***Official*** South Africa in England

[Richard]

I know (that's the whole idea of the traditional Thursday start to a Test in the unlikely event you didn't know ) but as I say - sadly, at the current time, needs.

If the schedule is assuaged, one of the smaller benefits may be that the Thursday start to the Test can once more become near-universal.

 

[GIMH]

Personally I think they should just make all of the Tests public holidays, then they can play them whenever they like

The best thing about the glorious summers of 04 and 05 was that I worked evenings not days so watched plenty of cricket

 

[Richard]

Aye, ditto mostly between Jun 04 and Nov 07.

And even when I was working daytimes, I could take a long-wave radio in to work as no-one objected even on the rare occasion I didn't work alone.

 

[GIMH]

I don't mind when we play and I am at my desk but when I am training, which is about half the time I guess, I find it hard to focus wondering how the boys are getting on

 

[Manee]

Anyone else ridiculously looking forward to this series?

 

[GIMH]

Yes, particularly day three of the second Test, been looking forwards to it all summer

 

[Richard]

I always look forwards to SA vs Eng above perhaps all else. Only Eng vs Aus is in the same league.

Mind, SA vs Aus is pretty close too.

 

[Manee]

Yes, particularly day three of the second Test, been looking forwards to it all summer

Nice. I'll be interested to see just how fast South Africa will bowl, especially if there is a dry period or the rain creates exceedingly skiddy tracks. Whereas Ntini is more fast-medium, I believe that both Morkel and to a slightly lesser extent, Steyn, could both reach 95mph in this series.

 

[TT Boy]

Do you think English conditions will suit South Africa or England better?

If the weather stays as it is (overcast, low cloud level and humid) then I think it will suit the England boys better than the South Africans. England's attack is heavily dependent on swing and I'll fancy their batsman being better players of the moving ball as well.

 

[Richard]

As I said, I'm surprised anyone could do that.

Undoubtedly, England's seamers have more to gain by plentiful swing than South Africa's have. But I don't really fancy the chances of either batting-line-up combatting it terribly well considering everything. England's batsmen are probably technically better equipped, but they've not utilised it well in recent times and if Steyn gets it to bend I expect them to struggle as much as SA's batsmen do against Sidebottom and whoever else is playing at the time it hoops around.

 

[TT Boy]

Nice. I'll be interested to see just how fast South Africa will bowl, especially if there is a dry period or the rain creates exceedingly skiddy tracks. Whereas Ntini is more fast-medium, I believe that both Morkel and to a slightly lesser extent, Steyn, could both reach 95mph in this series.

Morkel was seriously quick at Uxbridge and Steyn looked pretty lively as well, had young Billy Godleman ducking and diving all over the place on a wicket which was extremely slow. Less said about Ntini the better.

 

[Manee]

Never rated Ntini but he does pick up the wickets. I do cringe when he bowls though. Good to hear that Steyn and Morkel were working up some pace though - I'm not the only one who gets shivers when that speedo goes red in a Test.

 

[wpdavid]

Anyone else ridiculously looking forward to this series?

Yup, although I'm sure Lord's will be horrible. It usually is, and I really don't know why we bother playing there. But despite all logic, I'm looking to clear my desk by Thursday.

 

[Manee]

The smart money is on a rain affected draw in the first game, but hopefully a nice large anticyclone will make its way over England during the other Tests.

 

[Richard]

FFS, so annoying that both Lord's Tests (both opening Tests of the series too) this year have been and are likely to be respectively rain-ruined... especially given that SE UK has for much of this summer escaped plenty of the bad weather which has plagued elsewhere.

 

[Manee]

Its not been fantastic by any means down here though.

 

[open365]

As I said, I'm surprised anyone could do that.

Undoubtedly, England's seamers have more to gain by plentiful swing than South Africa's have. But I don't really fancy the chances of either batting-line-up combatting it terribly well considering everything. England's batsmen are probably technically better equipped, but they've not utilised it well in recent times and if Steyn gets it to bend I expect them to struggle as much as SA's batsmen do against Sidebottom and whoever else is playing at the time it hoops around.

Echoing this, if there's any sort of swing/seam movement in the pitch Steyn and Sidebottom (and to a slightly lesser extent Anderson) are going to be incredibly hard to play, I wouldn't be suprised if both ended up with Averages >20 if the weather keeps up like this.

 

[tooextracool]

That's a pretty fair assessment of the South African batting, but i think de Villiers has it in him to do okay against swing. How about England, anyone who stands out as a solid player of swing there?

Sadly, Ian Bell is probably England's best player of swing.
Strauss and Cook both have glaring technical issues, although Strauss has improved on them.
Vaughan is a good player of swing and a poor player of seam IMO. Problem with Vaughan though is that he constantly plays down the wrong line.
Pietersen is decent but not great.
Collingwood usually squares himself up when he plays swing (although thats not a serious technical issue) and Ambrose has poor footwork.

 

[open365]

Vaughan is a good player of swing and a poor player of seam IMO. Problem with Vaughan though is that he constantly plays down the wrong line.

Good assesment

 

[TT Boy]

Good assesment

Can’t slow it down to the precise point of contact but does that ball pitch on middle or leg? If it’s the latter than Vaughan or anyone else for that matter can’t have a retort.