England v South Africa - 1st Test - The Oval

[Titanic]

Anyone found a good stream?

Sky Go.

 

[keaton]

Surely there'd be twelve South Africans on the pitch, as Tahir's Pakistani.

 

[Titanic]

10 overs bowled... England 32/1

Cook 14* Trott 14*

I'm looking forward to Dale Steyn coming on... that'll liven it up a bit!

I am loving this... it is what 'working from home' was designed for

 

[Badger]

My work internet connection has picked today to slow down to the speed of dial-up so no streaming for me

 

[Silk]

Has Bairstow been dropped or is he injured?

 

[Kumquat]

Has Bairstow been dropped or is he injured?

Dropped because Bopara was in form and Bairstow hasn't started his test career that well. Guess they wanted the experience for these boys too.

 

[Titanic]

That over from Steyn saw a 5 (4 buzzers) and a Cook 'hooked' six and a good shout from Steyn with Trott not playing a shot - not reviewed but very close!

England 68-1

 

[hans kraay fan club]

That over from Steyn saw a 5 (4 buzzers) and a Cook 'hooked' six and a good shout from Steyn with Trott not playing a shot - not reviewed but very close!

England 68-1

I bloody LOVE buzzers, when you're in the crowd. Always get a proper cheer.

(Not so keen when I'm bowling, mind...)

 

[Titanic]

Lunch.

England 70-1 (from 23 overs in a rain delayed session).

Cook 33* Trott 27*

Honours even I would say in this intriguing contest.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Dropped because Bopara was in form and Bairstow hasn't started his test career that well. Guess they wanted the experience for these boys too.

I did not realise that Bresnan's test average was 40.

Surely rather than picking Bopara they would have been better picking Finn and having Prior at 6 and Bresnan at 7.

 

[simmo]

I did not realise that Bresnan's test average was 40.

Surely rather than picking Bopara they would have been better picking Finn and having Prior at 6 and Bresnan at 7.

I am going to tempt fate here, but I think Bresnan is a really good test cricketer, is really underated and I always prefer it when he is in the side.

What a great bowling "squad" England have nowadays. Finn would have been the star bowler in the days of Caddick and Chris Lewis et al, now he struggles to get in the XI

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I did not realise that Bresnan's test average was 40.

Surely rather than picking Bopara they would have been better picking Finn and having Prior at 6 and Bresnan at 7.

Definitely worthy of consideration.

A 'lower order' of Prior / Bresnan / Broad / Swann offers such security for the top 5, that its barely a risk.

(Bopara will probably get a ton now)

 

[Uncle Buck]

I am going to tempt fate here, but I think Bresnan is a really good test cricketer, is really underated and I always prefer it when he is in the side.

What a great bowling "squad" England have nowadays. Finn would have been the star bowler in the days of Caddick and Chris Lewis et al, now he struggles to get in the XI

Yet Finn is probably the one seamer that offers something different in real pace.

I always prefer 5 bowlers and with number 6 proving to be a problem position, to me it would seem sensible to put Prior there, with Bresnan at 7.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Lunch.

England 70-1 (from 23 overs in a rain delayed session).

Cook 33* Trott 27*

Honours even I would say in this intriguing contest.

I'd say England have edged that session. The Boks won't want to be chasing more than 200 on this pitch on the final day and our line-up is packed with batting.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Yet Finn is probably the one seamer that offers something different in real pace.

I always prefer 5 bowlers and with number 6 proving to be a problem position, to me it would seem sensible to put Prior there, with Bresnan at 7.

or Broad, with Bresnan at 8. Its a decent choice to have, for sure.

Like said above - some of these fringe players would have been the main men in many England eras.

 

[Kumquat]

I did not realise that Bresnan's test average was 40.

Surely rather than picking Bopara they would have been better picking Finn and having Prior at 6 and Bresnan at 7.

Not sure Bresnan's first class average is that good. I think they just wanted another recognised batsman because the south african bowling attack is so strong. Personally I don't think Bopara will add as much though as Finn because of his temparement so tend to agree with you.

 

[Uncle Buck]

or Broad, with Bresnan at 8. Its a decent choice to have, for sure.

Like said above - some of these fringe players would have been the main men in many England eras.

Probably with Broad, Bresnan and Swann they are all number 8's, so having 3 of them playing across 7, 8 and 9 probably does not overly weaken the team.

Also when they go to to India somebody is going to have to drop out for Monty and do we really want 2 seamers and 2 spinners making up the attack?

 

[Uncle Buck]

Not sure Bresnan's first class average is that good. I think they just wanted another recognised batsman because the south african bowling attack is so strong. Personally I don't think Bopara will add as much though as Finn because of his temparement so tend to agree with you.

According to this link Bresnan's average is currently 40 with the bat in test cricket';

Timothy Bresnan | Sporting Life - Cricket News | Live ball-by-ball scorecards, England v Australia

 

[Kumquat]

According to this link Bresnan's average is currently 40 with the bat in test cricket';

Timothy Bresnan | Sporting Life - Cricket News | Live ball-by-ball scorecards, England v Australia

Sorry I meant first-class average i.e. county too. Can't see the stats because of the shit browser at work but if it's just tests I think it's because he has had particularly good scores so far at that level. i.e. I don't think he'll maintain that average at test level.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Sorry I meant first-class average i.e. county too. Can't see the stats because of the shit browser at work but if it's just tests I think it's because he has had particularly good scores so far at that level. i.e. I don't think he'll maintain that average at test level.

He will not maintain that average, however Flintoff who was considered one of the best all rounders averaged 30 with bat and ball, so if Bresnan can match that he should be good enough to play at 7 (I have a feeling Broad is already around that figure with the bat and ball).