England v South Africa, The Oval, 1st Test Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Here we go then, England v South Africa at The Oval where the battle for Number 1 will commence. A win or draw in the series for England will see them retain that coveted spot whereas South Africa need a series win to take the crown. This will be a true battle of the World's two best Test teams. Here are the lineups:

1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson

England bat down to 10 with the formidable Cook opening (made 294 less than 12 months ago), KP (who walks into any team at the moment) and the best WK batsmen in the game, Matt Prior (averages over 40 and he bats at 7). Add the fact that their probable No.8 bats with an average over 40! England have probably the best all-round bowling attack in the game - 2 World-class quicks, a World-'class spinner and a very good all-rounder in Tim Bresnan who averages over 40 with the bat and under 30 with the ball. One weak link though, Ravi Bopara.

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

7 specalist batsmen which includes the best no.3 in the World and the best all-rounder seen in this era. There's also Graeme Smith and De Villiers who both average a shade under 50. Then the best fast bowling attack in the World, Steyn (best bowler in the World), Morkel and Philander (average of 14.15 in 7 Tests). Weak links? Petersen isn't the best opener, Boucher the usual WK is injured and Tahir is far from the best spinner in the World.

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My series prediction: 2-0 England.

Enjoy the game!

[Fists of Fury]

Well what a load of tosh this has been. Pathetic batting from England, followed by flat bowling on a lifeless pitch.

However, now that SA have declared, I can guarantee that we will be 150-200 all out and make it look like a minefield.

Will those that had a moan at me and Trebs on friday now admit that we were right to hold such pessimism?

3-0 SA this series. Easy.

[dyrewolfe]

Its okay mystiroakey - they've finally declared.

Now England have a day and a session to save the game. Whats the betting we lose a couple of wickets before close of play and face a nervy rearguard action all through tomorrow?

If we do get the draw it'll be by the narrowest of margins.

[Guest]

Well what a load of tosh this has been. Pathetic batting from England, followed by flat bowling on a lifeless pitch.

However, now that SA have declared, I can guarantee that we will be 150-200 all out and make it look like a minefield.

Will those that had a moan at me and Trebs on friday now admit that we were right to hold such pessimism?

3-0 SA this series. Easy.

hell no ridiclous statement.......its 1 innings! 1 game, jeez its like the old knee jerking is back

[dyrewolfe]

Well what a load of tosh this has been. Pathetic batting from England, followed by flat bowling on a lifeless pitch.

However, now that SA have declared, I can guarantee that we will be 150-200 all out and make it look like a minefield.

Will those that had a moan at me and Trebs on friday now admit that we were right to hold such pessimism?

3-0 SA this series. Easy.

That'll depend on the mentality Strauss and co start out with. If they open with the view of simply occupying the crease and trying to bat out time, the pressure may well get to them.

If they just view it as a normal second innings and remember they racked up nearly 400 first time around and play their normal game, we may just do it.

[dyrewolfe]

Oh dear - not a promising start. Cook gone for a duck.

[azania]

Looks like South Africa A will beat South Africa B.

[mystiroakey]

az do you ever discuss actual sport

[LivinginItaly]

I wonder if SA will regret not having increased the scoring rate prior to the declaration. True we have to bat for a hell of a long time, but if we bat sensibily we should still overhaul the deficit sometime between lunch and tea tomorrow which will be a huge pyschological lift to the team. And make the saving of the match a bit easier.

[dyrewolfe]

Blimey! After 2 days of England bowling, with barely a sniff of a wicket, suddenly SA's bowlers are getting edges and half-decent lbw shouts.

[trebellbobaggins]

Fantastic wiggo. Give everyone something to cheer. A true champion and a brilliant way to underline it.

[trebellbobaggins]

Oh dear - not a promising start. Cook gone for a duck.

So an innings defeat and a flipping disgrace. We saw ths coming in winter, time to wake up. Minefield for us road for them. Better batsmen , bowlers and team. Time to rebuild. Cricket will be forgotten over this next few weeks, time for a serious rethink.

[alfie]

What are you worried about Trebs ? Only another 230 to get the lead then they can go about putting the game out of South Africa's reach.

[trebellbobaggins]

Would be nice.

[LivinginItaly]

Well what will it be for KP. 200 or 2?

[dyrewolfe]

Alarm bells ringing!

Didn't I say we'd be at least a couple of wickets down before close of play? Why can't I be this right when picking my lottery numbers?

Trott out for 10. England 32-2.

KP up next...might well be 3 wickets down soon. Steyn and Philander finding movement where our bowlers failed to.

[GSC]

Each time I've turned on the live text, an England wicket has been the top news.

I'll stop now

[LivinginItaly]

Trebs is doing his best but where is fists? We need all hands on pumps now!!!

[Biltong]

Didn't see any cricket today, how was Amla and Kallis' partnership?

amla now holding the record test score for SA. Wonderful achievement.

[trebellbobaggins]

32 for 2. Anyone else going to pretend this isn't pathetic anymore?

Utterly stuffed, humiliated and out back in their place. Not even a top five quality batting side anymore. Painful summer.

[trebellbobaggins]

Stunning and world class biltong.

Several classes above the bowling unit they faced

Well done and good luck defending the number one spot in the world better than this shambles did.

For eng I suspect a new coach and setup will follow after this year.

[dyrewolfe]

Didn't see any cricket today, how was Amla and Kallis' partnership?

amla now holding the record test score for SA. Wonderful achievement.

Seriously? You missed your team grinding England into the dust for the last couple of days?

As for Amla and Kallis, if Smith hadn't declared, I reckon they'd still be batting next Sunday...thats how utterly dominant they were.

[dyrewolfe]

Bloody hell KP - what are you playing at!?!?!?!

