Goonersworld

1st test starts today, and what a flying start for England.

S/A put in, and it's 1/1 in the second over.

Having already claimed the one day series (a feat only Australia had previously performed) could we hammer them in the test series as well?

Some of the guys have come back from lunch saying England have started very well.

Great innings from Kallis to be fair, he's always a thorn in the side.

Sadly the great start hasn't come to much, Boucher is sitting tight now.

353/7

England chasing 364 to win are 135/3 but Pietersen has hit batting form.

Still can't see much past a draw, but if SA strike in this session a defeat could be on the cards.......

well we did our best to try and lose the game.

It's really time Bell is gotten rid off for good.

He has 5 single figure scores in his last 7 innings, absolute joke.

Cook needs to go too but there really is a lack of credible alternative. In Cooks last 12 test matches he averages just 22, just not good enough.

Wright for Bell in the 2nd test.
I'd like Plunkett in for Anderson too, Plunkett had a great year domestically with bat and ball (averaging about 23 with the ball and over 40 with the bat i think).

Anderson averages 36 this calendar year which is terrible for someone supposed to be a strike bowler. even worse is his overseas record where he averages over 40 outside of England, embaressing.

Thankfully we seem to have FINALLY found a top class number 3, which is exactly what we need when because of Cook we're regularly 1 down just a few overs in. If we still had to put up with Bell/Bopara at 3 we'd be 2 down after 10 overs more innings than not.

Strauss
Cook (absolutely no alternative unfortunately)
Trott
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior
Wright
Broad
Swann
Plunkett
Onions

Would be my team for the 2nd test.

Says a lot when the tail save the day...... Swann 1st innings, and Onions with that last over.

Bell really needs to find some form, he's not up to scratch right now, but if he doesn't bat he won't improve, catch 22.

And all this isn't to mention absolutely screwing up on the referrals in the 1st.

SE13 wrote:Says a lot when the tail save the day...... Swann 1st innings, and Onions with that last over.

Bell really needs to find some form, he's not up to scratch right now, but if he doesn't bat he won't improve, catch 22.

And all this isn't to mention absolutely screwing up on the referrals in the 1st.

Another thing not to mention is that Strauss made the unforgiveable blunder of inserting the opposition in a test match, foolish boy.

rogerthornhill wrote:

SE13 wrote:Says a lot when the tail save the day...... Swann 1st innings, and Onions with that last over.

Bell really needs to find some form, he's not up to scratch right now, but if he doesn't bat he won't improve, catch 22.

And all this isn't to mention absolutely screwing up on the referrals in the 1st.

Another thing not to mention is that Strauss made the unforgiveable blunder of inserting the opposition in a test match, foolish boy.

Absolutely! I actually threw my head into my desk when I watched that. I'm still mystified, playing SA on their own patch, and putting them in on a potentially dodgy wicket.

That said, I did start warming the oven to cook some humble pie when the first wicket fell!

SE13 wrote:That said, I did start warming the oven to cook some humble pie when the first wicket fell!

There was never any chance that was going to be your dish of the day. Why anyone takes that option is a mystery, there is so much to go wrong and by comparison so little to gain. I bet that they had to pick Graeme Smith off the floor after he fainted.

rogerthornhill wrote:

SE13 wrote:That said, I did start warming the oven to cook some humble pie when the first wicket fell!

There was never any chance that was going to be your dish of the day. Why anyone takes that option is a mystery, there is so much to go wrong and by comparison so little to gain. I bet that they had to pick Graeme Smith off the floor after he fainted.

I didn't think it was a good option in the first place, but when the first wicket fell I kind of thought I was wrong.

Never a great wicket in the first place, so to commit to batting fourth was nothing short of disastrous.

It's all very well thinking about picking up early wickets, but this isn't England where the weather dictates, this is South Africa where you are almost guaranteed glorious sunshine all day, and absolutely no help from swing nor the pitch.

I'm still wondering whether a second spinner wouldn't go amiss..... Panesaar was a star out there four years ago.......

One wicket in the 2nd then the next in the 21st.....

For those interested I found Good blog interviewing Graham Gooch here, didn't realise he was over in SA working with the team.
Things are going ok on the pith though, 190-3 at lunch chasing 343, a welcome return to form for Alastair Cook!

And a slight return to form for Ian Bell as well. Great knock from Cook though.

355/4 but it's day 3, so I can't see much beyond a draw.

SE13 wrote:And a slight return to form for Ian Bell as well. Great knock from Cook though.

355/4 but it's day 3, so I can't see much beyond a draw.

you was saying? ENGLAND 575 dec now SA on 60-6 swann and SE13's favorite player Broad doing the damage 3 whaletr a piece

Well, I wasn't expecting SA to roll over quite that easily!

154 behind and only 4 wickets in hand, we could be on for an innings victory here. That'll be an achievement and a half.