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.

[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.

[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

[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

[Gargamel]

Too busy being festive, to keep up.


I just caught the highlights on catch up. Decent performance. Competitive at least.

[Gargamel]

Can Steyn still bowl?

Good performance this.

[Gargamel]

I really thought this would be a close game and very tough.

But we have simply outplayed them in every department.

Despite being lumbered with Cook as captain, and two openers who can't open.

[Gargamel]

Good fightback from the SA captain Amla, the guy they want to step down as skipper.

He may not be a master tactian but he bats pretty well.

Too soon to call the draw, but we need at least three wickets today to have any hope.

[Gargamel]

Finally we have bagged Amla, and FaF has gone too.

SA about 200 behind and 5 down.

Not sure we could get a result now, but fifth day pitches are funny things.

[Gargamel]

spikeyhead said:

There's no need to panic

Exactly

40 overs left ish.

We could still win by 60 runs here

[Gargamel]

Time to declare now, give the Saffers the problems.

34 overs, 155 to win

Seems about fair

[Gargamel]

Always go for the win

Cook however won't declare at all, will just bat on, he will be looking for an early finish and a handshake.

We should give em 25 overs. You never know.

[Gargamel]

Well at least he picked the terms of it, and after bashing 201 and saving the draw, no one can see he wasn't good enough.

He was being slated in the first two days of this test, and maybe he himself knows he isn't the right person.

Personally I'd put AB in charge for the next couple and go from there.

[Gargamel]

el stovey said:

At least it looks like we'll get a result.

The ground looks very quiet, isn't this the decider?

Four tests in this series, this is number 3.

England 1-0 up so I guess in that sense it is a decider, unless SA win of course or get a draw.

Good and competitive cricket. Root played great, would hope this time he knuckles down, and makes a big one. Has occasionally got to 100 and then been a bit loose.

[Gargamel]

el stovey said:

England building a massive lead here.

We're winning

Jimmy A for a ton !

[Gargamel]

Broad looking in the mood now. Come on lads - all out for less than 200

[Gargamel]

hornetrider said:

Wow! What a catch! What a plan. Kudos.

That is a fantastic catch, how he wasn't already turning away as that is hit I have no idea.

[Gargamel]

45 for 6 - Incredible catching from Taylor - really world class.

Whither now Jonty Rhodes ?

Aggers saying SA have been dismantled by England and it is hard to argue.