England v South Africa, Lords, 3rd Test Thread

[eirebilly]

First topic message reminder :

Yeah, the fielding certainly has left alot to be desired. Still the chances are being created and things must surely stick soon.

[alfie]

de Villiers gone !

Well bowled Finn

Game not dead yet

[eirebilly]

Cracking stuff from Finny

[mystiroakey]

Trebell

[trebellbobaggins]

Hard work and application lads. Never forget that. It can take a lot of deliveries to get it right.



Good win SA! you were aways the better side.

[liverbnz]

Come on. Take a few wickets to keep us interested!

Don't mention it folks!

[Hibbz]

new ball wasted by giving it to Broad

and Finn comes back to show how to do it with the new ball.........and also demonstrates how the same cricket ball does a lot more when delivered at 88mph...that a 78mph trundler can't.

Much as I don't agree with the Broad bashing it's very true. Any chance Broadus will get the message and start giving it a bit of oomph?

[KP_fan]

i think SA will fold now...for a lead of ~ 300

[trebellbobaggins]

300 more. yup, they can't lose.



Rudy won't let anyone else join in any Reindeer games.

[alfie]

Am still rather afraid all this is happening about an hour too late , and the last four wickets are going to put the chase just out of reach...but England have at least a glimmer of hope now , and these two batsmen are going to be feeling some pressure...
Swann on to the lefties.

[trebellbobaggins]

200 was out of reach Alfie.

[mystiroakey]

If we can get an hour or twos batting today we can win this!

What i dont want is a draw!

[msp83]

Swann on now, think good move from Strauss, Duminy has had major problems against Swann in the past, and Rudolph too hasn't been among the best players of spin. Shame Pietersen isn't there, Rudolph just couldn't play him at all!!.

[KP_fan]

i think SA will fold now...for a lead of ~ 300

just as i write Swann turns it square across the LHB...look at the turn he is getting from the rough.

Imagine Tahir will get that turn to both LHB and RHB...

and SA has two express pacers of the quality of Finn or higher who will be bowling from the other end.......

the match is gone for England...300 will be impossibe to get

[Hibbz]

Here's a positive thought.

Are England maybe better off chasing 350 having to go at maybe 3.5/4 an over, as at least they'll be attacking, as opposed to chasing 250 when they always try and play too defensively?

[msp83]

Swann getting one to jump, good signs for him, but more importantly for Imran Tahir and South Africa as well, England doesn't play spin very well.

[mystiroakey]

Possibly Hibbz- but it didnt help in the 2nd test, however this time around it really has to be do or die(win or lose)

[KP_fan]

Here's a positive thought.

Are England maybe better off chasing 350 having to go at maybe 3.5/4 an over, as at least they'll be attacking, as opposed to chasing 250 when they always try and play too defensively?

all factors considered i would be surprised if Eng will go much beyond 200.

a 100 run defeat looming over Eng now

[trebellbobaggins]

indeed. sa are a class up at least.



tahir the greatest spinner ever, so good it's hard to believe. the rest just gods. gods.



what were eng supposed to with bits and pieces lads lads like anderson, Broad, and Swann alongside their one true bowler. they did well for a village team.

[trebellbobaggins]

btw: are we really pretending Tahir is a great all round spinner now?



he's had some moments but my lord have they helped him.

[Hibbz]

indeed. sa are a class up at least.



tahir the greatest spinner ever, so good it's hard to believe. the rest just gods. gods.



what were eng supposed to with bits and pieces lads lads like anderson, Broad, and Swann alongside their one true bowler. they did well for a village team.

I know I'll get panned for this but do you not ever get bored with your act and want to actually give a true honest opinion?

[trebellbobaggins]

yeah i do but keeping quiet hasn'ty exactly helped england this summer has it.



i could just accept we're done for now and shut up. that's for the best actually, thanks.

[ShahenshahG]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/kevinpietersen/9485846/Kevin-Pietersen-bowled-for-a-golden-duck-playing-for-Surrey-against-Hampshire-as-England-struggle-at-Lords.html

Even the telegraphs at it. Our press really love to kick a man when hes down

[alfie]

I doubt a chase at 4 per over is possible - the outfield hasn't been all that fast and the run rate throughout the match has been relatively average.

On the other hand there are nearly 135 overs potentially left , so if SA were to be dismissed in say another 20 overs with a lead of 310 or so , it wouldn't need to be done at that speed...

Still tough.

[KP_fan]

indeed. sa are a class up at least.



tahir the greatest spinner ever, so good it's hard to believe. the rest just gods. gods.



what were eng supposed to with bits and pieces lads lads like anderson, Broad, and Swann alongside their one true bowler. they did well for a village team.

sarcasm ain't the order of the moment....but introspection.

One more good bowler in place of a trundler for Eng...would have probably made it a 220ish chase

[eirebilly]

Dont ever change Trebbs

[Hibbz]

Yeah, yeah I get all that but obviously your actions/comments have no effect on what really happens so I just thought you might actually occasionally want to post your real opinion.

Not to worry though.

[trebellbobaggins]

na he's right. i'm tired of it too.

england need to be left to sink and rebuild in peace (and that i mean, they have some tough times ahead - i've genuinly meant it when saying the batting has shown signs of being too fragile for too long and that Strauss is no longer leading from the front on that).

