***England v South Africa, Lords, 3rd Test, 16-20 August***

[Titanic]

Day 2.

South Africa resume on 262-7

England need quick wickets with the new ball... it's going to be a scorcher at Lords today.

 

[Titanic]

Anderson peppering Steyn with short balls.... nice rap on the gloves... but his luck of last last night is continuing.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Another streaky 4 for Steyn, this could get annoying if it goes on much longer.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Steyn gone. Broad takes the wicket.

 

[Titanic]

At last Steyn's luck runs out... edges Broad to slip.

270-8

 

[Titanic]

7. Duminy 61
8. Philander 59*
9. Steyn 26
10. Morkel 15*

are batting South Africa into a decent position here.

Very frustrating for England... but this is obviously a decent surface for England to bat on later and try to build a lead and some pressure on SA.

295-8

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Bored of Morkel now.

 

[CHAPPERS]

7. Duminy 61
8. Philander 59*
9. Steyn 26
10. Morkel 15*

are batting South Africa into a decent position here.

Very frustrating for England... but this is obviously a decent surface for England to bat on later and try to build a lead and some pressure on SA.

295-8

Exactly. The scorecard tells the story. The pitch has been prepared to last for five days and the best time for taking wickets was first up, hence the toss being a good one to lose, as they say. Surprised not to see more of Finn so far today.

 

[Titanic]

Five for Prior. Good catch. Low down in front of first slip.

Nice work @CHAPPERS ... Finn comes on and takes a wicket straight away.

307-9

 

[CHAPPERS]

Silly from Morkel, chasing a very wide one. Great take by Prior there, good lad.

307/9

 

[Titanic]

Swann wraps it up... tidy stumping for Matt Prior (6 dismissals)

South Africa 309 All out

 

[Titanic]

Strauss out... over before lunch.

Clean bowled Morkel.

It has been a streaky 11 over session against the new ball... swing, bounce and quite a few edges...

England 29-1 at lunch on day 2... trailing by 280.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

...over before lunch.

We can stink the house out at times, but that is a little pessimistic.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

My fault. For the first time ever, I decided to watch the last over before lunch on cricinfo's Hawkeye page. It's like live TV coverage, but with just the ball and without the players. As soon as I saw the trajectory of the fourth ball, it was obvious Strauss was in trouble.

 

[Titanic]

We can stink the house out at times, but that is a little pessimistic.

 

[CHAPPERS]

The mickey mouse series against the West Indies earlier this year is masking the fact that Strauss' time as a player is up.

He won't last too much longer I shouldn't think. Cook to step up after the India series?

 

[CHAPPERS]

Agreed, it's sad to see because he's been brilliant, but he went into the WI series on a shocking run (one century in 48 wasn't it?) and those two centuries against fairly mediocre opposition seems to have paved over the cracks. Sadly, he's been found out again by SA. Cook looks ready to step up, but my concern is that Strauss will cling on in the hope of winning the Ashes three times as a captain next summer. Also, who do we actually have to take his place as an opener?

Agree, I like Strauss a lot and think he's been an excellent captain and filled the role as it should be filled. You do have to worry when captains drop out of form though, especially if they are an opener.

Is Chopra ready?

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

My fault. For the first time ever, I decided to watch the last over before lunch on cricinfo's Hawkeye page. It's like live TV coverage, but with just the ball and without the players. As soon as I saw the trajectory of the fourth ball, it was obvious Strauss was in trouble.

Is this the new Ceefax...