SA Vs England - 4th & final test

[saints_is_the_south]

Starting Thursday. Bit of team news from the SA camp, Friedel De Wet has been forced to withdraw from test - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/8452645.stm

 

Same as for England I'd imagine.

 

According to the BBC weather forecast heavy rain is due in Johannesburg all week so a draw looking likely even at this early stage, which is all we need to win the series of course!

[bungle]

Win the toss, bat first. First ball Strauss goes to an apparently excellent catch.

 

Edit: Team news: Sidebottom is for Onions. Harris and De Wet out for SA, Parnell and McLaren in.

[bungle]

Trott out lbw. 7-2. Agnew slagging him off for an appalling shot.

 

And now Pietersen, who desperately, desperately needs to play a good innings.

[Nellie]

When we won the toss and opted to bat, I'm guessing 7-2 wasn't the start we were hoping for really.

[Pancake]

Go to get a coffee come back to THIS? What?

[saints_is_the_south]

Terrible start, now is the time we need KP to step up.

[Smirking_Saint]

Ok, just missed the start and turned it on.

 

Thought to myself, why is KP starting ?? Then realised we are 8-2.

 

Great start guys

[Pancake]

Ok, just missed the start and turned it on.

 

Thought to myself, why is KP starting ?? Then realised we are 8-2.

 

Great start guys

 

Ditto!

[bungle]

"Starting"! FFS! The sport of cricket is dead. "Opening", for crying out loud.

 

If we can't protect the language of cricket then what can we protect?

[Pancake]

"Starting"! FFS! The sport of cricket is dead. "Opening", for crying out loud.

 

If we can't protect the language of cricket then what can we protect?

 

You'll be starting a CDL (Cricket Defence League) league soon Bung.

[saints_is_the_south]

KP gone. 32-3

[bungle]

Well done Kev, you nob.

[Smirking_Saint]

Ok, opening.

 

Still, WHAT IS WRONG WITH KP ???

 

He has been crap for ages !!! Has something got into his head ??

 

I suppose he always sort of played on the edge with some of the shots he attempted, but they are just not coming off.

[keithd]

where's this rain...??>>???!!!

[bungle]

Cook given out lbw. Being reviewed.

 

Edit: It's a no-ball!

 

Double edit: They are now looking at the lbw, so apparently the 3rd umpire doesn't think it was a no-ball.

 

Triple edit: Out.

 

Quad edit: On the radio they are all convinced that it was a clear no-ball.

Edited 14 January, 2010 by bungle

[Smirking_Saint]

No ball

 

I hope

 

Crap, we are crumbling quicker that a portsmouth financial transaction.

Edited 14 January, 2010 by Smirking_Saint

[saints_is_the_south]

No ball but given out.

[DS]

It was a no ball ffs

[bungle]

Ah, the 3rd umpire is Daryl Harper. That explains it.

[OldNick]

changing a winning side, and to put Sidebottom in Lol What a shower.

[DS]

Boycs isn't holding back on TMS!

[dubai_phil]

Wow am I glad I went downstairs to watch the cricket while eating my lunch, NOT

 

FFS

 

Oh well at least we didn't lose the series. Will we make 120 all out?

 

Nick - will be in the Old Ale House about 8pm Sat night, flying visit for work meetings next week, 6X and a curry if you're around

[Weston Saint]

KP's form would suggest he will have to come back to county cricket to regain the same before the English Test Match season.

 

We might have him back for the opening of the season.

[bungle]

changing a winning side, and to put Sidebottom in Lol What a shower.

 

While I'm not sure if I'd have done it, playing at altitude in the final test of a hard series, and on a pitch that should offer some swing, brining in a fresh swing bowler is hardly a "lol" moment.

[bungle]

KP's form would suggest he will have to come back to county cricket to regain the same before the English Test Match season.

 

We might have him back for the opening of the season.

 

I hope not. He'll cost us a good start to the season.

[Weston Saint]

I hope not. He'll cost us a good start to the season.

Don't you believe it. He will be focused

[keithd]

bonkers morning session. last ball ****ted for 6? Colly making it look easy. Good catches, good bowling, poor umpiring.

 

Whoever doesnt like teh test cricketz is a moron, its that simple(s)

[OldNick]

Wow am I glad I went downstairs to watch the cricket while eating my lunch, NOT

 

FFS

 

Oh well at least we didn't lose the series. Will we make 120 all out?

 

Nick - will be in the Old Ale House about 8pm Sat night, flying visit for work meetings next week, 6X and a curry if you're around

would have loved to but meeting friends sat night sorry. It will be good to catch up again.No sign of another forum match I suppose? Still havent had the 2nd dvd i was promised, there you go disappointing but

[bungle]

Collingwood goes. Vaughan says the ball did something unusual. Goes for 47. 115-5.

