England vs South Africa: 2nd Test Match Thread

[Guest]

Here is the match thread for the 2nd test at headlingley

Likely teams

England: Strauss,Cook,Trott,KP,Bell,Taylor,Prior,Bresnan,Swann,Broad,Anderson

S.Africa: Smith,Peterson,Amla,Kallis,AB,Rudolph,Duminy,Philander,Steyn,Morkel,Tahir

Although massive rumours going around that, england will play 4 quicks and leave out swann!

DISCUSS MATCH HERE

[Duty281]

I'm tipping England to bounce back. We nearly always do when we lose in a Test and the Saffers sometimes choke. Broad to get 10 wickets in the game and Strauss to score a ton, victory late on Day Four for England. We're still No.1, believe!

[Liam]

Its going to rain for the next 3 days, even so, I'd bring Finn in for Bresnan. Harsh on Bresnan being its his home ground and all that but Finn is a strike bowler and that's what England need to get out some of the best batsmen in the modern era.

Big ask for Taylor if he plays tomorrow but if he can just play each ball on merit then his genuine class and promise will shine through imo. Could be the beginning of a long international career.

[Liam]

Also big rumour going around that England will go in with a 4 man pace attack with Taylor at 6.

Watch this space...

[Shelsey93]

Also big rumour going around that England will go in with a 4 man pace attack with Taylor at 6.

Watch this space...

Won't happen. Always need a spinner. 4 quicks a sign of desperation which often backfires.

[JDizzle]

Swann has been carrying an injury though, and this rumour does seem to have some substance behind it. I expect to see 3 seamers and 1 spinner tomorrow, but I won't be surprised if there is no Swann!

[Liam]

australia went in with 4 quicks there and blew england away in that 4th ashes test. Traditionally a good ground for seamers...

[gboycottnut]

Also big rumour going around that England will go in with a 4 man pace attack with Taylor at 6.

Watch this space...

Won't happen. Always need a spinner. 4 quicks a sign of desperation which often backfires.

Well "The Big Show" can be England's spinner in this Leeds test should England want to go with a 4 man pace barrage. He does after all know one or two things about bowling spin to South African born batsmen having learnt most of his cricket growing up in South Africa as a mediocre off-spinner! In all seriousness though, a 4 man pace attack does sound a very good idea because of 2 factors. Firstly Swann is carrying some sort of injury which isn't allowing him to bowl with the same kind of authority and effectiveness that he managed to show in past test series in England. Secondly, as it is likely to rain over these next couple of days in Leeds, the playing conditions are likely to be those of a cloudy and overhead type, which means that it will be much easier for a 4 man pace attack to sustain their pace and fire when bowling, without any danger of fitness related factors such as tiredness and fatigue creeping in quickly.

[FerN]

I'm tipping England to bounce back. We nearly always do when we lose in a Test and the Saffers sometimes choke. Broad to get 10 wickets in the game and Strauss to score a ton, victory late on Day Four for England. We're still No.1, believe!

Sometimes?

How about always...

[Biltong]

Morning kids, gents and chronies.

Are ya excited?

Are ya nervous?

Will England come back and slaughter the Proteas, or will the chokers stand up?

[DouglasJardinesbox]

The weather will win this one........

[liverbnz]

4 quicks would be pretty risky given there is no real 5th bowler for England. If one gets injured...

[Shelsey93]

Swann has been carrying an injury though, and this rumour does seem to have some substance behind it. I expect to see 3 seamers and 1 spinner tomorrow, but I won't be surprised if there is no Swann!

Without any slower option - a Patel or Bopara - we would leave ourselves very open should SA get away from us again. Headingley isn't quite as much of a seamers ground as is often made out. Its pretty good for batting and could well take spin as the game goes on.

If you are getting your info from Roger the Rum Man he is usually wrong!

[Shelsey93]

4 quicks would be pretty risky given there is no real 5th bowler for England. If one gets injured...

Beautiful morning here in London and forecast pretty good. Is it meant to rain in Leeds?

[Fists of Fury]

2-0 SA, England to be blown out inside three days, unable to bat competently against decent pace bowling and totally toothless when in the field.

It's a no brainer.

[liverbnz]

4 quicks would be pretty risky given there is no real 5th bowler for England. If one gets injured...

Beautiful morning here in London and forecast pretty good. Is it meant to rain in Leeds?

To remain dry over the next 6 hours apparently. Cloudy though.

[Shelsey93]

It should be pointed out that Australia got away with playing 4 bowlers rather than won because they played 4 in 2009. They paid for it at The Oval. They got away with it because they skittled us on the first morning, but I can't see us skittling SA in that way...

[liverbnz]

And they had Watson and North.

[liverbnz]

2-0 SA, England to be blown out inside three days, unable to bat competently against decent pace bowling and totally toothless when in the field.

It's a no brainer.

Worked well in the 1st Test didn't it?

[Fists of Fury]

Nothing worked well. Everything England did was abysmal, the first day aside.

They have been playing poorly in Tests this year, and their recent record is pretty dismal in honesty, so it is difficult to see anything other than another resounding SA victory.

[Biltong]

You're far too negative Fists, it can all change in one session either way.

[Stella]

We have top bat again and get a decent score. The South Africans had the better conditions last time out and with rain predicted after today, batting in cloudy conditions with rain breaks won't be so easy.

