England's Winter

First topic message reminder :

As per LT's original post:
New Zealand

T20 Internationals

Friday November 1st - Christchurch
Sunday November 3rd - Wellington
Tuesday November 5th - Nelson
Friday November 8th - Napier
Sunday November 10th - Auckland

Squad
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) captain
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Tom Banton (Somerset)
Sam Billings (Kent)
Pat Brown (Worcestershire)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Tom Curran (Surrey)
Joe Denly (Kent)
Lewis Gregory (Somerset)
Chris Jordan (Sussex)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
Dawid Malan (Middlesex)
Matt Parkinson (Lancashire)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
James Vince (Hampshire)


Tests

Wednesday November 20th - Tauranga
Thursday November 28th - Hamilton

Squad
Joe Root (Yorkshire) captain
Jofra Archer (Sussex)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Rory Burns (Surrey)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Joe Denly (Kent)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Dominic Sibley (Warwickshire)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)



South Africa

Tests

Thursday 26th December - Centurion
Friday January 3rd - Cape Town
Thursday January 16th - Port Elizabeth
Friday January 24th - Johannesburg

Squad
Ill


ODI
Tuesday 4th February - Cape Town
Friday 7th February - Durban
Sunday 9th February - Johannesburg

Squad
Ill

T20 Internationals

Wednesday 12th February - East London
Friday 14th February - Durban
Sunday 16th February - Centurion


Sri Lanka

March 7th - Warm up 1, Katunayake (3 day)
March 12th - Warm up 2, Colombo (3 day)
March 19th - 1st Test, Galle
March 27th - 2nd Test, Colombo

Alfie's made the right decision to sleep, as they go off early for light. That Root/Pope partnership just putting them back on top for my money.

Reckon anything over 300 is good, if they can get 350-400 I don't see how SA can win the game with the way they've batted this series, and having to bat last

Theres a lot of noise about Root not scoring hundreds again and how much they need one. I tend to agree that 300 should be a solid score, but England are a long way from that now. Very much a cliche but this pair are pretty much make or break for the innings.

Turning into a proper test match by the backdoor, poor bowling and good positive batting early by england followed by laziness and the sort of cricket reminiscent of the Bayliss ear from England whilst SA clearly got an earful from someone and didn't give up.

If england do blow this they need to look at Crawley swinging and missing at the first ball after tea to see where the wheels came off. As its stands though they should still be ok. But its cricket and things change quickly ( over the course of five days)

Fairly similar to the position at the end of day one in the last match - 4 down for about 200, this time having not put quite as many miles in the legs of the SA bowlers. Pretty much 50/50 for me - one good partnership swings it well England's way, but they haven't enough on the board yet to feel confident.

Don't like going into any game without a front line spin bowler, but both teams have gone the same way, and at least England have Root and Denly, who are competent occasional bowlers even if they won't offer the same control as Bess.

Agree with Olly, anything over 300 is good and it should be match winning. South Africa bowled atrociously in the first session, but came back well to show the life in the surface that exists for the bowlers. In spite of that it’s still comfortably England’s day. Looks like rain will delay the start tomorrow, but after that it’s pretty clear for the rest of the test.

And I think Stokes might be in trouble for getting into a verbal spar with some spectacle-wearing fellow in the crowd.

I'm spending the next two days WITHOUT INTERNET TV OR RADIO

predictable outcomes :

The game is over by sunday lunch strengthening the case for 4 day tests and calling Denly rubbish

Delayed start on day two...hopefully not as long as yesterday.

People still going on about Stokes : silly lad - pointless swearing back at abusive spectators ...just blow 'em a kiss - p....es 'em right off. Anyway whats so awful about being told you look like Ed Sheeran ? You don't have to love his music but he seems a decent sort of fellow and hardly grounds for going ballistic...

Interesting first session coming up - when they get on - as a clatter of wickets could put SA right back in this . I know their batting has been rubbish but there just might be a score in them yet if they got a chance...
England will hope Pope and Root can do what Stokes and His Holiness managed last week. So first hour important.

Excellent little session of chat with Cook and Burns there - Cook routinely negating Knight’s (I should imagine forced) devil’s advocate questions, and some good chat on techniques and mentality.

Good start from England this morning : no alarms , twenty runs added...

These two could well do what Stokes and Pope did last week and kill the game today. SA will be really desperate for a wicket before it get right away from them.

Pope just looks so good ...

Far too easy for Root and Pope this morning with poor bowling and poor field settings. Runs flowing. Pope showing a class beyond his years in making a very brisk 50.

Fifty each

Pope outscoring the skipper ; but either way it means trouble for SA. That 400 looks back on the horizon...254/4

One does have to question the SA selection policy . I mean : what is the point of Pretorius ? Day two and he's in his fifth over...

I get they have serious problems with the Kolpak exodus , etc...but surely they could look at picking an XI wherein every player has a defined role ? Maharaj or an extra bat would surely have added more ...