[ShahenshahG]

Yeah, yeah I get all that but obviously your actions/comments have no effect on what really happens so I just thought you might actually occasionally want to post your real opinion.

Not to worry though.

urine off hibbz you miserable git. Go treb you miserable git.

[trebellbobaggins]

Yeah, yeah I get all that but obviously your actions/comments have no effect on what really happens so I just thought you might actually occasionally want to post your real opinion.

Not to worry though.

you're quite right. It's stupid and not remotely fun, point taken.



My honest opinion is as above on the batting. There are and have been serious frailties for a long time and a shake up is needed.

Bowling resorces are good but clearly not the best in the world as SA have shown but they are good, the biggest difference here has been the batting depth of SA, it's just deeper and stronger.



and I don't think that much of Tahir. Pressure is built for him by and excellent seaming unit, he's nothing special at all in a great side.

[alfie]

Keep going trebs ...

You can join us in a realistic appraisal of England's situation after the series , but for now keep giving it your best shot

Hibbz just doesn't have enough faith in magic

[Hibbz]

na he's right. i'm tired of it too.

england need to be left to sink and rebuild in peace (and that i mean, they have some tough times ahead - i've genuinly meant it when saying the batting has shown signs of being too fragile for too long and that Strauss is no longer leading from the front on that).

Thank you it's good to have your real thoughts. I agree, though I'm not sure how far they'll actually sink given that much of the opposition is in a similar position.

[msp83]

Strauss has put another one down. Even India could catch better!.

[trebellbobaggins]

but england have lost this one. no silly comments needed. We have seen no sign that they can build a score like that under the pressure SA will pour on them.



I think Aussie have enough problems that England can beat them next year but I think they will have a tough time in India. Right now it looks like dropping Finn was a foolish tactic. On this showing he's going to be better than the rest.

[msp83]

The catching has been terrible throughout the series, now that KP isn't there to distract them I wonder what is happening.

[msp83]

In this innings itself, Amla was dropped, De Villiers was dropped and Rudolph was also droped. Philander was dropped in the first innings. The rudolph one hasn't been very expensive for England, Finn gets him to edge behind, and Prior, thankfully has taken it.

[Hibbz]

Ah now Trebs can we suggest that your new posting style has brought about that wicket for Finn?

Wonderful spell of bowling, and doing it when it really matters counts double in my eyes.

[alfie]

Finn strikes again ! Really good spell from him today

Just about keeping England in it ...the chances are we may see a realistic target set , which is certainly better than seeing the match fade out with South Africa just batting all day and killing it.

SA still favourites , but the game is definitely alive.

[trebellbobaggins]

oh, you never know lol.

He has been a real pick though. The problem is in the lack of batting depth/application to back him up. That's what makes it feel more like a 90's performance at the moment.

Lets hope Cook and Strauss can find the form that we know they are capable of.

[msp83]

Jacques Rudolph so far hasn't quite taken the 2nd chance extended by the selectors. He failed at the top and had to be moved down the order, and at 6 he has been very inconsistent. Played a good innings against New Zealand and there was a 69 in the previous match at the top standing for Petersen. But there has been too many low scores in between.

[trebellbobaggins]

the difficulty is playing Steyn when he knows he has a big target to bowl at.

Tahir is attackable but benefits from being one of the only ones who is, making it a lot more likely mistakes will be made trying to hit him out.

Beating them is a hell of a task if the target is anything over 200-250 i'd think.

[msp83]

Finn's generating serious pace even now, and this is the 7th over of this particular spel from him.

[mystiroakey]

Trebbs is magic. end of story!

[mystiroakey]

Hibbz stop being a humbug

[alfie]

I wouldn't panic about the batting , trebs.

Won't be playing SA every week , so the rebuilding will be possibly a bit easier. The truth is Collingwood has never been adequately replaced , so it is pleasing to see young Bairstow put down a marker here...unfortunately He Who must Not Be Named may have burnt his bridges which will complicate things in the short term , but Taylor remains a possibility , as does Bopara , believe it or not.

For this match , it is going to need two of the top three to score big if England are to have a chance of bringing off an upset...that is , if we can get thee last three wickets

[trebellbobaggins]

About as magical as Paul Daniels sadly.

[Hibbz]

the difficulty is playing Steyn when he knows he has a big target to bowl at.

Tahir is attackable but benefits from being one of the only ones who is, making it a lot more likely mistakes will be made trying to hit him out.

Beating them is a hell of a task if the target is anything over 200-250 i'd think.

Yeah, scores over 200 in the fourth innings to win matches are as rare as sunny days in England!

[trebellbobaggins]

Agreed Alfie, without Strauss and Cook actually getting off their arse and laying a foundation England will really struggle.

Amla has shown the way, endless application.

[Hibbz]

About as magical as Paul Daniels sadly.

They were all cramping your style mate, I may have been panned as predicted but I feel as if I've released you from a curse!

[mystiroakey]

If we get them out and have a chance to win at 2.5 to 3 an over what ever the target - i will be a happy fan

[msp83]

Finn gave absolutely everything in that spel and provided a new life to England. Broad now.

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