[LivinginItaly]

Depends on the pitch, but if the conditions are overcast I would seriously think about putting South Africa in to bat. We need to try and get back into the series, and that would show our attacking intent. Sort of like saying we know you got big runs last time, but we back our bowlers to perform better this time and get you out for a low score. Maybe a risky tactic, but I think a few early wickets would from a confidence point of view bring us right back into the series. There again if it is SA 300 - 1 at the close of the first day we can all go back to watching the olympics whilst the rain bags a draw for us. On second thoughts maybe it is better to lose the toss and let them decide, at least the decision can't be criticised with the benefit of hindsight.

[gboycottnut]

4 quicks would be pretty risky given there is no real 5th bowler for England. If one gets injured...

But we do have 2 part-time bowlers one of whom used to be a specialist off-spinner in the land of his birth.

[Biltong]

England has a big opportunity if they can get 3 wickets early.

The Only SA batsmen who have had opportunity to bat for any period of time is Smith, Amla and Kallis.

Pietersen could once again be a cheap wicket, AB has not batted in test cricket for how long, regardless of his talent, JP Duminy and Rudolph could go for a duck each or work themselves into some form.

So this test series isn't over yet, SA's success with the bat and not haviing their other batsmen get an opportunity in the first test, may just come to haunt them.

[LivinginItaly]

Using a bit of Geoff Boycott commonsense logic: Pick the batsmen to bat, and the bowlers to bowl. Part-time bowlers while useful in some situations should not be part of plan A. If we go for 4 quicks ok, but a part-time spinner should not be a part of that plan. If we think spin may play a part in the game then pick a spinner as part of the bowling attack.

[Fists of Fury]

Precisely, LiI.

[Fists of Fury]

Wow, Swann left out. A silly move, I think, despite his lack of form. SA will be pleased with that. Unless he is actually badly injured, of course, in which case it says little for our spin reserves. So, we have added variety by playing Finn, yet removed another huge chunk of it by fielding no spinner.

We make some strange decisions.

[Biltong]

Yeah that is a strange decision, never thought the day would come where SA fields a spinner and the opposition doesn't

[LivinginItaly]

Hope this decision won't come back to hurt them.

[Fists of Fury]

It will if SA are 150-1. We will be up **** creek without a paddle in those circumstances.

[VTR]

Didn't that happen in the first Test though and Swann didn't exactly save the day. I too am not sure about going in without a spinner, but there is something up with Swann who was also poor vs the Windies.

[Fists of Fury]

But he at least offered control, and had an intriguing battle with Smith which he so easily could have won.

Also, our slip catching is beginning to look very mediocre now.

[msp83]

To get Steve Finn into the side seems a decent call, but to dropp Graeme Swann? Obnoxious I think!!!.
England tend to make some rather strange calls playing here, Darren Pattenson against SA, no Stuart Broad as all-round replacement for Fredye Flintoff, and now this.
Both those times England lost big, hope the result will be different this time.

[msp83]

Winning the toss and fielding first is the call from Andrew Strauss.
It really has to be a day where you could bowl the opposition out or at least get 6-7 wickets to make such a call. It takes out SA batting last on the last day almost, so Swann, England would be hoping, won't be missed.

[Fists of Fury]

Well said, MSP. The likes of Rudolph and Duminy will be thrilled that there is no Swann, and I imagine Smith will be pleased, too.

[VTR]

That's the right call given the weather forecast. We need to win the game so let's start early trying to get those 20 wickets.

[Fists of Fury]

Predictions for the day then, chaps?

I'm going 280-3.

[Stella]

216 all out

52 - 2

[VTR]

280-3....ouch! Can I have 281-3

[protea438]

England has a big opportunity if they can get 3 wickets early.

The Only SA batsmen who have had opportunity to bat for any period of time is Smith, Amla and Kallis.

Pietersen could once again be a cheap wicket, AB has not batted in test cricket for how long, regardless of his talent, JP Duminy and Rudolph could go for a duck each or work themselves into some form.

So this test series isn't over yet, SA's success with the bat and not haviing their other batsmen get an opportunity in the first test, may just come to haunt them.

Or Alviro Pietersen bats well and give Proteas a solid start setting up for the rest of the players. Dont write off South Africa so quickly

[Biltong]

I ain't writing anyone off mate, I am merely putting out the other side of the coin with all the negativity on here, relax.

[Stella]

Choking, in other words

[Fists of Fury]

Well this isn't the start we wanted. Making the useless Petersen look half decent...

Revised prediction. 290-1.

[Duty281]

Swann has had an ongoing elbow injury so it's probably something to do with that. My prediction? SA 270/7.

[Fists of Fury]

I think I'd have opened with Anderson and Finn. Broad has never been a great new ball bowler, for me, in fact his old ball spells are often the more inspired.

Also, Finn offers that change up in pace. With Anderson and Broad both bowling low 80's it is all a bit samey.

[protea438]

I ain't writing anyone off mate, I am merely putting out the other side of the coin with all the negativity on here, relax.

Mate i am relaxed, I just dont understand you motives at the expense of your own nation. Heck you are even agreeing with the notion of Proteas choking at test cricket

[Biltong]

That was sarcasm, did you not see the smiley facing laughing his backside off?

[LivinginItaly]

Reasonable first over from Finn. But England really need a breakthrough soon.

[Biltong]

Some good bowling from Anderson here, making me nervous

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