England v South Africa, Lords, 3rd Test Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

The equation is simple. If England win, they remain number 1. If South Africa avoid defeat, they move up to number 1 and will officially be the best Test team in the World.

England: 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell, 5 James Taylor, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn

South Africa: 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

Are you ready?

[skyeman]

Drop Strauss. Get KP back. Get Onions back.

Agree! Onions could even open instead of Strauss - could hardly be any worse!

Now, don't be silly, he is our top scorer

[mystiroakey]

KP for captain. strauss out!!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Strauss out! Lets bring back Atherton!

[Mad for Chelsea]

Bell duly does manage a three, only for Bairstow to pinch a single and therefore face Morkel again. Kallis strays with the last delivery and Bell clips it for four through square leg, that's better

[skyeman]

KP for captain. strauss out!!

Nut for PM.

[GSC]

I think its time to bring back Moores and reinstate KP as captain

[mystiroakey]

You mean Atherton the worst captain in englands history- drop me out fella

[eirebilly]

Well i come back and see this score

[Mad for Chelsea]

You mean Atherton the worst captain in englands history- drop me out fella

harsh, Beefy was England's worst captain by a long way for me...

[VTR]

Drop Strauss. Get KP back. Get Onions back.

Agree! Onions could even open instead of Strauss - could hardly be any worse!

Now, don't be silly, he is our top scorer

Where would we be without that chanceless (apart from getting out) 20. Doesn't matter though, its written in the tealeaves that Lord Straussy will get a glorious hundred second time out, not be bowled for a duck like he is in most second innings, especially if its a run chase

[Mad for Chelsea]

runs, runs everywhere

three boundaries in the last 7 balls, 16 from the last 2 overs. England on a roll

[Fists of Fury]

It's sad really. Strauss has been a great servant of English cricket, and 100 Test caps is no mean feat, but his best days are long, long gone. He can get starts, but he just cannot convert and looks all at sea against quality bowling almost 100% of the time.

Cook's shot today was just despicable, and if that was the likes of KP he would be slaughtered for it, but hopefully he will learn from it and realise just how poor it was.

[VTR]

He can get starts, but he just cannot convert and looks all at sea against quality bowling almost 100% of the time.
.

Very generous putting the word "almost" in that sentence!

[skyeman]

As Bumble says, when the first score is 300, it makes for great games and anything can happen.

Not over by a long chalk.

[Fists of Fury]

Yeah, perhaps I was.

Love the point about being bowled for a duck in the second innings. Had to laugh, because it does happen fairly regularly doesn't it!

[skyeman]

The milkman, Tahir on. Good times

[alfie]

It's sad really. Strauss has been a great servant of English cricket, and 100 Test caps is no mean feat, but his best days are long, long gone. He can get starts, but he just cannot convert and looks all at sea against quality bowling almost 100% of the time.

Cook's shot today was just despicable, and if that was the likes of KP he would be slaughtered for it, but hopefully he will learn from it and realise just how poor it was.

Can't agree that Strauss looked all at sea. He'd handled some good bowling pretty well , and was bowled by a very fine delivery. I do wonder if his concentration had slipped just before lunch , as I feel he has had a tendency to the odd such lapse recently. In his defence , it is not easy mentally for a captain to open the batting , especially when the opponent's innings has dragged on a bit.

Cook indeed played an awful shot , though he is hardly Robinson Crusoe in this match - one or two South Africans were complicit in their own demise yesterday ! Must be something about facing good bowling on a pitch which really isn't playing any tricks at all. I would have expected 400 each , but SA needed some solid tail wagging , and England will be hoping for something similar...

[Mad for Chelsea]

Bell survives a review by Smith, looked close that but enough doubt to uphold Taufel's decision.

[Fists of Fury]

It was a good ball that got Strauss, but you can't overlook the fact that it was a pretty ordinary shot, too.

He can barely lay a bat on anything Morkel bowls at him, that suggests to me an opener that is long past his best.

Nope, I like Strauss but it is probably time to hand the reins over to Cook.

[Mad for Chelsea]

maiden from Philander but not a particularly good one, Bairstow doesn't have to play at any of it.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Bairstow looking much happier now Morkel is out of the attack, a beautiful extra cover drive off Tahir probably the shot of the day so far...

[skyeman]

Bairstow looking much happier now Morkel is out of the attack, a beautiful extra cover drive off Tahir probably the shot of the day so far...

Agreed, nice little partnership forming.

[alfie]

Look , he hasn't had a good series here , obviously. However just a month or two back he absolutely shredded West Indies with two excellent hundreds...sneer all you like at the WI attack , which is certainly not in the class of the current opponent , but you still have to get them...

