kullibino Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 (edited) With humid conditions likely in Durban, England simply must pick Sidebottom and leave out Bell. I've long regarded Bell as spineless and would have called time on his international career long before this series. In the longer term, however, England will have to start showing some faith in Luke Wright because the side could do with a genuine all-rounder to provide some balance. Whilst Broad and Swann are useful lower order batsmen, I'd prefer to see them at 8 and 9, not 7 and 8. The lack of batting options on this tour is unfortunate to say the least. Wrights not much of a bat at all though, Swann and Broad probably have better FC records than him! EDIT - 27 and 26 compared to Wrights 35, so I'll give him a slight edge here, still can't bowl for shit though. Edited December 24, 2009 by kullibino 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Good start for England SA 10-2 bit of a recovery though 84 -runs. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btb Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Tea SA 151/2 (54ov) 54 overs at Tea and that's despite Swann, Trott & Pietersen bowling 21 of them - could be a long final session! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Short final session, as it turned out, but long enough for three wickets; 175/5 when bad light and rain came in. Bit of luck with Smith's run out but we deserved that, Onions especially bowled well this morning, beat Smith's bat several times. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btb Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 could be a long final session! Idiot! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Despite some bizarre captaincy by Strauss, by far England's day. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kullibino Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Click Sums up Luke Wright pretty well I think! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 SA 343 all out, England 103/1. Shame about that annoying tenth wicket partnership, but we've given ourselves a decent platform. I'll put the curse on by backing us to take a modest but healthy first innings lead from here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btb Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 (edited) Second new ball - England 266/3 (77 behind). With SA's attack weak (Kallis/Steyn not looking fully fit & Ntini past his best) it's a great chance for England to grab the initiative in this Test Match. ******************** 297/4 - Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's Bell Time! ******************** 359/4 - Great little Innings from Bell (39n.o. so far), in fact it's all going England's way. Would expect Prior, Broad & Swann to have the licence to give it a bit of welly to-morrow morning! Edited December 28, 2009 by btb 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Good day for England that, shame they couldn't have picked up the scoring rate a little but Cook and Collingwood weren't the players to do that. Like btb says, there are players to come who can hopefully do so in the morning. I'd be very happy with another hundred runs. I'd still back the draw but it'll be interesting to at least see this vaunted SA batting line-up have to bat under the pressure of needing to save the game. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignoramus Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Very delicately poised day 4 ahead as England's problem batsmen such as Cook and Bell have made good scores here and with Prior, Broad and Swann able to hit the ball a long way, England could find themselves in a good position if they adopt the correct tactics of calm against Morkel and Steyn and looking to hit the other bowlers. As for SA, their bowling has been poor apart from Morkel on this Test and Harris, who is a very underrated bowler.The decision to keep Ntini over De Wet astonished me greatly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 England have a hundred lead.But Collingwood is in hospital getting a scan on his hand.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedWeb Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 (edited) Nice innings from Bell. Now he needs to prove he can get big scores when his team really need it, i.e. when they are 28-4, not 300-4. Edited December 29, 2009 by RedWeb 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 No fracture on Collingwood,s finger. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuctifano Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Bellend yet again comes through when someone else has a hundred before him. England with almost a 200 run lead, I think they'll declare half an hour before tea if they're not all out, give themselves 4 and a bit sessions to win the match. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Phoenix Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Bellend yet again comes through when someone else has a hundred before him. England with almost a 200 run lead, I think they'll declare half an hour before tea if they're not all out, give themselves 4 and a bit sessions to win the match. The Broad / Bell partnership was turgid. England should have been at least another 50 runs better off at this stage. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuctifano Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 The Broad / Bell partnership was turgid.England should have been at least another 50 runs better off at this stage. They should have declared when Bell got out, having 10 and 11 in trying to force the pace does no-one any favours. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowden til i die Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Im not an Ian Bell fan but credit where credit is due. Fantastic score. A ton is a ton whether someone has got one before you or not. I do agree he needs to push on and make scores when under pressure though. England should have declared. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 (edited) Aus backed themselves with another earlyish declaration against Pakistan, setting them 452 to win with plenty of time left. Pakistan are 170/3 at stumps on day four and will be dreaming of glory, unlikely though it is. Has anyone ever lost a Test after declaring twice? (I'm not counting the infamous Centurion Test of 2000, when I believe SA's second innings was technically forfeited rather than declared.) Edited December 29, 2009 by Yoss 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Meanwhile, England eventually declared on 575/9, lead of 232, and Swann has taken two wickets (Prince and Amla) leaving SA 37/2 at tea. It's looked a flat and easy pitch for the past two days, you've got to think SA shouldn't have much trouble on it, but pressure does funny things. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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