He's not bringing Tahir on even though the batsmen aren't going on the attack. Think Smith hasn't quite figured out how to go about with an attacking spinner as yet.

[Duty281]

We should just shake hands on the draw now. 9 overs to get 6 wickets is not going to happen.

[Biltong]

Agree but I think the SA boys are enjoying the sunshine, instead of having a session after the dayscplay, they are just enjoyingbit out there.

[Biltong]

Smith is just toying with everyone.

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