Well that’s a surprise. Pope hadn’t looked like being defeated all morning. Still a good innings though and has put England in front.

Let’s see if Buttler/Curran/Woakes can find 100 between them, which is probably the key to England getting another 400 total.

Aargh...Nortje gets Pope against the run of play...

Good ball ... Even the pontiff isn't infallible and he's played on.

Norte hasn't actually had a lot of luck in this innings so probably due a break. Surprised though . Pope was looking very sound.

Interesting half hour coming up.

Should have got Root too, but Faf spilled a regulation chance.

Now Faf shells a dolly of Root. That could have changed made things interesting.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Excellent little session of chat with Cook and Burns there - Cook routinely negating Knight’s (I should imagine forced) devil’s advocate questions, and some good chat on techniques and mentality.

Not up in time today but watched yesterday when Key and Burns faced up to Knight. Thought they both handled him well. Certainly more probing for the Surrey skipper than Mark Church's (Radio London and Surrey tv) donkey drops.

Meanwhile, in line with your view and Duty's at the end of the first day, Stewart said last night that 320 would be good enough given how poor this South African batting line up is. However, he added that he was greedy for 350.

Until Nortje got Pope playing on to Nortje whilst I was typing this, 350 looked comfortably on a few minutes ago. Now, not so sure. Another quick wicket and the hosts' hopes will be back up. Should have had it as well - awful drop of Root by Faf at slip!

Predictably, I liked the Hussain & Nicholas chat a little while ago about the 5 seamers chosen by both sides - as it very much tallied with my thoughts and grumbles yesterday! Nasser emphasised it being especially inappropriate for South Africa as none of their 5 - unlike Stokes - could be regarded as a Test batsman. Quite.

Didn’t cost much as Root goes for 59. Poor dismissal really as he kept fishing outside off stump despite the danger.

Good morning guildford...

Yeah that drop of Root...didn't cost much as I type and he's nicked behind but gone for 59

Hmm.  Not over yet . Nortje bowling well : has Sam Curran got another whirlwind innings in him ?

That would be a "no" .First ball gone

269/7 . Trouble at mill...

Got him this time! Been impressed with Nortje this series. Incredible to think he is probably SA’s 7th choice seamer? Rabada, Philander, Ngidi, Morkel, Abbott, Olivier... And I guess Steyn, although he is more injured than out of choice missing it.

Curran too!

That just isn’t very good.

Gooseberry wrote:I'm spending the next two days WITHOUT INTERNET TV OR RADIO

predictable outcomes :

The game is over by sunday lunch strengthening the case for 4 day tests and calling Denly rubbish

I didn't realise you usually had INTERNET, TV OR RADIO.

Anyway regardless of the situation , pitch or bowler , that is just a daft first ball shot. What was Curran thinking ? I really expected better from him.

The 320 is still on...rather less the 400. But work needed now. And it really needed have been like this...

No hat trick for Nortje.

Lively session though

JDizzle wrote:Got him this time! Been impressed with Nortje this series. Incredible to think he is probably SA’s 7th choice seamer? Rabada, Philander, Ngidi, Morkel, Abbott, Olivier... And I guess Steyn, although he is more injured than out of choice missing it.

Curran too!

I like Nortje. Has still stuff to learn : but his attitude - with bat and ball - has never been less than wholehearted ; and I think he might have a future.

Bit of a shame they haven’t really been able to put the game out of sight with some soft dismissals (earth to Sam Curran, give yourself a sighter!) - but the fact Nortje, and even Pretorius were getting movement and bounce with a 70 over old ball bodes pretty well for England...

300/7 at lunch. Can Buttler/Woakes/Wood send it up to 400 and out of sight in the afternoon?

300/7 at lunch ain't too bad. Sensible restrained batting from Buttler and Woakes so far. Ball is new so expect a big SA push immediately after lunch that may well determine the final score and go a long way to influencing the result of this match.

Whatever happens I think England are in pole position having 300 on the board already. This looks basically a good pitch for Test Cricket : nothing tricky but enough there for committed bowlers and fine for proper stroke play Should be more like it.

Useful partnership this as Woakes moves to 24 with a nice clip off his toes.
34 they've added now and England moving towards the 350 they would like to set a marker...

SA really need quick wickets but they don't seem to have much of a cutting edge in this attack : Nortje is a bit weary , understandably.

No matter : Buttler has thrown it away anyway

I will stop posting I think...

alfie wrote:Useful partnership this as Woakes moves to 24 with a nice clip off his toes.
34 they've added now and England moving towards the 350 they would like to set a marker...

SA really need quick wickets but they don't seem to have much of a cutting edge in this attack : Nortje is a bit weary , understandably.

No matter : Buttler has thrown it away anyway  

I will stop posting I think...

You’re the anti Trebell

That was a poor shot choice and execution from Buttler. Never a test player, him, shouldn’t have been brought into the side in the first place.

Might not be such a bad thing for England though : as long as Wood and Broad can whack a few they will have a competitive total - and time to get a result. Which might be important if there is more weather about.