To be honest , I think Strauss may well be heading into his last few laps , but it would be rather foolhardy to rush to discard him for an untried hopeful , at a time where the middle order seems to have developed an alarming fragility. I hope he scores big in the second innings , but even if he doesn't I have him in my party for the winter tour. And I hope he can do well enough for long enough to see the four to six situation settled back into proper working order.

[skyeman]

Look , he hasn't had a good series here , obviously. However just a month or two back he absolutely shredded West Indies with two excellent hundreds...sneer all you like at the WI attack , which is certainly not in the class of the current opponent , but you still have to get them...

To be honest , I think Strauss may well be heading into his last few laps , but it would be rather foolhardy to rush to discard him for an untried hopeful , at a time where the middle order seems to have developed an alarming fragility. I hope he scores big in the second innings , but even if he doesn't I have him in my party for the winter tour. And I hope he can do well enough for long enough to see the four to six situation settled back into proper working order.

[skyeman]

The milkman bowling quite tidily for a change.

[alfie]

Quite impressed by Tahir so far today...seems to be bowling with much more confidence .

Perhaps feeling more comfortable in the absence of Pietersen

[JDizzle]

Bairstow played well. Must be because he has ditched the horror show of a helmet he had Vs the Windies. Do the same Jimmy!

[skyeman]

Tea 94/4, 215 behind and game on.

JB handling the short stuff well. Big session to come.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Tahir bowling OK, but not exactly looking threatening, would like to see Bell go after him a bit more. England doing better at tea than they were about 50 minutes ago, but they need this partnership to kick on now...

[alfie]

So 94/4 at tea...the beginnings of a recovery ?

Only 16 more to avoid the follow on

[Fists of Fury]

Look , he hasn't had a good series here , obviously. However just a month or two back he absolutely shredded West Indies with two excellent hundreds...sneer all you like at the WI attack , which is certainly not in the class of the current opponent , but you still have to get them...

To be honest , I think Strauss may well be heading into his last few laps , but it would be rather foolhardy to rush to discard him for an untried hopeful , at a time where the middle order seems to have developed an alarming fragility. I hope he scores big in the second innings , but even if he doesn't I have him in my party for the winter tour. And I hope he can do well enough for long enough to see the four to six situation settled back into proper working order.

I pretty much agree, Alfie. If I put my serious cap on for a moment, I think in terms of continuity and ensuring that any changes to the middle order are sufficiently embedded before we are burdened with a dodgy new opener that needs to settle in it makes most sense for Strauss to continue at least until the end of the India series.

[skyeman]

Eng 100 up, 101/4, looking a wee bit better. Keep it going.

[mystiroakey]

BAIRSTOW!!!!

[mystiroakey]

allways my fav player

[Mad for Chelsea]

Bairstow brings up the hundred with a thumping pull shot off Morkel. Cracking blow

[Mad for Chelsea]

great work by that pigeon there

[mystiroakey]

BAIRSTOW FOR CAPTAIN

[Mad for Chelsea]

Bell with the best shot he's played today brings up the 50 partnership

[skyeman]

50 partnership , another please.

Even the pigeon got us an extra run

[alfie]

SA certainly intent on testing Bairstow out with the short ball...so far he has handled it rather well (touch wood)

Have to admire the South African ground fielding today ...a number of splendid diving stops at cover and mid off , which have helped keep the scoring down and the pressure on . They are a good fielding side anyway , but I think they've been outstanding this afternoon.

[mystiroakey]

Come on lads another 100 and we have done ok

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Look , he hasn't had a good series here , obviously. However just a month or two back he absolutely shredded West Indies with two excellent hundreds...sneer all you like at the WI attack , which is certainly not in the class of the current opponent , but you still have to get them...

To be honest , I think Strauss may well be heading into his last few laps , but it would be rather foolhardy to rush to discard him for an untried hopeful , at a time where the middle order seems to have developed an alarming fragility. I hope he scores big in the second innings , but even if he doesn't I have him in my party for the winter tour. And I hope he can do well enough for long enough to see the four to six situation settled back into proper working order.

Whats the alternative? Well KP does open in T20..... Im sure he'd make a great capatin as well

[skyeman]

In a better position now than SA were at same stage. Positive thinking

[eirebilly]

I am hesitent to praise this partnership given my track record

[skyeman]

I am hesitent to praise this partnership given my track record

NO don't, let me. Great stuff lads, digging in well. Keep it going.

[alfie]

Bell looking to get after Tahir ...fair enough , won't win the match pushing and prodding.

Just hope he doesn't do anything silly...long way behind still.

[eirebilly]

I have to be carefull skyeman or Trebbs will want to drink my blood

[skyeman]

Not a dig But proving that there are 11 in a TEAM.

[mystiroakey]

we need some negativity on here!!

[eirebilly]

Has Trebbs visited this match yet?

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