[Smirking_Saint]

great effort !!!!!! got let off there though

[jeff leopard]

If bell or prior can stick around and make a 70/80, and if the tail can wag with a few cameo’s then a score of 300 isn’t impossible, and it should essentially guarantee a drawn match and series win for England, if there’s enough rain. So it’s not all lost yet.

[OldNick]

While I'm not sure if I'd have done it, playing at altitude in the final test of a hard series, and on a pitch that should offer some swing, brining in a fresh swing bowler is hardly a "lol" moment.

In a game we dont need to win it was an error IMO. SA have packed their side with batting and 2 quickies. They had to go for it while we only have to do as we already had. I hope I have misjudged it and Sidebottom gets a bagful of wickets.

[bungle]

In a game we dont need to win it was an error IMO. SA have packed their side with batting and 2 quickies. They had to go for it while we only have to do as we already had. I hope I have misjudged it and Sidebottom gets a bagful of wickets.

 

Er, SA have 4 front line bowlers, then have just replaced a spinner with a quicky. Both sides have 6 batsmen, a wk, and 4 bowlers. What are you on about?

[bungle]

Bell clean bowled. Inswinger after a load of outswingers.

[OldNick]

Er, SA have 4 front line bowlers, then have just replaced a spinner with a quicky. Both sides have 6 batsmen, a wk, and 4 bowlers. What are you on about?

I was listening to Boycott and he was saying that they can bat to number 11.

[OldNick]

Er, SA have 4 front line bowlers, then have just replaced a spinner with a quicky. Both sides have 6 batsmen, a wk, and 4 bowlers. What are you on about?

can we qualify that we were supposed to have 6 batsmen!!!!

[saints_is_the_south]

If bell or prior can stick around and make a 70/80, and if the tail can wag with a few cameo’s then a score of 300 isn’t impossible

 

It is now!

[jeff leopard]

If bell or prior can stick around and make a 70/80, and if the tail can wag with a few cameo’s then a score of 300 isn’t impossible, and it should essentially guarantee a drawn match and series win for England, if there’s enough rain. So it’s not all lost yet.

 

If anyone else needs any world-class cricket punditry, I’ll be here all week.

[RonManager]

I was starting to quite miss the embarrasing England cricket team collapses of yore. I like to be able to depend on certain things in life. Now I feel much better!

 

Seriously though, I don't think SA will make a lot either.

[stevegrant]

This is going well...

[Weston Saint]

Sidebotham will do well on this wicket if he bowls intelligently, as he can.

 

Have to say though that it looks a decent wicket with a bit of swing and I would expect SA to score 300+

 

155-9

[St Lej]

Hindsight maybe, but what a bizarre decision to bat first, when all week all we kept hearing about was that the pitch had been deliberately prepared to be bowler friendly to aid the chances of a positive result.

Maybe the thinking was, "it's best not to bad last on this deck", but surely with SA under immense pressure you would have thought we'd put them in and get at them to see how their batsmen handle things.

As it is, we are now up **** creek

[Weston Saint]

Hindsight maybe, but what a bizarre decision to bat first, when all week all we kept hearing about was that the pitch had been deliberately prepared to be bowler friendly to aid the chances of a positive result.

Maybe the thinking was, "it's best not to bad last on this deck", but surely with SA under immense pressure you would have thought we'd put them in and get at them to see how their batsmen handle things.

As it is, we are now up **** creek

No correct decision was to bat. Smith said he would have done the same.

[dubai_phil]

Should be all over by the time I get on my plane after lunch tomorrow then

[St Lej]

No correct decision was to bat. Smith said he would have done the same.

 

Fair enough, i am at work so didnt hear that. Maybe just poor application from our batsman combined with good aggressive bowling then. Still, maybe in our minds we have settled for a 1-1 scoreline, which isn't a disgrace, but would have been nice to show a bit more fight for this final test. All is not lost, but i can't see us bowling them all out for under 300. Momentum is with them, as now is the confidence, from their bowling efforts.

[saints_is_the_south]

England all out for 180.

[DS]

Swann out c Boucher b Steyn 28

England 180

[hutch]

Weather's not great down here at the moment. Don't give up hope yet.

[bungle]

The Jo'burg Golf Open are currently off for "electrical activity". Why isn't that stopping the cricket?!!

[saints_is_the_south]

Just resumed now after rain delayed play for an hour & a half or so. Lets hope for some more for the remaining 4 days!