South Africa v England, 3rd Test, Cape Town

[Taybha]

50 for prior stumps 241-7

 

[8ace]

241/7 (82.0 ov) Shtumps

 

[CHAPPERS]

Big innings from Prior.

 

[Trigger]

Well done Prior :raisesbat:

 

[Simster]

This test match is still very even, with not much between the teams on either day.

England have let SA off the hook today though, as they did yesterday.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Most of our batsmen have got in, and failed to make the big score and that's what is going to cost us a tidy first innings lead.

My guess is that we'll end up ten runs either side of their score as our tail does seem to wag a bit these days. Thankfully.

Our 7, 8 and 9 have been saving graces too often, thankfully.

What to do about our top order? They pull their weight generally, but not often enough. Every time Cook or Bell or Collingwood are faced with a potential chop, they save themselves with a decent innings.

As Mr CarWash intimated. Is KP droppable?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

KP is definitely off the boil but the question should be "Would SA be happy if they heard we dropped KP?". I think they'd be delighted.

 

[clarkey]

Just dont think we have batting depth to drop KP. I quite like Carberry, but dont think hes a suitable replacement.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

England have let SA off the hook today.

Not really true, taking the day as a whole.

From where SA were overnight, if you said at stumps today, we'd be 50 behind with 3 wickets left, you'd have taken it. The great preformance this morning to knock them over cheaply has kept us level.

 

[Brovion]

was thinking the impossible thought myself. he is pure top class when firing, but to be honest, we need someone who can stay out there at number 4, not knocking him for one minute, but we do need mre consistency from him in terms of time at crease. no in danger yet but needs to do something

The same thought had crossed my mind too. The fact of the matter is Pietersen's coming back from a serious injury and he's not yet the player he was - nowhere near.

Give Luke Wright a go? It might sound a bit stupid when we're 241-7 but our batting's not THAT bad, and as has been pointed out we do bat a long way down these days. So drop Pietersen and move everyone up with Wright coming in at eight. With Pietersen's current form I don't think it'll weaken the batting too much and it gives us another bowler. That's all just thinking out loud BTW and not a demand to the selectors.

 

[Simster]

Not really true, taking the day as a whole.

From where SA were overnight, if you said at stumps today, we'd be 50 behind with 3 wickets left, you'd have taken it. The great preformance this morning to knock them over cheaply has kept us level.

Yesterday, we had them at 127/5 and allowed them to get back into it. This morning, we skittled them, only to let them take control because both Trott and Pieterson threw their wickets away.

I'd call that letting them off the hook personally. Especially when you consider that since then, we've had four recognised batsmen get settled and then not go on and make a ton.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I wonder if KP is worried about his place in the team?

He has the highest average of anyone in our team, over 50. Sure he's not in great form, but an 80-odd and a 40-odd so far in the series says he isn't in terrible form. Anyone can get out second ball. He'll do it at some point this series.

Strauss is in good form but getting out too easily too often, he needs to knuckle down again. Cook seems to have hit on good form and a more solid technique, long may it continue. Trott is in danger of doing a Bopara, moved to No. 3 way to early.

Collingwood is dependable as ever but messed up today, Bell is so close and yet so far, such an impressive innings today, he needs that first 100 as the only hundred to kick on his career. Prior dug in and scrapped today which might be the first time he's done that for england, good stuff. Broad is still just potential with the bat and I'm starting to wonder if he's as good as is claimed.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Yesterday, we had them at 127/5 and allowed them to get back into it. This morning, we skittled them, only to let them take control because both Trott and Pieterson threw their wickets away.

I'd call that letting them off the hook personally. Especially when you consider that since then, we've had four recognised batsmen get settled and then not go on and make a ton.

absolutely. Hard to see how we can get away from here without losing - well, I guess the last three wickets have to put on another 100 and then we bowl really well, chasing 200 ish. Tough.

 

[jakarta]

The same thought had crossed my mind too. The fact of the matter is Pietersen's coming back from a serious injury and he's not yet the player he was - nowhere near.

Give Luke Wright a go? It might sound a bit stupid when we're 241-7 but our batting's not THAT bad, and as has been pointed out we do bat a long way down these days. So drop Pietersen and move everyone up with Wright coming in at eight. With Pietersen's current form I don't think it'll weaken the batting too much and it gives us another bowler. That's all just thinking out loud BTW and not a demand to the selectors.

I loathe the twattish Saffer after the Peter Moores sacking that he engineered and would be quite happy to see him dropped - do you think he might suddenly reconsider how 'English' he was?

Swann and Wright batting together - that would be a bit dullsville eh?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Trott and Pieterson threw their wickets away.

Hardly surprising seeing as he's South African and shouldn't be playing for England in the first place is it?!!

:US:

 

[sten_super]

I loathe the twattish Saffer after the Peter Moores sacking that he engineered and would be quite happy to see him dropped - do you think he might suddenly reconsider how 'English' he was?

Swann and Wright batting together - that would be a bit dullsville eh?

He had pretty much nothing to do with the Moores sacking. He was asked, confidentially, by the ECB for his views on Moores. They didn't get on, so of course Pietersen then gave a pretty negative opinion. This was then, confidentially, passed on to the ECB, and it was someone there chasing a quick buck that released it to the press.

Hardly surprising seeing as he's South African and shouldn't be playing for England in the first place is it?!!

:US:

He's about as English as Andrew Strauss, Matt Prior, and a damnsite more English than Jonathan Trott. You do know Pietersen has an English mother? Is your ignorance based solely on his accent?

 

[jimhigham]

Shaping up for a cracking finale at the moment. At this rate there will probably be little more than 20 runs in it either way by the end of the first innings.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

It's a result match whichever way you look at it - 1-1 or 2-0 with one to play. Tasty.

Just for the record - as of close of play tonight, the leading test batting averages are for the current team are:

Pietersen - 49.47
Trott - 49.16 (only 4 tests)
Strauss - 44.00
Prior - 43.69
Cook - 43.24
Colly - 43.11
Bell - 40.22
Swann - 36.00

Info from this brilliant site - http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting.html?class=1;current=2;id=1;type=team

 

[Pavilionaire]

I'm slightly surprised at the negativity here. I agree with Simster that we're on course for parity at the halfway stage of the test, in which case I favour England. All of the bowlers are chipping in with wickets and most of the batsmen have had starts and shouldn't feel intimidated by the Bok bowling quartet.

AND we have Swann bowling in the 2nd innings, Harris is mediocre by comparison...

 

[Uncle Buck]

As we have to bat last, we could do with some sort of lead from our first innings.