Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:08 pm  

PAUL M wrote:

Rain, another 4 days worth please

You may get your wish. The forecast is awful.

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:24 pm  

Not seen much of today's action, though the scores on the doors indicate a bit of a disaster for England...

However, I'm slightly baffled by Strauss's decision to bat first...

Its not that its a particularly wrong decision (I understand Smith said he would have done the same?), but considering that Strauss has put SA in to bat on the last 2 occasions when the pitches were more batsman friendly, he now decides to bat on a strip which, from what I have read, has been doctored to create a positive result.....Surely Strauss should have definitely gone second on this one if his past decisions are anything to go by?

Like I say, I'm just a bit confused...almost as illogical as deciding to bat first on an overcast Yorkshire morning against Australia...

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:54 pm  

John_D wrote:

This is the slight flaw in the plan... It only works if your key players don't chuck their wickets away by smearing a dolly straight to mid on and yes I am talking to you Kevin Bloody Pietersen

Innit. There's other players who've been dropped for less.

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:28 pm  

SA said they would bat first so, I can't see too much wrong with Straus's decsion.

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:33 pm  

Money Mayweather wrote:

SA said they would bat first so, I can't see too much wrong with Straus's decsion.

I'm not saying it was wrong....I'm just baffled as to why in the previous 2 tests he put SA in on supposedly better strips than this present one, which everybody knew was being prepared for a result....

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Fri Jan 15, 2010 2:28 am  

According to the press, the groundsman was told to prepare a wicket that will produce a result. That means a strip that makes 30-40 wickets fall. If the pitch is a bowler friendly wicket from day one then it is likely it will be a nightmare to bat on in day 4 or 5, hence choosing to bat 1st.

That aside England were just plain rubbish

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:58 am  

Lots of rain forecast for this afternoon.

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:32 am  

airliebird9 wrote:

That aside England were just plain rubbish

Exactly. They shouldn't have been bowled out for 180 and it's as simple as that. If we look at the South Africans this morning they're showing the way to do it and thats by toughing it out and not giving your wickets away. England can't do that and haven't been able to for a while. They don't look disciplined enough and just seem to switch off when they get their scores above 20.

The batsman have yet again let the side down and will be the reason we don't win the series.

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:06 am  

England have been woeful, sure, and to be honest the way we batted has just, well, it's made me sad. I've booked today off to watch the cricket and I feel deflated to be honest.

This said, we've not had the rub of the green here, Cook maybe was unlucky, the decision with Smith I found staggering and he's still there, SA have played some awful shots too but they've missed fielders, that's the game I guess, fine margins.

In all honesty, they more than deserve to draw this series.

Oh, Sidebottom, love me.

Re: Super Cricket- England in SA : Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:35 am  

JWP wrote:

This said, we've not had the rub of the green here, Cook maybe was unlucky, the decision with Smith I found staggering and he's still there

It made me laugh when Kallis said he thought we'd had the luck throughout the series because tbh I don't think we've had a scrap. We've hardly had any good decisions via the referal system both batting and bowling especially the Smith incident this morning which is a farce(The South African broadcasters didn't provide sound for Harper unlike the Sky coverage so he heard nothing whereas we heard a huge sound as he nicked the ball) and the Cook one yesterday which to me was a no ball.

That said they've probably been the better side just about so to come away with a 1-1 draw out of the series won't be a bad result and is a scoreline I think the majority would have taken at the start of the tour.