England v South Africa, Lords, 3rd Test Thread

[eirebilly]

First topic message reminder :

Yeah, the fielding certainly has left alot to be desired. Still the chances are being created and things must surely stick soon.

[Duty281]

13 overs till the new ball, we need these 2 to be still in when the new ball comes around.

[alfie]

True about the first innings lead , guildford : but even then I felt the lead needed to be sixty rather than six , and had two more wickets been available it may well have been achieved.
Actually been unusual in that neither side has ever really got hugely on top...lots of matches swing back and forth , but this one has been close throughout , kind of like two runners tracking each other in a 10000m race. The invisible rope never quite broken...

And as I type Broad is gone

[liverbnz]

Start the car!

[Duty281]

Broad gone, short ball and Amla pouches him. They're checking for a no-ball...but he's ok. Swann has to play the innings of his life.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Broad gone. Checking about height? Were the first two short ones already called above shoulder height? Broad may be a bit unlucky if so...

[Duty281]

100 partnership between Prior and Swann needed. Come on lads!

[dummy_half]

Those missed chances against Amla and ABDV were the difference - chasing 225 was feasible, whereas all but 350 was not realistic especially when our openers went yesterday evening.

[Liam]

that's why i wasn't getting too exited haha, c'mon swanny throw the bat

[mystiroakey]

All about MR swanny. Time to step up and feel the force

[Mike Selig]

Broad gone, stupid shot just before tea.

[Mike Selig]

Having said that if 2 short ones were called that was a no-ball.

[mystiroakey]

Mike every shot would have been stupid if it cost a wicket!!

This is not time to hang about..

Broad did his job perfectly well!

[Fists of Fury]

Yep, catches win matches. We only have ourselves to blame.

Good spirit today though.

[Duty281]

Swann off the mark with a boundary, 134 to go. #don'tstopbelieving

[mystiroakey]

what a reverse whack by swanny!!

[trebellbobaggins]

Yeah, it's over. They showed some fight but were totally let down from the top.

The better side won the series.

In a way I'd prefer that they get badly beat in this series as they the have to review exactly what's failing and fix it rather the paper over it again.

[Mike Selig]

Mike every shot would have been stupid if it cost a wicket!!

This is not time to hang about..

Broad did his job perfectly well!

The ball wasn't there for the shot - it was a perfect bouncer which gave him no room.

It's fine to play shots, but you've got to pick the ball.

[Duty281]

Highest score for Swann in a Test is 85. We could do with a repeat performance.

[Liam]

amla and de villiers drops have cost england the game, anderson had no excuse for his unfortunately

[Mike Selig]

Can anyone confirm whether we'd already had 2 bouncers in the over?

Cos if so, that was definitely over shoulder height by the time it reached where Broad was standing, so a no-ball surely?

Or am I going mad?

[Liam]

127 runs for 3 wickets, can't see it myself

[Duty281]

Target under 130 now.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Having said that if 2 short ones were called that was a no-ball.

well that is my point: the only reason they would be checking the height is if two short ones had been called, right? In which case surely it was above shoulder height and should have been called a no-ball?

[alfie]

Amla having a terrific match ...vital hundred , safe outfield catch , saving boundary shots with his head...
Don't know why they were messing about checking so long , was clear enough it wasn't a no ball ?

So all we need now is fifty odd each from Prior and Swann and a dozen or so each from the fast bowlers

Has been one of the more entertaining impossible run chases . Wonder if He Who Must Not Be Named is watching with a bit of regret ?

[trebellbobaggins]

So, reckon Strauss will go now?

And what about flower? Will he stay until at least the Ashes?

[Fists of Fury]

Strauss needs to go. Not Flower, but the captain yes.

[Duty281]

And that's tea. 125 needed, 3 wickets left, 33 overs remaining. 50 more runs between this pair and ya never know. New ball due in 10 overs.

[Duty281]

Strauss needs to go. Not Flower, but the captain yes.

Agreed. He's had his time.

[mystiroakey]

I love cricket like this..


anyway

125 needed off 10 balls off the old ball and 23 off the new- with only 3 wickets remaining

[Mike Selig]

I agree with those who point to the drops, and in particular the De Villiers one as crucial in this test. The Amla one less so, because England got a wicket just after, and it didn't have the obviously deflating effect.

