2nd Test, South Africa vs England; Cape Town 2nd-6th January

First topic message reminder :

South Africa (from):
H Amla (c), Q De Kock (wkt), AB De Villiers (wkt), K Abbott, T Bavuma, JP Duminy, F Du Plessis, D Elgar, M Morkel, C Morris, D Piedt, Rabada, R Rossouw, S Van Zyl, H Viljoen.

England (from):
A Cook (c), A Hales, N Compton, J Root, J Taylor, B Stokes, J Bairstow (wkt), M Ali, C Woakes, S Broad, S Finn, J Anderson, S Patel, C Jordan, M Footitt, J Butler, G Ballance.


Umpires: A Dar (Pak), B Oxenford (Aus)

Third umpire: R Tucker (Aus)

Match referee: R Madugalle (Sri Lanka)

its what we have to do. I think we have to try sneek a result. It's not happening today... But Cape Town is moody. Maybe we wake up tomorrow and its completely overcast

alfie wrote:

KP_fan wrote:an inning of character....from Amla

The pitch notwithstanding....there was pressure...of 629 runs.....of 4 or 5 losses in a row...of personal bad form.....of question marks on captaincy.....and he overcame all of that to produce 200 runs.....exuding character and temperament.

Absolutely.  All jokes aside , Amla has shown his true class in this match : he may not be the best captain around in terms of tactics or on field animation ; but he has led his side to safety by his own example and strength of will.

Well played indeed.

Haven't seen this morning's play but from the scoreboard and reports all the above seems spot on.

Amla's and Stokes' innings have been totally different but both absolutely outstanding.

A wicket. I'm serious

Broad has just bowled Amla...

Either that or I am hallucinating

End of a superb innings...

So ten wickets in 290 overs...wonder how long til the next ?

Two balls !

And another one. We need about 100 more runs.

Hmm. Still 190 behind , two new batsmen...

Nah. I'll wake up soon.

Its a collapse!

de Kock fell for the rather obvious trap...

Morris has an opportunity to show his credentials as an all rounder now. If he - or Bavuma - comes out now , the game would almost be "live" again !
Mind you , the chances of these bowlers raising themselves to bowl SA out a second time tomorrow in whatever time they can get would still be pretty limited. But at least everyone wouldn't be just going through the motions...

Only an English collapse can make this match a match no matter what happens from here

One or two streaky shots ; but these two have taken the fight back to England and are rattling up useful runs ...going some way to shutting down the England resurgence.
The bowlers were getting a new lease of life with those three wickets ; but a bit more of this and they'll start to feel the 170 overs in their legs again...
Think Cook might do well to try some spin about now : if they can get this wicket the last three might not last all that long - and perhaps the change of pace might induce an error. They're handling Finn and Stokes pretty well to be honest.

Fifty stand

Bavuma on fire...

The second he middle a few Buvuma suddenly looked like a completely different batsman here. I'm not sure why but it often feels like the case for many batsmen who appear a bit 'jumpy' at the crease.

Think this mini partnership has finished all hopes of a result.

Like the way these two have taken on the game. If they'd tried to shut up shop they'd still be 160 behind ; as it is they're eating into the deficit quite rapidly.

Still technically time for England to bowl them out , bat for a couple of sessions and have a go for the last few hours tomorrow...but the closer SA get the harder that equation becomes.
I guess SA could fancy a shot at England late tonight too. This partnership is making that at least a possibility.

Another drop...Finn fails to hold on to a return catch. Hasn't had much luck in this innings...

pretty much game over now. draw

kingraf wrote:Think this mini partnership has finished all hopes of a result.

You'd think so. Apart from the score , it shows that the three wickets were a hiccup ...overall this is still the pitch on which 12 wickets have fallen in 306 overs : Maybe 130 overs left in the match...

Anyway Bavuma has shown why he is rated by the selectors.

Good fifty

Think people have been exceedingly harsh towards Bavuma. He played alright in India and then in the first Test was out in the first inning to a ball which kept really low and then in the second played a pretty poor shot, but he's not the first or last player a year into his career to have a messy dismissal when his team is basically up a creek without a paddle

Me and Michael Vaughan in agreement. Ten overs at them tonight.

Well this has been boring as **** for 2.5 days, but could be about to get interesting. I have this horrible feeling England are going to be not many for 4 at some point!

SA is working themselves into a winning position

on the back of an impending English collapse....bowled out.in 50 overs ( not theoretical and to be honest a 1/3rd probability in my view).

amazing...this is only the debut test of Morris....have been seeing him around for a long time

Bavuma is getting nervous here. Stuck

Chances coming thick and fast here. Might be something in this wicket suddenly

Would SA still be in this if England could catch??

