*Official* England in South Africa

[Scaly piscine]

1 Andrew Strauss, 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Graham Onions


Ian Bell grrrr.

[GeraintIsMyHero]

Broad-Swann-Anderson-Onions

I like that attack

[Sir Alex]

Wet in, no steyn.

[GeraintIsMyHero]

Bowling first, oooh

[TT Boy]

England bowl first. Interesting after hearing Manthorp's thoughts and looking at the skies.

[tooextracool]

With Steyn out and Kallis unfit to bowl, England only really have themselves to blame if they lose this match.

[Briony]

Yes the good money should be on the poms, Strauss will be expected to lead them to a win against a somewhat depleted Proteas here and especially having had the advantage of winning a crucial toss.

[King Pietersen]

Originally Posted by Scaly piscine

1 Andrew Strauss, 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Graham Onions


Ian Bell grrrr.

Better than Luke Wright or Stuart Broad at 7 tbf. Right XI AFAIC.

This South African bowling attack without Steyn and Kallis looks rather weak doesn't it. Ntini's looked over the hill for a while, Morkel's fairly inconsistent, De Wet couldn't get a game at Middlesex and Paul Harris is just Paul Harris, and it'd be a surprise if he ripped through a side. Saying that though, we'll probably be bowled out for 150 in both innings now....

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Scaly piscine

1 Andrew Strauss, 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Graham Onions


Ian Bell grrrr.

Gun, precisely the team I would've picked. Go England!

[Scaly piscine]

Any batsman would have been better than Bell. Given the infatuation over the crap flat track bully all he has to do his usual soft run feast somewhere and he'll magically leapfrog someone else in the pecking order.

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by King Pietersen

Better than Luke Wright or Stuart Broad at 7 tbf. Right XI AFAIC.

This South African bowling attack without Steyn and Kallis looks rather weak doesn't it. Ntini's looked over the hill for a while, Morkel's fairly inconsistent, De Wet couldn't get a game at Middlesex and Paul Harris is just Paul Harris, and it'd be a surprise if he ripped through a side. Saying that though, we'll probably be bowled out for 150 in both innings now....

You do know he couldn't get a visa, thus could never play for Middlesex?

[Briony]

Originally Posted by Scaly piscine

Any batsman would have been better than Bell. Given the infatuation over the crap flat track bully all he has to do his usual soft run feast somewhere and he'll magically leapfrog someone else in the pecking order.

With the sun baking down the pitch should be flat by the time he gets his turn at the crease.

[King Pietersen]

Wasn't aware of that, just heard on Sky that he played for Middlesex 2nds as a Kolpak...

[TT Boy]

BBC SPORT | Cricket | Counties | Middlesex | Radford admits De Wet frustration

Middlesex coach Toby Radford admits the club are frustrated by Friedel de Wet's failed application for a work permit.

He told BBC London 94.9: "We thought we had Friedel, a top quality seam bowler, he was actually granted a work permit but it's suddenly been rescinded.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Scaly piscine

Any batsman would have been better than Bell.

There aren't any other batsmen in the squad though UIMM, unless you count Wright or Rashid as batsmen. From the players available in the squad it was the best eleven.