I would point out to two further factors:
- the ground fielding: I made an extensive analysis of England's failings on day 1, and in particular how they let the momentum slip during the Duminy-Philander partnership. South Africa have been far sharper, despite a couple of misfields. This is not only about the runs (although in a close game this matters) but also the mood of a match.
- Kallis. England don't have a 5th bowler who can come on and break a partnership, and keep things tight (Trott did well keeping things tight, but never really looked like getting a wicket). Kallis also got Bell out in the first test, during that 2nd morning which first anounced that England were in a battle (after a near flawless first day) let's not forget.

[liverbnz]

Decent effort today, although the inevitable will happen, it's only a matter of when. New ball will see the end of this Test match if not before.

[Mad for Chelsea]

so tea, and England are still batting, but right up against it. They need these two to bat (and score) off the next ten overs and then see off the new ball. Not going to happen, but good fight shown by the middle and lower order today at least

not sure about that Kallis wicket: they spent a long time looking at height, but surely that means two short ones had already been called. which means it was a no-ball?

[GSC]

Well if England do go on to lose as they probably will from here, not a fan of knee jerk reactions, but we have to sit down and look at it critically?

Runs haven't been there for Strauss and his captaincy has been in question. Cook flourished since becoming ODI captain, a changeover must be coming up in the near future. Taylor and Bairstow showed some potential.

[mystiroakey]

taylor has shown alot of potential. Bairstow has shown true class allready

[trebellbobaggins]

Strauss needs to go. Not Flower, but the captain yes.

I think that's fair. Strauss only plays one form now and isn't performing in that form. They can't keep carrying him.

[Mike Selig]

not sure about that Kallis wicket: they spent a long time looking at height, but surely that means two short ones had already been called. which means it was a no-ball?

Cricinfo commentary says 2 short balls in a row, and certainly the first at Broad was well over shoulder height, but can't remember the one Prior hooked for 3?

As you say if they were looking at height then surely...?

Unless my eyes are playing tricks, that was shoulder height at least when Broad hit it, so would have been over shoulder height by the time it reached him in a standing position.

Anyone else willing to shed some light?

[alfie]

Had they called two short ones already ? If not why bother messing about ?

I wouldn't be too critical of Broad : that was a good bouncer and he just misread the height a little...he had been playing the shot ever since he came in and I really don't think the proximity to the tea break was very relevant.
England were not getting these runs by just "sensible" batting - not once it came down to Prior and Broad , anyway , and it was Broad's job to put those into the grandstand.
If he'd played it when they needed thirty I might have a different view.

[Fists of Fury]

We've been robbed Mike, robbed I tell ya

[Mad for Chelsea]

are you not allowed to bowl two short ones in a row either?

[Shelsey93]

It wouldn't be unprecedented for a team to score the number of runs we need for the last three wickets.

Therefore, we can't give up or go into draw mode - I'm not saying we will. It might be worth Swann having a go though. You've got to assume he'll get out at some stage, and so you don't want to still need 100 when Anderson comes in.

Prior is doing the right thing. Hanging in there for now and letting the others dominate the scoring, but I'm sure he'll try and get going himself at some point.

On the short ball thing you might be dead on - looked about shoulder height so they probably let him off on doubt. Commentators didn't seem to pick that up, but come to think of it thats all it can be.

[alfie]

Watched it again. Reckon it was just about OK...Broad is a tall man.

Still not ready to join the lynch mob for Strauss. Good Test openers don't grow on trees and I'll be disappointed if he doesn't take the team to India , where Cook will have plenty to do anchoring the innings .
If he has a rotten time in the winter I think he'll pull the pin himself , but he has come back from form slumps before and I think for stability's sake it would be well to persevere and hope he does so again.

[Guest]

last session of the test match summer!

C'mon boys!!

[Dave.]

He hit that like a kicking horse! Ohh I say indeed Blowers!

[alfie]

Must say , with 33 overs left to score 125 England have surprised me...much better scoring rate , against good bowling and fielding , than I'd have thought possible.

In fact it is really only guilford's two wickets away from being a real chance : if this were Prior and Bairstow still you'd actually fancy it...

[trebellbobaggins]

By my estimation,, if we hit a six off every ball then well win this in a heartbeat.

How hard can it be?

[GSC]

Time to send Tino Best in on stilts at 11

[eirebilly]

I still havent given up on victory

[mystiroakey]

decent start this

[Mike Selig]

England need to see if they can just knock off another 30 or so before the 2nd new ball becomes available. Just to make South Africa think.

[eirebilly]

As i said earlier, tailenders with nothing to lose can be dangerous

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