England v South Africa at Southampton, 2nd ODI

With the wash out at Cardiff, this fixture has no less the importance of that as regards to whoever wins either keeps/gains the number one International ODI team position in the world. Both will give it everything they have.

Likely teams i would think pretty much as the first ODI, ie:

England.
AN Cook, IR Bell, IJL Trott, RS Bopara, EJG Morgan, C Kieswetter†, TT Bresnan, CR Woakes, GP Swann, JM Anderson, ST Finn.

South Africa.
GC Smith, HM Amla, D Elgar, AB de Villiers*†, JP Duminy, F du Plessis, R McLaren, WD Parnell, RJ Peterson, M Morkel, LL Tsotsobe

pretty much, can't see either team changing their line up from the first ODI unless conditions dictate (say England feel they need two spinners, in which case Patel probably in for Woakes). I would like to see England find a place for Bairstow though, but can't quite see how at the moment.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:pretty much, can't see either team changing their line up from the first ODI unless conditions dictate (say England feel they need two spinners, in which case Patel probably in for Woakes). I would like to see England find a place for Bairstow though, but can't quite see how at the moment.

Kieswetter, for sure?

With the no result outcome at Cardiff, does the winning streak continue? 13 to go second but a long way from the 21 set by Aus in 2003.

Based on what I saw on T20 finals day, there's no way Bairstow is good enough to keep at international level: he really struggled against Rafiq, and I think he'd struggle even worse against Swann.

They clearly want Bairstiow to concentrate on his batting, he aint going to be used as anything other than cover keeper.

Now this isnt going to happen either but Prior made 78 n/o off 69 yesterday.

I'm hoping Woakes will play, because I'm interested to see how he's developped over the last year or two.

Every so often there is a general clamour for Matt Prior to play one-day international cricket, and every so often England pick him, in a variety of roles (he has so far openned, batted at 3 and played as a finisher) - he has ranged from mediocre to hopeless, and I see no significant change in his approach to suggest that it would be different this time.

Pick JB in place of Bops?? Since he pulled out of the test series over 5 weeks ago, he's made exactly 6 runs in 4 innings. Is his head in the right place for this.

skyeman wrote:Pick JB in place of Bops?? Since he pulled out of the test series over 5 weeks ago, he's made exactly 6 runs in 4 innings. Is his head in the right place for this.

That would be a good move given those stats (had noticed his poor recent record as well). Also longer term, I know Bopara has been decent lately, but think Bairstow is potentially the much better player, so would prefer to see him in the team from now on. We are supposed to be building for the next WC afterall.

My team would be :

AN Cook
IR Bell
IJL Trott
J Bairstow
EJG Morgan
C Kieswetter†
TT Bresnan
CR Woakes
GP Swann
JM Anderson
ST Finn

eirebilly wrote:My team would be :

AN Cook
IR Bell
IJL Trott
J Bairstow
EJG Morgan
C Kieswetter†
TT Bresnan
CR Woakes
GP Swann
JM Anderson
ST Finn

Mine too, but i still think that they will opt for Bops for his added bowling abilities. And Woakes above Bressy in the batting order.

I dont think that bowling will come into this personally. I would prefer a strong batting line up and bat SA off the park

to be fair to Bops, his ODI form over the last couple of years has been very good, so it would be harsh to drop him. Also as stated he adds a bowling option (and is pretty much the only one of our batsmen to do so - maybe Trott as well). I don't think he deserves to be dropped, unless it's clear his head isn't in the right place.

Bops has more wkts than runs recently Last 4 games: 6 runs - 9 wkts

MFC, i would drop Bopara simply because i feel that Bairstow is the better batting option.

yes but Bopara has been scoring heavily for England recently in ODIs. Don't get me wrong, I love Bairstow and think he'll be a very very fine player for England. I just think dropping Bopara would be really harsh. If anything, I'd drop Trott TBH whose form is less than stellar.

Trott is the anchore, no way would i drop him.

