[Cricket] 3rd Test: South Africa v England at Johannesburg

[pasty]

SA won toss and bat.

SA lost de Kock to injury and is replaced behind the stumps by Dane Vilas

England unchanged

South Africa: Stiaan van Zyl, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers (capt), Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, Dane Vilas (wk), Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Hardus Viljoen.

England: Alastair Cook (capt), Alex Hales, Nick Compton, Joe Root, James Taylor, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, James Anderson.


Breakthrough for England in 18th over

van Zyl c Bairstow b Stokes 21

SA 50/1

 

[Bold Seagull]

Nice match thread. I'm going with this one.

 

[pasty]

Didn't see the other one

 

[Titanic]

Lunch, Day 1

South Africa 73-1 (27 overs)

Elgar 28* Amla 15*

Decent start for South Africa. With cloud overhead and a bit of grass on the wicket they will be the happier side at lunch.

 

[Titanic]

A review... LBW Stokes on Amla... Stokes INSISTENT!!

Possibly high... umpires call??

 

[Titanic]

Hitting top of middle... with 49% of the ball.

Not out

90-1

 

[crodonilson]

South Africa definitely have the momentum with them now, we'll do well to avoid a 2-1 series defeat.

 

[crabface]

Not going for England today, can see the South Africans mounting a decent score.

 

[pasty]

Hitting top of middle... with 49% of the ball.

Not out

90-1

I bloody hate that ruling, it's ridiculous. If it was going to hit the stumps, it is out. End of story. Even the SA commentator is saying that is wrong. DRS is supposed to assist the umpire, so why, when it shows the umpire got it wrong, does it stick with umpires call.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I bloody hate that ruling, it's ridiculous. If it was going to hit the stumps, it is out. End of story. Even the SA commentator is saying that is wrong. DRS is supposed to assist the umpire, so why, when it shows the umpire got it wrong, does it stick with umpires call.

The idea is it supports the umpires design which is the principle decision. At the end of the day, LBW is hypothetical - it is either the umpires view of whether hitting, or technology - we can never know for certain if it was going to hit. In that case though, at the very least England shouldn't lose a review because DRS showed it hitting, so they were vindicated in reviewing, even if the decision wasn't turned over.

All that said, that was out, it looked out, and the umpire has given a massive benefit of the doubt to the batsman.

My view is that umpires have actually embraced DRS, and far from feeling undermined by their decisions being overturned, they've been given confidence by the system, supported by it, and making better decision IMO (apart from that last one!). So, drop this umpire's call nonsense, if it goes to DRS, then DRS decides. If the ball is hitting, by say 25% or more (i.e. ruling out the tiny clip) then you are out and the 25% accounts for any variation in the ball flight predictions.

 

[Titanic]

Stuart Broad trots in for a new spell...

 

[Titanic]

not been feeling too well... hope he doesn't leak runs.

 

[Titanic]

Good pace... seems to be following through.

 

[Titanic]

Short spell... Moeen on... hope Broady is OK.

Great change by Captain Cook.... wicket with 2nd ball.

Elgar edge to Bairstow... who hangs on to his 2nd catch.

117-2 (41.2 overs)

 

[crabface]

Elgar gone. That was needed.

 

[pasty]

Elgar c Bairstow b Ali 46

SA 117/2


Moeen
Moeen Moeen
Moeen Moeen
Moeen Moeen Ali

 

[Bold Seagull]

Nice bit of grip and turn on that one. Developing into a very good spinner is r'Ali

 

[Titanic]

ABdV advances on Moeen Ali, 2nd ball, and smashes it straight for four. And the next one lofted though mid-wicket for four more. Wow.

 

[Titanic]

Ali change was for Finn... Broad continues with deep long and square legs, a forward short leg and a sort of leg gully... short stuff to come...

 

[knocky1]

Hoovered house top to bottom, cleaned mine and her walking boots and still got most the play. Time for a run monopolising teatime.