England Cricket - Tour of South Africa 2016

[Gargamel]

Morning,

Time for a shiny new cricket thread.

This is an action packed tour with FOUR tests in 30 days....Steve Finn, you'd better hope your foot is OK.

Can Steyn and Morkel still cut it, will this be the career ending for any of the fast bowlers ?

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-england...

Loads of interest in this one, especially the new post Bell batting collapses to watch out for.

Warm up match underway already, South Africa must be the favourites for the Test Series win.

[Gargamel]

Cook and Hales gone cheaply and without much middle time.

Compton, Stokes, Root and Taylor all got a good knock. Taylor 70 no out at the moment

200/4

Decent warm up so far, wonder why Ballance didn't bat ?

[Gargamel]

Quiet in here isn't it...

Warm up match proceeding nicely, wickets being shared around....

Not seen Footitt in the side before.

[anonymous-user]

I really think It's all wrong having the one dayers and t20 after the tests. We need the short games first as a starter. Nobody gives a toss when they happen after a test series, especially a big one like the ashes.

[Baron Greenback]

Mmmm 468 required, how come England were all out, did they just go for it or were they bowled out? Bring on first test match!

[Gargamel]

Baron Greenback said:

Mmmm 468 required, how come England were all out, did they just go for it or were they bowled out? Bring on first test match!

Well with Taylor and Stokes batting at 10 and 11 I guess it was a knock about session.

Hales the only one not to make double figures in one of the innings. Cook at least had a few overs.

[dav123a]

Didn't have first class status so just a bit of a knock about.
Anyone fancy making a prediction ? SA were hammered in India but at home it will be clearly different. Still lots of newish players so I'm going 2-1 to SA.

[spikeyhead]

I suspect that it'll be 2-1 to the Saffers, however that changes a lot depending on bowlers staying fit.

There have been numerous tours to SA that have resulted in the end of an England skipper, I'm confident that won't happen this time.

[Busa mav]

Both Root and Cook get centuries in what must be the last game before the first test on Saturday.

Please to see Hales spend some time out there for a half century, Stokes scored a fifty too.

I know Boxing Day is likely to live up to its name when I set up camp in front of the TV

[Gargamel]

Saffers everywhere must hope that team isn't the future of SA cricket because they were roobish. Ali gets a Michelle so you know the batting must have been awful.

Looking fed to boxing day

[BlackLabel]

Amla and Superman AB de Villiers aside this South African batting unit looks really shaky - I think England will do well although it's a shame they don't have a genuine front line spinner. I'm not a fan of part time spinners like Ali, Patel, Rashid, Ansari etc.

[dav123a]

I wouldn't describe Rashid as part time nor any of the others. Ali might have been a few years ago.

[Smollet]

Anderson a doubt for the first test
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/35164703

[Gargamel]

Smollet said:

Anderson a doubt for the first test
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/35164703

That is a massive blow, and with four tests in 30 days, you can't play him if it is not 100%

Let's hope it is minor

[spikeyhead]

Anderson ruled out.

A year ago I'd have been more worried, but I think that Broad, Stokes, Finn, Woakes, Moeen and Root should do ok.

[dav123a]

SA win the toss on a green wicket , Cook gone for a duck.

[Busa mav]

Rain stops play

[Baron Greenback]

Dam crap cricket by us again!

[spikeyhead]

More rain

[hornetrider]

Decent day after a poor start. Glad to see Compton in the runs.