Lucky escape there...England nearly 3 wickets down...

[LivinginItaly]

KP dropped by Kallis. How crucial will that be...

[Guest]

#squeakybumtime

#keepthefaith

[Biltong]

Thanks guys, sadly Dyrewolfe I had to entertain the wife and kid today, left eraly this morning for a breakfast run with the motorcycles, and then went for a braai at some friends.

They have no tv. Can you friggin believe that?

I haven't been to a house without a tv for nigh on 3 decades.

I suppose they don't want the tv to interfere with their socialising.

[Guest]

Strauss dosent look like he's picking Tahir's googly.

[mystiroakey]

ffs

[dyrewolfe]

...and there we go...

KP bowled by Morkel for 16 - middle stump uprooted. England now in serious trouble at 57-3.

At this rate SA won't need to bat again.

[dyrewolfe]

KP dropped by Kallis. How crucial will that be...

Answer: not very...

[dyrewolfe]

Thanks guys, sadly Dyrewolfe I had to entertain the wife and kid today, left eraly this morning for a breakfast run with the motorcycles, and then went for a braai at some friends.

They have no tv. Can you friggin believe that?

I haven't been to a house without a tv for nigh on 3 decades.

I suppose they don't want the tv to interfere with their socialising.

Ah well - hopefully you'll be able to witness England's miraculous escape with a draw.

Lol - who am I kidding?

[trebellbobaggins]

Ok so. They don't want to lose they want to be a laughing stock and once again the butt of every joke about abject English sport. Shocking.

This series will be three nil but should have been five or six nil to really force a home just how fa behind they have slipped. It's embarrassing.

[mystiroakey]

we cant get into a situation of just protecting the wicket- we have to score naturally or we are stuffed

[dyrewolfe]

Well, England only need another 190 to make SA bat again. Should be a doddle...right?

[Duty281]

South Africa just showing that they want it more than us at the moment. Their bowling is showing greater aggression, greater firepower, greater everything. While it does look like we're sliding to defeat, we'll come back strong for the next 2 Tests. This could just be the kick up the backside we need.

And remember...it's not over yet. Captain Strauss and Sir Ian to bat till tomorrow, come on England!

[mystiroakey]

i think we need to target 400

[gboycottnut]

Well, England only need another 190 to make SA bat again. Should be a doddle...right?

Would be a doodle if it this was 1981 again with Ian Botham batting for England.

[dyrewolfe]

we cant get into a situation of just protecting the wicket- we have to score naturally or we are stuffed

True. Going completely into their shells will make them vulnerable, but at the same time they also need to curb their attacking instincts a tad and not got for extravagant shots. Just wait for bad balls and put them away (not that there will be too many of those).

[gboycottnut]

Ok so. They don't want to lose they want to be a laughing stock and once again the butt of every joke about abject English sport. Shocking.

This series will be three nil but should have been five or six nil to really force a home just how fa behind they have slipped. It's embarrassing.

What is a joke is the current Test Rankings which show that England are number 1 in the world and South Africa are number 3 in the world. To me world rankings in any sport mean JACKSH#T. Just look at Wimbledon where the World number 3 Lord Federer defeated the World number 1 Novak Djokovic in the semi finals, also in Snooker the World number 1 is apparently Mark Selby when everyone knows that the best player is Ronnie O'Sullivan. England's cricket team mainly got to the world number 1 ranking place by playing against mickey mouse teams far too often.

[dyrewolfe]

Game over.

Strauss perishes getting a top edge off Tahir, caught by Philander, for 27.

England 67-4.

SA will wrap this up by lunch tomorrow. To be fair to Tahir, he bowled a couple of rippers before getting the wicket.

[Duty281]

With Strauss gone it really is game over but it doesn't mean we've lost the series. 2 Tests to go, remember that.

[djkbrown2001]

the england team is overated. We saw what pakistan did to them earlier this year.

[Duty281]

the england team is overated. We saw what pakistan did to them earlier this year.

1 Test Series lost since May 2009. Overrated? How?

[Duty281]

Ok so. They don't want to lose they want to be a laughing stock and once again the butt of every joke about abject English sport. Shocking.

This series will be three nil but should have been five or six nil to really force a home just how fa behind they have slipped. It's embarrassing.

What is a joke is the current Test Rankings which show that England are number 1 in the world and South Africa are number 3 in the world. To me world rankings in any sport mean JACKSH#T. Just look at Wimbledon where the World number 3 Lord Federer defeated the World number 1 Novak Djokovic in the semi finals, also in Snooker the World number 1 is apparently Mark Selby when everyone knows that the best player is Ronnie O'Sullivan. England's cricket team mainly got to the world number 1 ranking place by playing against mickey mouse teams far too often.

You can only beat what's in front of you. South Africa have only won 1 home series since 2008 so they can't be No.1. England destroyed Australia and India so they can't be No.1. Pakistan haven't shown any consistency to be No.1. England being No.1 makes perfect sense.

[trebellbobaggins]

Let this series finish winless then Strauss must do the right thing and make way for in form players.

[mystiroakey]

something in the air for the saffas- ernie won the open!!

[Duty281]

Let this series finish winless then Strauss must do the right thing and make way for in form players.

Can you nominate a suggestion as to who could replace Andrew Strauss at opener? Then I'll take your comment on board.

[Biltong]

something in the air for the saffas- ernie won the open!!

Are you serious?

He was 6 shots behind last night.

[mystiroakey]

yeah he won dude! eveyone else crumbled but it was well deserved.

[liverbnz]

Farcical. And I'm not talking about the cricket.

[dyrewolfe]

something in the air for the saffas- ernie won the open!!

Are you serious?

He was 6 shots behind last night.

Must've channeled the spirit of Amla and Kallis.

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