England v South Africa at Southampton, 2nd ODI

First topic message reminder :

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

Galted wrote:

Biltong wrote:

skyeman wrote:

Biltong wrote:

VTR wrote:

Biltong wrote:Man, you gotto love Woolworths, wife got me some smoked peppered Mackerel, chicken and bacon pasta salad and a shrimp coctail.

Delicious

No Pick n' Mix?

What's pick a mix?

It is a sweety selection. Thought Woolies went bust?

Not in SA mate, here they are doing very well, a tad expensive though.

I prefer their savoury stuff, not really a sweet tooth.

To clarify, Woolworths in SA = M&S in the UK

PS The cheat accusations are getting massively tiresome.

Tell SA to stop cheating then

Bell really should have been run out there, Bops calls for a single to mid-on but Bell is dawdling. However Morkel strangely decides to throw it underarm to the keeper and that allows him to scamper home. Two lives for Bell now...

I feel this is gonna be painful to watch from Bops for a while and putting more pressure on Bell. You could see it coming.

no need to panic for England though, if they can reach 150-3 or so after 30 overs they're doing just fine.

England slowing down a bit, Bopara soon will have to get a move on.

Bopara's just playing himself in, we have plenty of time so no need to worry. Just as I type, Bell's gone.

beauty from Peterson bowls Bell

those were just missing the stumps when England were bowling, as Mike says, luck as always favouring the team playing the superior cricket.

Need something special from Morgan here.

That's Bell gone!, Petersen with the wicket.

Bell gone, Mogs gotta be straight away in decent scoring mode.

With Bell out it really does lookbleak now. only chance is big scores from these two. After Morgs theres only really big hitting from bedwetter, Patel and Swann. Its very early to get into the finshers...but that puts pressure on the two who should be looking to keep the RR reasonable but cant afford to lose their wickets.

Cant see England pulling this off now.

Bring back KP

If Bopara continues to get stuck, that will be too much pressure on Morgan. But during the Australia series they did combine alright.

The loss of Bell is a big blow... very difficult from here on in!

couple of very sweet fours from Bops in that over. Parnell looks like he's coming onto the bat very nicely, needs to think about mixing it up a bit.

Keep the faith lads. Only 201 runs to go!

Bopara hits a rank long hop straight to SA's best fielder Du Plessis, England in a huge hole.

Lucky lucky Saffers. They've been lucky all through the tour. And now Bopara's out off a long-hop!

6 for Kieswetter.

Hey Biltong, told you my boy Robin Peterson can cut it at international cricket!

I love the way how when Morgan gets flustered and can't score he goes for the reverse sweep

hi gerry, not my favourite player, but good on him.

there's something you don't see every day, a straightforward shot being misfielded by Du Plessis.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:Bopara hits a rank long hop straight to SA's best fielder Du Plessis, England in a huge hole.

Some would argue he did the right thing..... if youre going to get out without scoring much do it quickly

Even so yeah its gonna take a KP like performance from both these to dig drag England back into it

Amla has apparently "done his back in", sure he'll be fine for the rest of the series though...

another surprisingly ragged bit of fielding in the ring there from SA (didn't see who it was). Fielding standards from both teams have been below par today...

Elgars figures do not frighten, but plenty of turn there.

Kieswetter gone. The edge is dropped by De Villiers but as seems standard for today's match it still goes SA's way and loops up for Smith to catch.

Thats about it now!!

That's probably the game right there and then. South Africa are the new No.1 ODI team (although an England win in the 3rd ODI will put England back on top).

Its not over, Mogs is still there even if he is scoring slowly so far...

I still firmly believe that England had to out bat SA (not bowl to restrict) and that Bairstow was the better option that Bopara but thats the way things are.

145 runs needed at nearly 7 an over. Only Morgan, Patel and Bresnan left as batsmen.

Mogs will do it Duty

As long as Morgan is there, England can at least hope. If anyone in this England can play a KP like innings then its Morgan. But Elgar is getting the ball to turn, and Petersen bowled well. And there is a fair few way to go.

Morgan needs to become Michael Bevan here...

Don't think de Villiers is getting his bowling changes right. Think he should bowl the spinners at this stage. Elgar was turning a few and looked good for a couple more of overs in that spel. Bringing the spinners during the powerplay or even after the 40th over may not be a good idea particularly if Morgan gets set by that time.

Parnell at last managed a good over.

the pitch looking incredibly tired now, the ball just sticking in it and not coming onto the bat at all. Still, as long as Morgan's there England will feel they have a chance.

Also think England are struggling to pick up the ball. What are the lights like at the Rose Bowl?

Surely the PP and have a swing? Nothing to lose and these two are both set.

This has been depressing to say the least.

doubly depressing pakistan all out for 198 please england at least you get past 200!

You guys are up shoite creek as well Shah

Seriously though, i am not a Bopara hater but surely Bairstow has to replace him next match.

I was fuming to see Patel in the team today but he bowled suprisingly well.

Patel will now lead a one-man charge to the finish and see England home. Go on Samit, prove the doubters wrong!

Found the 's have you Duty

England are getting stuffed, and its time they give up the stubbornness with selection. Tim Bresnan has always been an average ODI player, and of late his form has been pretty poor. Chris Woakes is a better bat, and under the circumstances a better bowler as well, although he hasn't been tested a lot at the international level. Many here do not seem to be very confident about Bairstow's glove work, but I have to say Kieswetter hasn't been great either. But although his summer so far hasn't been anything special, he hasn't done a lot wrong to be dropped. Ravi Bopara too has done well in the ODIs so far in the summer, but his head doesn't seem to be in the right place. Jonathan Trott too has had an average year with the bat in ODIs so far. Forget Pietersen, but at least Bairstow has to be in there. KP's ODI omission is understandable, considering he had retired forcing England to split up an emerging opening combination and rework their plans. But idealy he has to be back, and back at 3 in place of the struggling Trott. This unlikely to happen and we have to leave it at that. But any of Trott, Bopara and Kieswetter will have to give way for Bairstow, and Woakes or may be even Ben Stokes if fully fit should come in for Bresnan.

Down to the last wicket, but Finn's determined to play his shots, but for how long though, is the question!.

Finn having a whack here

msp83 wrote:England are getting stuffed, and its time they give up the stubbornness with selection. Tim Bresnan has always been an average ODI player, and of late his form has been pretty poor. Chris Woakes is a better bat, and under the circumstances a better bowler as well, although he hasn't been tested a lot at the international level. Many here do not seem to be very confident about Bairstow's glove work, but I have to say Kieswetter hasn't been great either. But although his summer so far hasn't been anything special, he hasn't done a lot wrong to be dropped. Ravi Bopara too has done well in the ODIs so far in the summer, but his head doesn't seem to be in the right place. Jonathan Trott too has had an average year with the bat in ODIs so far. Forget Pietersen, but at least Bairstow has to be in there. KP's ODI omission is understandable, considering he had retired forcing England to split up an emerging opening combination and rework their plans. But idealy he has to be back, and back at 3 in place of the struggling Trott. This unlikely to happen and we have to leave it at that. But any of Trott, Bopara and Kieswetter will have to give way for Bairstow, and Woakes or may be even Ben Stokes if fully fit should come in for Bresnan.

Hardly a big concern though, 1 loss in 14 ODIs this year. Nothing to set the alarm bells ringing.

Finn has played 3 of the best shots in this entire England innings!. And Morne has given away as much as he did in his first 4 overs in the 5th over alone.

Finn and Jimmy should swap round in the batting order. Finn's ODI batting average is 25!