England v South Africa Cricket

[DavidM]

They’re playing the u19s all over SA as well

[Futtocks]

Play about to resume, at last!

[Futtocks]

England 499d.

South Africa 209ao & 74 for 5.

[bobbruce]

83-6 now Root looking for 5 for

[DavidM]

I’d say South Africa’s batting in its approach and attitude to spin has been atrocious but that would be very kind indeed . It’s root not murali 

[Futtocks]

England won by an innings and 53 runs.

[Bob8]

On 20/01/2020 at 14:42, Futtocks said:

England won by an innings and 53 runs.

I did not expect this turnaround, even if they are world cup holders.

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Bob8 said:

I did not expect this turnaround, even if they are world cup holders.

World Cup holders, ravaged by injury and illness, so forced to play inexperienced guys... who stepped up and delivered MotM performances. Having said that, South Africa are a team in transition right now.

Still, a lot to be proud of.

[Futtocks]

After a rain delay, the first day's action has started. England are 88 for 0.

Jofra Archer hurt himself in the warm-up, so Wood keeps his place from the 3rd Test.

[DavidM]

Stokesy marra just lost his temper again 

[Futtocks]

183 for 4.

[Futtocks]

England go past half a million runs in test matches.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=runs;template=results;type=team

[DavidM]

We’d be absolutely gutted if we don’t close out this series . It’s not even up for debate , it’s the worst proteas team since readmission by some way . Even last time when we won there they had Elgar , De Villiers , Amla and Faf ... and Steyn , Morkel , Abbott and Rabada

[Futtocks]

This tail's got some wag in it!

South Africa's cunning plan is obviously for Broad and Wood to exhaust themselves hitting all those runs, so they won't bowl as well.

[Futtocks]

SA chasing 400, and currently 27 for 0.

[Futtocks]

The radio commentary team were saying that South Africa have gone for a lot of young, new names for the ODIs, which could be an interesting pointer to their fortunes over the next few years.

[DavidM]

2 hours ago, Futtocks said:

This tail's got some wag in it!

South Africa's cunning plan is obviously for Broad and Wood to exhaust themselves hitting all those runs, so they won't bowl as well.

As Mikey Holding always says , the tactic of putting 9 men on the boundary with tailenders in and bowlers throwing it down everywhere never works . Orthodoxy goes out of the window 

[Futtocks]

The Proteas may be floundering, but their supporters are creating a great noisy atmosphere, along with the Barmy Army.

[DavidM]

They just look completely broken . I’d say it was sad for a mighty and proud sporting nation if it wasn’t against us , but really I’m loving it as we’ve been on the receiving end many a winter . 
 

PS apparently Mark Wood’s dismissal of Malan was the second fastest ball ever by an England bowler to get a wicket . Although I don’t think the Speedo was around with Larwood , and Typhoon Tyson , who some old sages say was the fastest of all  ( including the Don ) . Tom Graveney said he was so far back at slip he could barely see him start his run up 

[Futtocks]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

They just look completely broken . I’d say it was sad for a mighty and proud sporting nation if it wasn’t against us , but really I’m loving it as we’ve been on the receiving end many a winter . 
 

PS apparently Mark Wood’s dismissal of Malan was the second fastest ball ever by an England bowler to get a wicket . Although I don’t think the Speedo was around with Larwood , and Typhoon Tyson , who some old sages say was the fastest of all  ( including the Don ) . Tom Graveney said he was so far back at slip he could barely see him start his run up 

We've had to eat enough humble pie over the years, especially in the Nineties, that I'll take any period of ascendancy we can get.

As for the Wood claim, so many quicks played before even vaguely-reliable speed measurements existed that we can only compare the records we have. Nice to have such pace, and with Archer waiting in the wings (assuming he doesn't turn out to be a regular injury case) too.

[mickhornet]

England well on top

[THE RED ROOSTER]

No real connection between winning the ODI World Cup and this Test side as they are different versions of the sport. Indeed the experiment of using white ball players in a red ball team in coming to an end with the cessation of the Jason Roy experiment soon to be followed by the end of the Jos Buttler experiment. Not to mention Joe Root's exclusion from the T20 squad and whispers that Jofra Archer is better suited to the one day game.

It's surprising how well this has gone for England who are a developing Test side with a core of younger players who should be able to give Australia a contest in 2021-22 down under. There;'s a lot of chatter about how poor South Africa are but you only beat what's in front of you and this is downplaying the English turnaround.

Not too sure about the transformation targets being met in South African Cricket. You are supposed to have two Black Africans in each XI  not including coloured players such as Philander or Hendricks. Only three non-white players in the side when Whites are now just 8.4% of the population. Now you can get away with that when your winning but not otherwise....

To understand the Transformation targets you have to appreciaste the disparity of weath between racial groups in South Africa where although there is an embryonic black middle class, Cricket's an expensive game so unaffordable to the bulk of the population

I expect Faf Du Plessis to call it an international career at the end of this game going KOLPAK.with Quinton De Kock already slotted in as the ODI captain which should please all those sunkissed South African girls they keep showing on TV no doubt  pining for more of De Kock

For those interested in the Saffers plight here's a relevant artickle from The Cricket Monthly

http://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/1213227/the-trouble-with-kolpaks-and-kp

[Futtocks]

The Transformation targets probably have to be more gradual than many want, as it isn't the percentage of the population in total, but the percentage that's actually interested in Cricket. South Africa is as Football crazy as the UK - probably more so. Other sports struggle to get enough non-white participants that sufficient top-level talent is spotted. 

[DavidM]

On 25/01/2020 at 22:13, THE RED ROOSTER said:

all those sunkissed South African girls they keep showing on TV no doubt  pining for more of De Kock

Really ? Is it easy to emigrate there . Just asking 

[THE RED ROOSTER]

4 hours ago, DavidM said:

Really ? Is it easy to emigrate there . Just asking 

As you wanted to know https://haskewlaw.com/world-wide-visas/south-african-immigration/

I would be very surprised indeed should Joe Denly and Jos Buttler be lining up for the first test against West Indies in June. I keep hearing don't change a winning team but as per the title of one of Steve Waugh's books, you should be Never satisfied. This is exactly the time England should be looking to upgrade at Wicketkeeper and No 3.

It's good that Mark Wood, who is faster than Jofra, could get through back to back tests, If Olly Stone gets fit along with the left arm pace of George Garton (Sussex) then England will be in a position to rotate their quicks as Australia do with Pattinson, Cummins and Starc.

I am still unconvinced by Joe Root's capataincy but I will say this, this tour has been the first time he has stamped his imprint on this team. When he was appointed Captain you still had Cook, Anderson and Broad in the Dressing Room acting as banquo's ghost. In any sport or workplace it's difficult to establish yourself as the leader when you have established different centres of authority around who pre-date you and if your not careful can develop into centres of opposition. By comparison, Eoin Morgan was not only the senior player when he took over the England ODI set up, he is also the unquestioned leader. look where that got England.

Another point about captaincy and management is fortune - I ask the question where would Mike Brearly be without having Ian Botham in his pomp or Michael Vaughan without Andew Flintoff ?. Joe Root and England are blessed with the pomp of Ben Stokes. In sport and in life how successful you are depends a lot on who you have alongside you.

Onwards to the ODI series #proper cricket.