If England were playing India, SL or Pakistan then Bopara would be on my team list but i strongly feel that England will have to bat SA out of the match rather than bowl them out of the match so i would have Biarstow because i feel he is the stronger batsman.

19c and partly cloudy, win toss and bowl i think.

Just checked the ground records though. Normally a high scoring ground and Bell has done very well here.

Interesting that skyeman, thats one of the reasons why i would pick a very deep batting team and really go for it. Even though is partly cloudy now, i would prefer to bat in this than in the dusk. Win toss and bat

what time does it start?

South Africa win the toss and bat.

SA win toss and will bat. Teams: Patel in for Woakes, shame.

In about 25 mins biltong

Biltong wrote:what time does it start?

13.00 about 25 mins.

bit surprised by that, can only imagine England think it will turn a bit. Not too fussed to be chasing, we're good at chasing really.

skyeman wrote:SA win toss and will bat. Teams: Patel in for Woakes, shame.

Not happy about that at all

I suspected that the team that won the toss would bat. I would not want to be batting second here in the dusk.

I did want to see how Woakes would get on, I haven't been convinced that he will be able to make the step up to ODI level yet, but he deserves his chance and it would be good to see him play.

That being said, the Ageas Bowl does normally spin and Patel is probably the wise pick on this surface. And he did get some runs in India last year, so that went in his favour as well.

Ravi's scores since his return clearly show his head isn't in the right place, MFC. Some more time to sort his personal problems out would be beneficial to all the parties in the long run.

Cook and Smith both think it will turn. Maybe right for Patel then and SA have several spin options.

Slight sprinkling of rain, but stopped now.

I just dont rate Patel as an international spinner skyeman so i would have prefered Woakes...

Mad for Chelsea wrote:bit surprised by that, can only imagine England think it will turn a bit. Not too fussed to be chasing, we're good at chasing really.

I prefer us chasing too. Not as if SA have a world class spinner either. We chased well against Pakistan in the UAE. So chasing can't be a problem against other teams.

eirebilly wrote:I just dont rate Patel as an international spinner skyeman so i would have prefered Woakes...

Me too really, and Woakes batting of late has been stunning.

Has anyone posted the SA team by any chance?

Biltong wrote:Has anyone posted the SA team by any chance?

As first post Biltong, unchanged.

Thanks skyeman.

I certainly hope Parmell and Tsotsobe are on fire today.

Anderson first up to Smith. In the test series Smith was happy to wait for England to bowl straight at him, but he can't do that here. Anderson with some swing first up, outswinger beats Smith outside off and he just gets bat on an inswinger to get off the mark with a single.

Biltong wrote:I certainly hope Parmell and Tsotsobe are on fire today.

We don't

skyeman wrote:

Biltong wrote:I certainly hope Parmell and Tsotsobe are on fire today.

We don't

Finn to Amla, should be interesting. Finn was easily the bowler who most troubled Amla in the test series, and he has him jumping a bit to his first ball there.

Patel's fielding

skyeman wrote:

eirebilly wrote:I just dont rate Patel as an international spinner skyeman so i would have prefered Woakes...

Me too really, and Woakes batting of late has been stunning.

apparently they are expecting it to spin today, which makes you wonder why they picked Patel

What counts against Woakes is that hes bassicaly the same as all Englands senior seamers. Bresnans mediocre record doesnt seem to come into the calculations, but really its him they should be looking at to get Woakes in the side.


Some talk on TMS about prior, with all the obvious points being made.

Smith's response so far is to basically walk to outside off stump and work it through square leg from there. Works quite well with a 2 and a single, can Anderson try to slip one behind his legs?

Good stuff from Anderson and Finn, both passing the edge a few times.

interesting to see Trott in the slips for the ODIs, does Prior not like him?

Decent start by Finn and Jimmy, Patel had a silly moment when sharper fielding could have seen a run out.

Good first 5 overs for England, tight and unlucky not to get a wicket.

Smith hits the first four of the game, not much wrong with the delivery though. Next ball Finn tops 90 mph for the first time.