KP still defending Buttler but for all the love he gets from the commentators he has had a lot of chances and is still yet to really produce the hoped-for performance in a Test Match. Can't blame him for taking on the bowler : can criticize his execution.

Woakes needs to manipulate the strike a bit now...

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

alfie wrote:Useful partnership this as Woakes moves to 24 with a nice clip off his toes.
34 they've added now and England moving towards the 350 they would like to set a marker...

SA really need quick wickets but they don't seem to have much of a cutting edge in this attack : Nortje is a bit weary , understandably.

No matter : Buttler has thrown it away anyway  

I will stop posting I think...

You’re the anti Trebell

Ouch ! Fair cop... But sometimes I do have success the other way : I did keep saying the Cape Town match was headed for a draw

Perhaps I should keep quiet when England are batting ?

Five for Nortje

Deserved that. After a messy first two overs he's bowled with spirit and skill.

Woakes a useful hand but he's gone now and that 350 looks out of reach...

That's how it's done ! Wood smashes a six over point

Paterson can't drop short at that pace , even here.

Broad batting like it’s 2010. A beautiful sight.

Ha ! Broad as the new Botham...sixes everywhere and 360 up...

See how I did that , Olly ? Got enough now I think ...but we will take six more

alfie wrote:Ha ! Broad as the new Botham...sixes everywhere and 360 up...

See how I did that , Olly ?  Got enough now I think ...but we will take six more

Not just England who lose the plot bowling to the tail...

Why pitch it short ? They're batting ten/eleven for a reason : bowl at the bloody stumps !

Captain asked me to bowl at the last pair without a slip and a bunch of boundary riders and I'd politely suggest he find someone else to bowl

Sensational from Wood and Broad! England have done alright with 10th wicket partnerships recently eh

400 all out. About where England would have wanted this morning. South Africa completely lost it at bowling to Broad and Wood. 

Nortje deserved his five wicket haul, overall, the most impressive South African bowler during this series.

Don’t expect too much South African resistance in truth.

All done now...nice neat 400

Terrific last wicket stand. Demoralizing for SA though. Credit to Broad and Wood

400 at better than 4 per over is a great first innings...bet Root is glad he followed 606v2 instructions and batted on winning the toss

Look at the bowling figures underlines the pointlessness of the Pretorius selection. Just eleven overs out of 99 and no impact with four plus per over economy...think Maharaj might have offered a bit more ?

England's turn to bowl : Broad should be on a high ; and might recall his last visit to this ground...

Good start from Curran in particular ..making the SA openers play. No joy yet but like the intent

Still think this is a very decent batting strip despite the bounce and carry it allows. Might be a bit of a job bowling SA out ; though you'd think 400 has pretty much ensured a series win for England as they'd have to have a shocking few days to lose from here ...

Imagine Wood will get on fairly early. Nortje , the one fast bowler for SA , was the most effective. England may expect similar from Wood.

Interesting that Bavuma is down to come in at 6, with Van Der Dussen up to 3. Quite a reshuffle for an already struggling lineup

Zak Crawley’s 66 is the lowest ever high score in an innings in which the batting team has made 400. It surpasses David Boon’s 68 v Sri Lanka in Colombo in 1992 when Australia made 471. #SAvEng

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Interesting that Bavuma is down to come in at 6, with Van Der Dussen up to 3. Quite a reshuffle for an already struggling lineup

Yes. Asking a bit of Dussie , I think...he is still struggling to get into this standard. But the alternative was probably Faf moving up and he's been in awful form.

Woakes emerges from your wardrobe , Olly , and gets to bowl for England again. I think he is a player who has been a bit roughly treated by selectors and captains recently but I guess there is a bit of luck in being in the right place at the right time... He would love a bag of wickets here...

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Zak Crawley’s 66 is the lowest ever high score in an innings in which the batting team has made 400. It surpasses David Boon’s 68 v Sri Lanka in Colombo in 1992 when Australia made 471. #SAvEng

Stats geek award of the year ! Good one , Olly

Elgar and Malan digging in pretty well here...only 17 after some 15 overs but no chances created yet from the bowling...though Wood has been up over 90 and Woakes has beaten Elgar with some beautiful deliveries...they've done well given teams often fold after getting battered by tailenders and facing down 400.

This could be hard work.

Half a chance ? Elgar inside edges Wood and Buttler nearly gets his glove under it. Would have been a great catch...you sense a wicket might be just around the corner as the lack of scoring ramps up the pressure on the SA openers...

Malan being criticised by Hussain for his 'bunker mentality'. Not so sure about that for a couple of reasons. England haven't bowled many freebies. Also, South Africa have shown in their two defeats the need for more guts and fight. Other than Nortje, few of their team have battled as I would have expected.

Meanwhile, a hard low chance from Elgar's inside edge missed off Wood by Buttler. Not saying Foakes would have gobbled it up but I've seen him take similar.

I'm claiming Malan's wicket!