Fielding 'average' of one dropped catch per 10 overs so far.....

It really is incredible that after the Stokes innings (which seems a lifetime ago) only SA now have a chance of winning this.

England shouldn't lose from here, but it can be dangerous batting without something to aim for, and after nearly 3 days in the field!

with nothing to lose, no pressureif Morris keeps swinging he might get an *amazing 100* on debut ...tonight

*sorry* Morris.....jinxed you

I hope its a draw anyway. England were not bowled out in their first innings, and may have left at least 100 runs out there. It would be very hard on Mr Stokes if the speed of his innings somehow lost England the match!

Would a first innings tally of 629 be the largest losing position if England did throw it away?


*not sure if I've phrased that question correctly....

Pretty certain it would. I know when they lost in Aus about 10 years ago after making 550-ish that was one of the highest

The only theoretical danger for England when they bat is a psychological one.

Realistically it's a chance for Cook to find his touch, and for England to re-assert themselves; all the while giving their bowlers a much-needed rest, and keeping South Africa out in the field for a day.

TopHat24/7 wrote:Would a first innings tally of 629 be the largest losing position if England did throw it away?


*not sure if I've phrased that question correctly....

It would indeed.

http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/Test/Overall/Team/Highest_First_Innings_Totals_To_Lose.html

And talking of psychology, I'm somewhat surprised South Africa didn't nab a small lead and then declare.

a Moral / psychological boost for SA.....not only did they overhaul Eng's total...but also declared.

Only team that can lose it is Eng.
Only way Eng can lose it is in the mind.......

finally in the dying hours of 4th day...there is an element of interest in the game...

A draw is the ginormous favourite from here but lose a couple of wickets before stumps and England won't be sleeping too easily tonight.

If I had been in Amla's boots, I would have sacrificed Bavuma's ton and declared earlier (as I suggested last night) so as to give England longer to see out tonight.

England should think positive here though - batting for 70 overs will preserve the 1-0 lead. That then means one win in the remaining 2 matches and its a series win - not a bad position to be in and a lot better than many expected

As gentle an opening over as Cook and Hales would have hoped for.

Hales has been quite impressive in the opening jousts of this series. I hope he goes on to make a large score in this innings, as just reward for his efforts up until now.

This is a nailed on cert for a draw. The pitch has disappointed. A great pitch offers a bit of something for everyone but this has almost entirely been a batsman's wet dream of a pitch.

Both teams can take heart from the match as South Africa's batsmen have finally rediscovered their scoring touch and built up some much-needed confidence. England have players striving to establish themselves in the side and they have done themselves no harm and I am talking about Hales, Compton and Bairstow here.

A few jumpy moments here for Cook and Hales with balls going past the edge and Buvuma looking as sharp as Taylor at short leg.

Duty is right that best case scenario here for England is Cook taking time in the middle to find form. If he and Hales can have good partnership to get comfortable with each then the batting will feel a lot more comfortable going into the rest of the series.

CaledonianCraig wrote:This is a nailed on cert for a draw. The pitch has disappointed. A great pitch offers a bit of something for everyone but this has almost entirely been a batsman's wet dream of a pitch.

Both teams can take heart from the match as South Africa's batsmen have finally rediscovered their scoring touch and built up some much-needed confidence. England have players striving to establish themselves in the side and they have done themselves no harm and I am talking about Hales, Compton and Bairstow here.

Craig - yep, the pitch has favoured the batting side but so has England's catching.

I'm still not sold on Bairstow though. For me, he continues to be a mixed bag. 270 runs in the series so far and only twice out - brilliant. However, another bad miss today behind the stumps - the bowlers deserve better.

Btw, your maps went missing when they were probably most needed!

guildfordbat wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:This is a nailed on cert for a draw. The pitch has disappointed. A great pitch offers a bit of something for everyone but this has almost entirely been a batsman's wet dream of a pitch.

Both teams can take heart from the match as South Africa's batsmen have finally rediscovered their scoring touch and built up some much-needed confidence. England have players striving to establish themselves in the side and they have done themselves no harm and I am talking about Hales, Compton and Bairstow here.

Craig - yep, the pitch has favoured the batting side but so has England's catching.

I'm still not sold on Bairstow though. For me, he continues to be a mixed bag. 270 runs in the series so far and only twice out - brilliant. However, another bad miss today behind the stumps - the bowlers deserve better.

Btw, your maps went missing when they were probably most needed!  

Back to work so time is limited. Yes England's catching on the whole has let them down but lets be honest here - is Buttler immune from missing chances? I say no. And look at his test scores recently with the bat and like I said elsewhere at least Johnny is vocal behind the stumps unlike Jos.

SA have batted excellent.

