England vs South Africa: 2nd Test Match Thread

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

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

[msp83]

No Rudolph, it is the nightwatchman Dale Steyn who hass come in

[msp83]

Wow, a wicket at last for Finn, absolutely deserved, another one will do here!!!. Will they send another nightwatchman? No its Rudolph!.

[Duty281]

Finn gets the wicket he so deserves! The nightwatchman, Steyn, is out. Time to get another?

[Guest]

how's it going billy?

Finny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hibbz]

Quack quack oops as Finn cleans up Stain. Don't leave a slime trail on the way back to the Pavilion Dale.

[eirebilly]

Going better now CF

[Guest]

brilliant mate

[msp83]

Rudolph had a very productive stint at Yorks and that played a huge role in his comeback to the national side and so he should no the pitch and conditions pretty closely. But this is a very tricky time for anyone to come in. He gets his first run to get away from the firing line for now.

[msp83]

Last over of the day, Stuart Broad it is.

[msp83]

Petersen looking a bit troubled out there, beaten 3 in 3.

[Guest]

Broad finally bowling a good over!

[msp83]

so 262-5 South Africa. Still South Africa's day as one of the wickets is that of the nightwatchman and they were put in by England. Alviro Petersen, dropped on 29, is still there notout on 124 and Jacques Rudolph is with him and there is JP Duminy to come in and he needn't worry about Graeme Swann!.
But a fine little period with the new ball has ensured England can comeback tomorrow, rest the advantage with an early wicket. Broad has bowled his bbest spel of the series with the 2nd new ball although the AB wicket wasn't of a great ball.
Lots of talking points, England leaving Swann out, they deciding to bowl first, Finn and his dead ball issue.......
Overall, a fine day of test cricket, of course other than the rain.

[mystiroakey]

SA's day but not to bad. At least we got wickets- its an improvement from englands perspective- so all good

[Liam]

good fightback, thank god we got the wicket of AB there, Broad finally pitching th ball up and giving the ball a chance to do something.

In fairness the ball wasn't doing an awful lot at the beginning of the day. That session after lunch was crucial and to get Smith, Amla and Kallis there was a great effort from England, credit where credit's due.

Thought Finn did ok on his return, just felt he bowled a bit too short although he had devilliers all over the shop with the short balls from round the wicket. The wicket of Steyn will give him confidence going into tomorrow's play knowing he isn't the only seamer without a wicket.

Roll on tomorrow, hopefully there's more cloud cover like there was a late in the day and the ball nips about a bit. If we can bowl them out for 350 then its game on. Its all on our first innings, if we can get a 150-200 lead then we will be favourites. If we get skittled out for under 250, we're in big trouble.

[liverbnz]

Any reason why Anderson wasn't given the 2nd new ball for at least 1 over?

[msp83]

Thought Finn was bowling with lots of fire and at the other end Broad the big wicket of AB. Besides Anderson had already bowled 20 overs. So fair enough, although its very unusual.

[Pal Joey]

My 272-4 prediction was a little optimistic then...

How's the weather in Leeds looking today? Will we get a full day's play?

[LivinginItaly]

Big morning session coming up. I would say that so far the game is just in South Africa's favour, but a couple of quick wickets to expose the tail would put England in front. Hoping for a grey cloudy morning to be followed by a glorious sunny afternoon and evening when we start to bat

[Fists of Fury]

Sun is shining in Leeds. A batting day. Bad news for England, unless they can strike early.

[FerN]

Sun is shining in Leeds. A batting day. Bad news for England, unless they can strike early.

I don't think we will survive the whole day. I wish we can survive for the first session. In SA media, they say we should target 350.

[Biltong]

Well if SA can get to 420+ after being put into bat, I reckon they can be pleased with their innings.

[Fists of Fury]

I think you'll reach 350. I'd expect around 375. I'll be disappointed if you get that, but I have to be realistic.

So much depends on England knocking a couple over early doors.

[liverbnz]

Peterson survives after another review. Always going to be difficult to get lbw calls when the ball hits the pad above the knee roll.

England bowling well here though.

[Liam]

Got a feeling for Finn today, think he will pick up a few wickets this morning, 365 all out.

[liverbnz]

Warne going on about England not picking Swann. The spinners union!

I agree with him though.

[Liam]

Personally, I think they believe they couldn't leave Finn out any longer but couldn't drop Brennan. Headingly traditionally a steamers wicket, overcast conditions forecast and with Swann out of form with a slight injury, I think the selectors saw and opportunity.

[Fists of Fury]

The Saffers seem to have brought plenty of luck over here with them. Not much more we could have done this morning - beaten the bat several times and not given much away.

