England v South Africa Test Series

[SpookyFrank]

Day one, Steyn's not playing and Graeme Smith is out already

And Strauss has put the Saffies in even though he's only got four bowlers and the sun is shining

 

[Flashman]

Has he gone mad?

32-1

 

[SpookyFrank]

Sidebottom should be playing IMO. We should also be batting.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Oooh...

...overturned on referral

 

[rapattaque]

Bloody referrals, grr

 

[rapattaque]

Sidebottom should be playing IMO. We should also be batting.

Maybe and yes.

 

[rapattaque]

Big threat Amla gone. Good bowling from Siddy's replacement.

 

[Santino]

Onions

 

[Santino]

Wicket for Swann on his second ball.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Horrible, tentative selection. They won the toss, elected to bowl and Paul Fucking Collingwood is on in the second session. Rubbish. If they didn't think four bowlers would be able to handle the workload, they should have picked five.

Broad, Swann at 8/9? Fine if Flintoff's at number 6. Not fine if your no 6 is Bell. If eight competent batsmen can't do the job, why do they think nine can?

I'm mystified.

Just to hammer home the point, Collingwood's test record:

54 matches, 15 wickets @ just under 57!?

 

[mattie]

Isn't Collingwood only on because Broad's struggling with some niggle or other which he developed during the Test?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Isn't Collingwood only on because Broad's struggling with some niggle or other which he developed during the Test?

Which is the danger when you go in with only 4 proper bowlers.

Understandable if none of those bowlers is any good with the bat. Not so understandable when two of them are not far off all-rounder status.

 

[mattie]

Which is the danger when you go in with only 4 proper bowlers.

Understandable if none of those bowlers is any good with the bat. Not so understandable when two of them are not far off all-rounder status.

Hmm, point taken, given Anderson's current fragility a bit more cover may have been handy.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Isn't Collingwood only on because Broad's struggling with some niggle or other which he developed during the Test?

Broad's bowling now, so no, that wasn't the reason.

 

[mattie]

Broad's bowling now, so no, that wasn't the reason.

Cricinfo reported he was stretching his leg out quite a lot, and seeing as it's test cricket they have plenty of time to dissect that information and leap to all sorts of illogical conclusions.

May have been colly was on to give time to check front-liners out over lunch.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Here we go again. Onions shows how full is the right length on a helpful pitch, so Broad bangs it in half-track.

I just don't think England's bowlers are good enough to form a four-man attack. You need to be world-beaters, like WI with their quckie quartets or Australia with McGrath/Warne +, to get away with it.

 

[mattie]

To further reinforce, TMS are saying Onions has torn something or other.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

To further reinforce, TMS are saying Onions has torn something or other.

Yes. Best bowler injured. This could get ugly.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Here we go again. Onions shows how full is the right length on a helpful pitch, so Broad bangs it in half-track.

I just don't think England's bowlers are good enough to form a four-man attack. You need to be world-beaters, like WI with their quckie quartets or Australia with McGrath/Warne +, to get away with it.

^This. Benefit of hindsight and all that but if Onions is injured we're fucked. Jimmeh and Draco seem pretty harmless and Swann can't bowl forever

 

[Flashman]

Any highlights on terrestrial?

 

[Santino]

Thank the Lords for Graeme Swann.

 

[two sheds]

I was following this on the guardian website which gives the score over by over like in the one-day internationals. I was getting excited because South Africa were scoring reeeeeeally slowly and it got to 50 overs and they'd only got to 150 .

Then England just kept bowling and it suddenly became a lot more boring. I might start listening on r5 sport if it's on there, though.

 

[mattie]

Run-rate looks funereal.

What's pitch like? Sounds a little slow, but some mention of uneven bounce.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

Gotta feeling this will end in a draw.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

or maybe not, cook out already...25-1

 

[mattie]

Cook edged one? Did he not move his feet, perchance?

 

[Santino]

On the radio when they introduce Gerald de Kock it sounds like they're introducing Gerald, a cock.

 

[Matt S]

I really wish Boycott would stop repeatedly saying "They'll never get England out on this, never!" Idiot.

Matt

 

[TrippyLondoner]

88-1 end of day 2.

 

[Santino]

First session tomorrow will be crucial.

That's what they'll be saying on Sky. They say it every day of every Test match.