But that is the worst I have seen an England side field. Ordinary would be a compliment.

Cook and Hales have to be thinking about tons. They both missed out in the first innings, just bat for a day and get a 100. The pitch still isn't doing much and the ball has about 5-10 overs of "shininess" left before it's gun-barrelled straight. There's no need to accelerate or try to force the game or anything. Just keep batting and then shake hands an hour after tea.

robbo277 wrote:Cook and Hales have to be thinking about tons. They both missed out in the first innings, just bat for a day and get a 100. The pitch still isn't doing much and the ball has about 5-10 overs of "shininess" left before it's gun-barrelled straight. There's no need to accelerate or try to force the game or anything. Just keep batting and then shake hands an hour after tea.

Or be more aggressive - score a quick fire 200 or so by tea and put South Africa in and test their new found form out.

They won't want to bowl again after a long first innings.

GSC wrote:They won't want to bowl again after a long first innings.

I am sure that would change though if this pitch finally ends up doing something - besides they have a week off before the next test.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:This is a nailed on cert for a draw. The pitch has disappointed. A great pitch offers a bit of something for everyone but this has almost entirely been a batsman's wet dream of a pitch.

Both teams can take heart from the match as South Africa's batsmen have finally rediscovered their scoring touch and built up some much-needed confidence. England have players striving to establish themselves in the side and they have done themselves no harm and I am talking about Hales, Compton and Bairstow here.

Craig - yep, the pitch has favoured the batting side but so has England's catching.

I'm still not sold on Bairstow though. For me, he continues to be a mixed bag. 270 runs in the series so far and only twice out - brilliant. However, another bad miss today behind the stumps - the bowlers deserve better.

Btw, your maps went missing when they were probably most needed!  

Back to work so time is limited. Yes England's catching on the whole has let them down but lets be honest here - is Buttler immune from missing chances? I say no. And look at his test scores recently with the bat and like I said elsewhere at least Johnny is vocal behind the stumps unlike Jos.

You clearly didn't watch the Pakistan series if you don't think Buttler is vocal behind the stumps, he was chirping constantly.

Bairstow is simply a worse keeper than Buttler. I think we have to try play him as a batsman if he plays. Maybe move Compton upto opener if Hales doesn't cement a spot, Taylor upto 3 and Bairstow 5. We can't keep having our keeper drop important chances. Buttler would miss the odd one, but nowhere near as often as Bairstow has.

Olly wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:This is a nailed on cert for a draw. The pitch has disappointed. A great pitch offers a bit of something for everyone but this has almost entirely been a batsman's wet dream of a pitch.

Both teams can take heart from the match as South Africa's batsmen have finally rediscovered their scoring touch and built up some much-needed confidence. England have players striving to establish themselves in the side and they have done themselves no harm and I am talking about Hales, Compton and Bairstow here.

Craig - yep, the pitch has favoured the batting side but so has England's catching.

I'm still not sold on Bairstow though. For me, he continues to be a mixed bag. 270 runs in the series so far and only twice out - brilliant. However, another bad miss today behind the stumps - the bowlers deserve better.

Btw, your maps went missing when they were probably most needed!  

Back to work so time is limited. Yes England's catching on the whole has let them down but lets be honest here - is Buttler immune from missing chances? I say no. And look at his test scores recently with the bat and like I said elsewhere at least Johnny is vocal behind the stumps unlike Jos.

You clearly didn't watch the Pakistan series if you don't think Buttler is vocal behind the stumps, he was chirping constantly.

Bairstow is simply a worse keeper than Buttler. I think we have to try play him as a batsman if he plays. Maybe move Compton upto opener if Hales doesn't cement a spot, Taylor upto 3 and Bairstow 5. We can't keep having our keeper drop important chances. Buttler would miss the odd one, but nowhere near as often as Bairstow has.

Well it is all about opinion and remember Buttler has been rank rotten with the bat of late. Test cricket has changed now as being able to bat is a pre-requisite for wicket-keepers now in test cricket. I'd sooner have Bairstow bashing out now quite regular meaty scores than Buttler bashing out single digit scores which he was doing with great regularity when he was dropped.

What an obnoxious pitch! And what absolutely substandard catching from England! It is criminal to drop catches on such a pathetic track, and England dropped some 10 of them!!
Good innings from Amla, decent support from Faf du Plessis. Terrific innings from Temba Bavuma for more than 1 reason. His and Kagiso Rabada's performances in this game has to mean a lot more, beyond the context of this game. And Chris Morris somewhat redeemed himself in his debut test with a sprightly and very significant knock. Had he fallen cheaply, the game might have been altered though Morne Morkel was iching to get out on to bat on that flat monster, confident that he had a maiden test ton there for the taking!