The strange thing is that the first 40 minutes, with Cook and Ballance grinding it out were pretty quiet and slow, but once they went it was batting carnage! 18 wickets in the day
The pitch was tough, but there were some poor batting as well. The Saffer batting lineup looked weak on paper, and proved to be out in the middle
The strange thing is that the first 40 minutes, with Cook and Ballance grinding it out were pretty quiet and slow, but once they went it was batting carnage! 18 wickets in the day
The pitch was tough, but there were some poor batting as well. The Saffer batting lineup looked weak on paper, and proved to be out in the middle
I believe it was 19 wickets, but no doubt you missed one whilst queuing for a beer - they did fall quite rapidly at times !
I thought that that first session of the 4th day was a perfect demonstration of why you can't have Cook and Ballance in the same top three.
Essentially as soon as they came together, the scoring starts to get bogged down, and bowlers like to bowl at matching batsmen, which you could see their bowlers enjoyed on the 4th morning.
I honestly think that Root should go back to three, as he is our best batter, and his hi-energy approach means that we can always keep the score-board moving in the right direction.
Thinking forward to the Ashes later this year, I can see Hazelwood being allowed to build pressure on our top order, whilst we are being attacked at the other end by Starc and Cummins etc.
Cook and Ballance put on 59 for the 2nd wicket and 2nd highest partnership of the 2nd innings in 25.3 overs , not too shabby conditions taken in to consideration , we can't always score at 4 an over . Although can't understand why Root would bat at 4 he is the main man Edit: Just read Root bats at 4 because that is his preferred position
I thought that that first session of the 4th day was a perfect demonstration of why you can't have Cook and Ballance in the same top three.
Essentially as soon as they came together, the scoring starts to get bogged down, and bowlers like to bowl at matching batsmen, which you could see their bowlers enjoyed on the 4th morning.
I honestly think that Root should go back to three, as he is our best batter, and his hi-energy approach means that we can always keep the score-board moving in the right direction.
Thinking forward to the Ashes later this year, I can see Hazelwood being allowed to build pressure on our top order, whilst we are being attacked at the other end by Starc and Cummins etc.
I thought that at the time, and I guess the assumption around the ground was that Cook getting out would start England's acceleration. Which didn't happen, as it wasn't that sort of pitch, which only became clear as the other batsmen struggled.
I guess the issue with England's batting line up at the moment, is that we have three accumulators in the top 3, followed by several dashers, and it would be nice to have someone more imposing at the top of the order as well. The England selectors I imagine were hoping Hales could do this job when they tried him last year(?) but his technique wasn't good enough.
Just read that Tamim Iqbal has cut short his T20 spell with Essex over a racially motivated attack on his wife. Horrible to hear the rumours about what kind of attack it was and glad it appears no real harm was done.
Just read that Tamim Iqbal has cut short his T20 spell with Essex over a racially motivated attack on his wife. Horrible to hear the rumours about what kind of attack it was and glad it appears no real harm was done.
Cook and Ballance put on 59 for the 2nd wicket and 2nd highest partnership of the 2nd innings in 25.3 overs , not too shabby conditions taken in to consideration , we can't always score at 4 an over . Although can't understand why Root would bat at 4 he is the main man Edit: Just read Root bats at 4 because that is his preferred position
That may have been the case, but the broader point remains the same.
That top three is too stodgy, and we need either an opener or a number three, whom can increase the run rate a bit more, or we are going to consistently end up at 50-3 after 25 overs.
The captain generally gets to bat where they choose, but in this instance I think Root should bat at three and not a place lower.
Just read that Tamim Iqbal has cut short his T20 spell with Essex over a racially motivated attack on his wife. Horrible to hear the rumours about what kind of attack it was and glad it appears no real harm was done.
Anyway, back to England. Sorry for posting here, just didn't think it was worth starting a whole new topic and can't bring myself to track down the Essex CCC topic to post it there. ;-)
South Africa have made three changes from their defeat at Lord's. Faf du Plessis returns to captain the side after missing the first Test to attend the birth of his child.
Chris Morris and Duanne Olivier are also included in the XI with JP Duminy and Theunis de Bruyn left out while Kagiso Rabada is suspended following his expletive-laden outburst.
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Chris Morris, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Morne Morkel.
Comments
Rabada out of next Test, and possibly Philander too, who was their best player this time with both bat and ball.
The strange thing is that the first 40 minutes, with Cook and Ballance grinding it out were pretty quiet and slow, but once they went it was batting carnage! 18 wickets in the day
The pitch was tough, but there were some poor batting as well. The Saffer batting lineup looked weak on paper, and proved to be out in the middle
Essentially as soon as they came together, the scoring starts to get bogged down, and bowlers like to bowl at matching batsmen, which you could see their bowlers enjoyed on the 4th morning.
I honestly think that Root should go back to three, as he is our best batter, and his hi-energy approach means that we can always keep the score-board moving in the right direction.
Thinking forward to the Ashes later this year, I can see Hazelwood being allowed to build pressure on our top order, whilst we are being attacked at the other end by Starc and Cummins etc.
Although can't understand why Root would bat at 4 he is the main man
Edit: Just read Root bats at 4 because that is his preferred position
I guess the issue with England's batting line up at the moment, is that we have three accumulators in the top 3, followed by several dashers, and it would be nice to have someone more imposing at the top of the order as well. The England selectors I imagine were hoping Hales could do this job when they tried him last year(?) but his technique wasn't good enough.
That top three is too stodgy, and we need either an opener or a number three, whom can increase the run rate a bit more, or we are going to consistently end up at 50-3 after 25 overs.
The captain generally gets to bat where they choose, but in this instance I think Root should bat at three and not a place lower.
Anyway, back to England. Sorry for posting here, just didn't think it was worth starting a whole new topic and can't bring myself to track down the Essex CCC topic to post it there. ;-)
3-0
Elgar c Dawson b Anderson 6
Kuhn b Broad 34