England v South Africa, Lords, 3rd Test Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

The equation is simple. If England win, they remain number 1. If South Africa avoid defeat, they move up to number 1 and will officially be the best Test team in the World.

England: 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell, 5 James Taylor, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn

South Africa: 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Jacques Rudolph, 7 JP Duminy, 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran Tahir

Are you ready?

[eirebilly]

Whats was wrong with the ball, why the change?

[skyeman]

S***e, gotta pop out and get some cream for the wifes coffee. And our small shop is 4 miles away.

Still, iv'e got the car radio.

Keep going lads.

[alfie]

Trebs was on briefly yesterday to confirm all was lost...

That was a brutal over from Morkel !

[eirebilly]

Trebs was on briefly yesterday to confirm all was lost...

That was a brutal over from Morkel !

Thank god for that, i was worried about him

[JDizzle]

Jonny taking a liking to Imran. 12 off the over.

Two of the boundaries were more aesthetically pleasing than the first... #agricultural

[Mad for Chelsea]

Bairstow going after Tahir here, nice stuff

[skyeman]

The milkman is back. Shame he's got no cream

[Mad for Chelsea]

Whats was wrong with the ball, why the change?

it wasn't doing anything anymore

[eirebilly]

Cracking over

[eirebilly]

Whats was wrong with the ball, why the change?

it wasn't doing anything anymore

Any advantage eh

[alfie]

Bairstow gave Tahir some hurry up that last over ...keep watching the ball lad...

Morkel is going to give it everything for a short burst here.

[eirebilly]

Jaysus, dont take silly chances like that

Duminy fumbles but that would have been close

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Not a dig But proving that there are 11 in a TEAM.

yeah pity most of them got out for f all

[eirebilly]

Morkel is starting to worry me here. Bell has to be very watchful.

[alfie]

Jaysus, dont take silly chances like that

Duminy fumbles but that would have been close

Yes , run out is just what we don't need

[eirebilly]

Jaysus, dont take silly chances like that

Duminy fumbles but that would have been close

Yes , run out is just what we don't need

Just steady as she goes but thats the pressure that Morkel builds and batters desperately want to get off strike.

[alfie]

If I was Bell , I'd be leaving those wide ones from Morkel strictly alone ...let him tire himself out. Warm day , make sure you're there to plunder when they start to wilt.

[eirebilly]

Bell does have this ability to chase the odd wide one alfie, it worries me at times.

[Mad for Chelsea]

50 to Bairstow

a very good, gutsy, busy innings.

[eirebilly]

Excellent 50 for Bairstow

[alfie]

Fifty for Bairstow

Important for England , important for his career...

[trebellbobaggins]

More Eng struggles i see.

I just hope they don't slide too far and can sort their batting out and stay around the top 3-5. Aussie will fancy the Ashes.

[alfie]

Well run three brings up the hundred stand for the two Gingers...

[Mad for Chelsea]

hi trebs

good thing you didn't look in about two hours ago

hundred partnership

Bairstow really busy between the wickets, good stuff

[eirebilly]

100 run partnership as well in that over. Well played Bairstow

[trebellbobaggins]

sounds like a disaster from the top order again chelsea. new broom needed, they're a bit of a mess.

[eirebilly]

All is good, Trebbs is here

[Mad for Chelsea]

these two ticking along nicely now, need to keep it going though...

[eirebilly]

It would be brilliant if these two were still together at the end of the day

[trebellbobaggins]

Indeed. Kept away. I don't think any amountof reverse jinxes would have saved england against a team who were just a class up. On the up side there's plenty of youth for england to work with and try to come back from this.

[Mad for Chelsea]

fifty to Bell too now

couple of loose shots from these two in the last couple of overs, need to stay focussed!

[alfie]

Bairstow needs to keep concentrating here ...loose shot just then , got away with it ...

Bell fifty

Keep talking to each other ...got to make the most of this as the bowlers tire.

[eirebilly]

Bell

[alfie]

This really is an old fashioned Test Match - no outlandish run rates , pressure applied all the time , batsmen having to work for their runs ...and now Kallis with his familiar trick , bowling way outside off stump trying to entice an injudicious flap...

[eirebilly]

Concentrate Bairstow...

[ShahenshahG]

Punani

[Mad for Chelsea]

This really is an old fashioned Test Match - no outlandish run rates , pressure applied all the time , batsmen having to work for their runs ...and now Kallis with his familiar trick , bowling way outside off stump trying to entice an injudicious flap...

and when you get the bad delivery, put it away. Like Bairstow does there

[alfie]

Philander gives SA a bit of control , even when he isn't taking wickets. Very tidy bowler , hard to see him getting hit around...

...and as I type he drops short and Bairstow collects four

But the point stands .

[Mad for Chelsea]

wonder if SA will consider giving Duminy a couple of overs before stumps, just to try something a bit different...

[eirebilly]

wonder if SA will consider giving Duminy a couple of overs before stumps, just to try something a bit different...

Great call, he can be a dangerous bowler... Hope they dont listen to you MFC

[Guest]

I was thinking the same MFC, see if they can catch these two napping. That said, much needed stand from the two Ginges!

[Mad for Chelsea]

Bell

Philander has bowled a lovely over and finally tempts Bell to drive at one and he nicks it straight to third slip

[Mike Selig]

I'm sorry that wicket was my fault

I only just came back from giving blood had missed all the previous action in the PM.

The tail needs to do some wagging.

[eirebilly]

Feic

[Mad for Chelsea]

come on Prior, need a proper innings from you here...

[alfie]

Philander beats Bell twice outside off...need to keep that focus.

...aargh

Could see that coming ...well bowled .

Big blow for England , just when they were moving into a handy position. Tense again.

[Galted]

time for everyone to turn on England & throw little online tantrums & bleat about how everyone should be dropped & executed

[Mad for Chelsea]

a bit surprised SA have kept Tahir on here. As the new ball will be on pretty much immediately tomorrow I'd have expected them to give Steyn or Morkel a quick burst...

[alfie]

You missed some very good cricket , Mike

Won't blame you for the wicket , just very good bowling from Philander coinciding with Bell going through one of those little patches you get in a long innings when the mind wanders slightly...

Was an excellent partnership.

[Mad for Chelsea]

de Villiers's wicket-keeping technique is pretty shocking great athlete though with wonderful hands so he makes up for it

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