[Cricket] England v South Africa- Fourth Test- Johannesburg, Jan 24-28 2020

[jakarta]

Scoring slowly but better to keep the wickets and see out day three with a few more added.

3 an over isn't that slow and is what I expected in an earlier post. Time for Denly to put in a decent shift for once...

 

[blockhseagull]

3 an over isn't that slow and is what I expected in an earlier post. Time for Denly to put in a decent shift for once...

Or not

 

[Beach Hut]

SA blow a review

 

[big nuts]

Should probably be the end for Denly now. He hasn’t disgraced himself but he’s had a decent run averaging only 30 with no centuries.

He also isn’t a great player of spin and against Sri Lanka that’s a problem.

If Burns is fit, get him back in to open with Sibley and give Crawley a run at number 3.

 

[blockhseagull]

Should probably be the end for Denly now. He hasn’t disgraced himself but he’s had a decent run averaging only 30 with no centuries.

He also isn’t a great player of spin and against Sri Lanka that’s a problem.

If Burns is fit, get him back in to open with Sibley and give Crawley a run at number 3.

Burns won’t be fit till the summer.

So does that mean Denly gets another chance ? Or Jennings back to open with Crawley at 3.

 

[big nuts]

Burns won’t be fit till the summer.

So does that mean Denly gets another chance ? Or Jennings back to open with Crawley at 3.

Jennings has been really poor for England but he is a really good player of spin. Could well be a horses for courses selection but I’d like to think there is someone out there who could be a more long term option.

 

[blockhseagull]

Jennings has been really poor for England but he is a really good player of spin. Could well be a horses for courses selection but I’d like to think there is someone out there who could be a more long term option.

Think that might be why they go with Jennings.

Good player of spin and just keeping the spot warm for Burns.

 

[jakarta]

Sibley goes but Stokes arrives and starts clouting 4's, I'm sure the Saffers will be glad to see the back of him.

England's best two batsmen at the crease, it could get messy...

EDIT, Oh Well, fun while it lasted! Lead past 350 now.

 

[The Wizard]

England need to be a bit careful, obviously given the state of their batting and fragility they’ve shown we probably already have enough but big targets have been chased at this ground before

 

[BensGrandad]

I think that Root will be looking for another 100+ runs before declaring.

 

[The Wizard]

Unfortunately Buttler needs to be dropped now, twice now he’s had the perfect scenario for him to come in and bat his natural game, twice he fails. His and Denly probably the only two negatives from this tour.

 

[Eeyore]

Unfortunately Buttler needs to be dropped now, twice now he’s had the perfect scenario for him to come in and bat his natural game, twice he fails. His and Denly probably the only two negatives from this tour.

A proper opportunity for England to play their best keeper. A great annoyance of mine. I've always believed it should be decided on glove work first, batting credentials second.

 

[BensGrandad]

Because they put so much emphasis on the batting of the keeper they would probably replace Buttler with Bairstow rather than the best keeper. This has been the case for years going back to Jim Parks an inferior keepr but competant bat.

 

[jakarta]

A proper opportunity for England to play their best keeper. A great annoyance of mine. I've always believed it should be decided on glove work first, batting credentials second.

England Management should have a show down with Bairstow and tell him You are a top order batsman and that is where you go if you can force your way into the team but Ben Foakes is the Wicket Keeper

Won't happen sadly...

 

[dazzer6666]

England need to be a bit careful, obviously given the state of their batting and fragility they’ve shown we probably already have enough but big targets have been chased at this ground before

Nah. 400+ 3 times, 350 another 3 times in the history of test cricket anywhere. We’re home and hosed barring a miracle.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

A proper opportunity for England to play their best keeper. A great annoyance of mine. I've always believed it should be decided on glove work first, batting credentials second.

I'm sure part of the reason we've stuck with Buttler as the wicket keeper / batsman was the weakness of the top order batting. When you're 30/3 ALL of the time the selectors will be wary about playing a more orthodox wicket keeper like Foakes.

However, now we seen to have got some top order players who look the part (Crawley, Sibley, Burns and Denley).

Pope looks class in the middle alongside Root and Stokes and the 'all rounders', Curran, Woakes & Wood all can contribute.

Therefore, now feels like the time to include a proper wicket keeper, and build the team forward for the next Ashes via Sri Lanka and the English summer.

 

[Eeyore]

Because they put so much emphasis on the batting of the keeper they would probably replace Buttler with Bairstow rather than the best keeper. This has been the case for years going back to Jim Parks an inferior keepr but competant bat.

Bob Taylor was around a good decade+ after that.
He was still in the Test squad till his late 30s.

The policy didn't properly take off till Alec Stewart combined the roles. I'm not even sure that Jack Russell averaged 30 with the bat. Russell was an outstanding keeper though.

 

[jakarta]

I'm sure part of the reason we've stuck with Buttler as the wicket keeper / batsman was the weakness of the top order batting. When you're 30/3 ALL of the time the selectors will be wary about playing a more orthodox wicket keeper like Foakes.

However, now we seen to have got some top order players who look the part (Crawley, Sibley, Burns and Denley).

Pope looks class in the middle alongside Root and Stokes and the 'all rounders', Curran, Woakes & Wood all can contribute.

Therefore, now feels like the time to include a proper wicket keeper, and build the team forward for the next Ashes via Sri Lanka and the English summer.

Couldn't agree more with this...

 

[The Wizard]

Foakes is a better keeper than Buttler and averaged 41 in the 5 tests he played in Sri Lanka as well making a century, why on earth did he find himself out of the fold after that? Rather odd.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

He's goal just died again, pretty much the same time it did yesterday