[FerN]

Personally, I think they believe they couldn't leave Finn out any longer but couldn't drop Brennan. Headingly traditionally a steamers wicket, overcast conditions forecast and with Swann out of form with a slight injury, I think the selectors saw and opportunity.

Are you sure Finn (this is the first I have seen of him) is better than Bresnan, from a direct comparison of this test so far Bresnan still looks better.

[eirebilly]

Looks like its going to be another long day for the lads in the field

[mystiroakey]

Personally, I think they believe they couldn't leave Finn out any longer but couldn't drop Brennan. Headingly traditionally a steamers wicket, overcast conditions forecast and with Swann out of form with a slight injury, I think the selectors saw and opportunity.

Are you sure Finn (this is the first I have seen of him) is better than Bresnan, from a direct comparison of this test so far Bresnan still looks better.

well he is faster- so offers something different. Most of us England fans are suprised by Bresnans figures in fairness- but the reality is its only about the figures!

[LivinginItaly]

2 balls of spin 1 wicket

[LivinginItaly]

I wonder who might be feeling a bit stupid now selectors ahem!!!

[eirebilly]

Thank god for that

[liverbnz]

Swann KP gets a wicket with his 2nd ball. I think it was generous to be honest. Rudolph seemed to have a small part of his boot behind the line and should have been given the benefit of the doubt.

The pitch is turning though. Big turn in fact.

[FerN]

KP's offspin gets a wicket...

[mystiroakey]

2 balls of spin 1 wicket

you what!!!

[LivinginItaly]

The question is will strauss now have the balls to persist with kp for a reasonable spell, or having got the break through will he bring one of the bowlers back on?

[VTR]

Not great again today. Will prob check the score later if the Olympics has a bit of a lull. Fully expecting a thrashing from here - think we'll be 200-250ao.

[mystiroakey]

getting a win from this point on looks abit tough!!

But I fully expect our batsmen to come up trumps. Cook and bell hopefully will fill there boots

[eirebilly]

Not great again today. Will prob check the score later if the Olympics has a bit of a lull. Fully expecting a thrashing from here - think we'll be 200-250ao.

Still got a good chance to remove them for under 400.
I think this test will be a draw though.

[Dorothy_Mantooth]

I wonder who might be feeling a bit stupid now selectors ahem!!!

Selectors pick the initial squad and then its upto Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss who pick the X1 they want from that squad. Selectors provided them with a Spinner but the Coach and Captain decided to go without one. If they thought Swann was an injury doubt, they could have asked for another Spinner to be added to the squad, but they did not.

Finn would have been better off staying out the side, every game he did not play he was seemingly getting a better player.

[msp83]

I loved it, I just loved it absolutely!. Kevin Pietersen the offy striking 2nd ball to make Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower look absolute idiots for what they did with Swann. It was a terrible call, and each ball that KP would manage to turn will be a much deserved slap on the face of the captain and coach.
Hope KP gets a couple more soon though, and then get some big runs as well to lead an England fightback!.

[Fists of Fury]

Well I have been proved right in what I was saying before the series at least, in that England simply are not capable of taking 20 South African wickets (can we even take 10?). No way back for us here, we are world #2 and deservedly so.

[liverbnz]

Finn has been generally inaccurate and quite possibly the least effective of the bowlers this morning. He was the same for most of the evening session.

I just don't understand England's logic to be honest. If they felt it was a bowl first pitch due to the cloud cover then what exactly does Finn add? He doesn't really swing the ball much and Headingly is not exactly the hardest pitch in England so I'm not sure what he offered over Swann. They already have 3 pace bowlers who combined offer everything that Finn does except for the overrated extra few yards of pace.

The decision has now backfired as they would surely have expected to be batting by now after winning the toss. (They possibly would be if Swann was playing as he's a much better slipper than Cook). The only way to win this match will be to bat big and bowl South Africa out again in a limited amount of overs - but with no spinner. I can't see that happening.

[mystiroakey]

the selectors make a change and look like muppets- oh dear!

[eirebilly]

Well I have been proved right in what I was saying before the series at least, in that England simply are not capable of taking 20 South African wickets (can we even take 10?). No way back for us here, we are world #2 and deservedly so.

South Africa are a very strong batting team and i would say that they are the best team in the world but that does not mean that England cant beat them. It was an odd decision to leave out Swann and i would have had him and Finn in a 5 bowler attack to try and negate this SA batting depth.

[eirebilly]

Broad strikes

[FerN]

Petersen gone, England will want to wrap this up quickly now.

[eirebilly]

Under 400 is really an option here

[Duty281]

414/9, England are hanging in. I still can't understand what Strauss didn't bat first. Anyway, England need to aim for 500+ when we get in to bat. We can do this England!

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