Third test.

[larus]

Score 149/9 .

What's it all about eh?

So far in 5 innings in this series, Strauss has top scored everytime for us. It's about time that some of the others started to score some runs. Scoring a few runs in one innings in 5 just ain't good enough boys.

Unless it's a cunning plan, get bowled out cheap, get forced to follow-on, build a big lead then bowl them out cheap on a turning pitch.

 

[Kev the Ape]

Your joking.

2nd innings fight back from Strauss and Tresco. I f***ing hate SA!!!

 

[Gazwag]

I f***ing hate SA!!!

Whys that then

 

[CHAPPERS]

Whys that then

Rascialist cheats innit.

 

[Gazwag]

I f***ing hate SA!!!

Thing is I'm not keen on SA either, the January rush to get Self Assessment Tax Returns in can be a nightmare.

Didn't realise KTA was self employed though.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

We're obviously not as good as everyone thought. Not a hope against the Ozzies.

Vaughan - rubbish for the past 12 months
Harmison - played well against the Windies. That's hard

These two better turn on the style soon as otherwise we'll get stuffed next July

 

[larus]

Vaughan had one really good year, got made captain and since then has struggled to get regular runs.

Harmison is a class act.

What this series has highlighted is the complete f***-up by the ECB in agreeing to this timetable. No time for preperation before the tests, no time in-between tests for games against the provinces for the non-test playing players to keep their eye in. so when they come in they are woefully short of match practice.

OUr players just aren't match sharp. I do beleive that we are better than the South Africans, it's just that we're not prepared for this series, and that is ludicrous.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Whilst I agree we were under-prepared going into the series this cannot excuse the poor batting performance in this 1st innings.

I would have liked the selectors to have the balls to pick Bell instead of Key; I'm not a big Key fan, but I hope he proves me wrong.

You have to give the Boks some credit. They still have a good side and seldom lose a series at home, it is up to our batsmen to score 450 plus very slowly and nick a draw.

 

[CHAPPERS]

No follow on. Smith is a right PUSSY.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Unbelievable. They only bowled for a couple of sessions. This could save us! Hopefully he'll put us back in between lunch & tea tomorrow & we'll bat it out

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Another chance to show how fair the team has come by saving the test and showing fight and bottle

 

[Marc]

anyone know if an interent radio station has live coverage? 5 Live dont appear to have it and Talksport wont load for some reason...and they hav'nt got it advertised either....sucks

 

[CHAPPERS]

Hoggard traps Smith in front for 2.

SA 7/1.

 

[Marshy]

Unbelievable they didnt put us back in !

 

[Gully]

If we can rattle through their batsmen and bowl them out for a really low score we might be in with a chance (however unlikely) of winning the game...

...and I thought that football was supposed to be the funny old game...

 

[Storer68]

Unbelievable they didnt put us back in !

Not really.

SA don't want to bat last on a worn pitch that is getting more unpredictable.

This gives them the option of scoring quickly and setting an improbable target (say over 500) to win and giving themselves more than 4 sessions to bowl us out.

Also it is F@@@G hot out there today and the longer England spend in the field the more tired they will be when they come to bat and the fresher the SA bowlers will be having had their feet up.

The onlt problem is that Smith might be over cautious and bat too long therefore not giving his bowlers enough time to get ten wickets (Cronje made this mistake at Old Trafford and we sneaked a draw)

 

[Seagull over NZ]

The pitch is still pretty decent so I would imagine that Smith fears what happened in the last test where we batted on past their score and set a big total. Couldn't see that happening here so its a bit negative.

he probably wants to be bowling on it on the last day where it will turn and we will be batting to save the draw.

SA can now bat all day today and maybe even a bit of tomorrow and set us 500 to win.

We will lose, we won't be able to bat out the best part of 2 days.

 

[JJ McClure]

The onlt problem is that Smith might be over cautious and bat too long therefore not giving his bowlers enough time to get ten wickets (Cronje made this mistake at Old Trafford and we sneaked a draw)

I wonder what odds he got on that

 

[Uncle Buck]

Flintoff just got Gibbs out.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Here comes the big wicket then....