Roy's 180 created a bit of a clamour for him to be in the Test side but this innings can be put into perspective in the knowledge that his 10 efforts either side of this for England and in the BB has resulted in just 120 runs - and 41 of those came against a CA X1.
On occasions it comes off for him and he destroys the opposition but those innings only serve to hide underlying technical issues that prevent him from becoming a really successful batsmen in the longer game. It's rather a similar "famine or feast" story for Hales with both failing to average more than 38 in any form of the game. These two hold the records for the top two innings in one day cricket for England and undoubtedly, on their day, they are fantastic - but those days simply don't come along enough.
As Vaughan has said, if we are going to win a major competition we will have to factor in conditions especially when we bat first. We now have the best one day side in the world but when the ball is moving about we need to have a look and be that bit more circumspect early doors. It's no good being 190 all out off 40 overs when you could have been 280-8 off 50.
Brilliant innings from Woakes to dig us out. Curran stuck with him particularly well before going big(ish) himself when Woakes got out. Morgan and Ali played key innings although it felt like Morgan could have been out 30 times for his 33.
Taking nothing away from those players and the brilliant recovery they put on I felt there was a lack of maturity from the England top order and the management.
Going into this game all the talk was that the pitch was going to be very quick and bounce much more than the previous 3. There was also talk that the ball was swinging early on. We all know the Aussies only have 2 bowlers. Outside of Cummins and Hazlewood the rest are much of a muchness.
Having lost the toss the plan should have been give yourself a while to get your eye in make sure you know the pace and bounce of the pitch and how mucj it is swinging before going big. Then after losing 1 or 2 early wickets it should have been a case of see off the new ball. When the shine has gone and other bowlers come on we go for it.
Only Buttler was really got out. The rest were victims of bad shots.
I'm all for this gung ho attitude but it must be within the circumstances. If we had seen off that initial spell being 2 or 3 for 25 or 30 by getting 1s and 2s rather than going big you can then attack the other bowlers.
This game was lost with the toss though IMO. It was said before the game the ball will swing early because of the moisture and won't swing for the team bowling second. And so it has proved.
Puts our woeful approach with the bat into context though.
Rashid gets Smith again. Great catch from Root. As Rashid's agent I am saying nothing more than what I have been saying for years - he should be in our Test side.
Rashid gets Smith again. Great catch from Root. As Rashid's agent I am saying nothing more than what I have been saying for years - he should be in our Test side.
My concern in the past with Rashid is that there was always one four ball an over - he seems to be slowly eradicating that, and maybe is now,on average, bowling 1 every other over. I would be happier with Rashid replacing Ali, and feel that our Test match bowling looks much more threatening that way.Certainly with Stokes coming back this makes Ali's batting less required than before.
To me the England batting approach now is to always go for it from the off.
9 times out of 10 this leads to a big, competitive score, but the other time there will be a major screw up. The worry is that we will be dominate in the WC next year, then screw up in the final
Rashid gets Smith again. Great catch from Root. As Rashid's agent I am saying nothing more than what I have been saying for years - he should be in our Test side.
Agreed, a bizarre decision to pick a complete rookie (Mason Crane) because he's a leggie, but to leave Rashid out.
Rashid gets Smith again. Great catch from Root. As Rashid's agent I am saying nothing more than what I have been saying for years - he should be in our Test side.
Agreed, a bizarre decision to pick a complete rookie (Mason Crane) because he's a leggie, but to leave Rashid out.
Even more bizarre when one considers that Root is his County captain and responsible for Ballance going on the tour!
Cricket going a bit soft down in SA. Play the goddamn game
Not seen any of it but I gather from hearing Michael Holding saying that the pitch is sxxt and he'd give it 2/100 that it is somewhat dangerous. A bit like the one that we had abandoned against in the West Indies.
It's been quite a good series played on challenging pitches. Rubbish series are series like the last Ashes, with mountains of runs and one side dominating completely.
Anyway, I was referring to the possibility of the game being called off because the South Africans don't fancy a bit of short stuff.
It's been quite a good series played on challenging pitches. Rubbish series are series like the last Ashes, with mountains of runs and one side dominating completely.
Anyway, I was referring to the possibility of the game being called off because the South Africans don't fancy a bit of short stuff.
This has gone to the other extreme through, and the first two Tests ended up being won comfortably by the home side with India being bowled out for 135 and 151 in the 4th innings
The final flashpoint before they got taken off was a short ball hitting Elgar on the helmet. SA appear to be trying to claim it was off a good length. It absolutely wasn't. There's footage.
Comments
On occasions it comes off for him and he destroys the opposition but those innings only serve to hide underlying technical issues that prevent him from becoming a really successful batsmen in the longer game. It's rather a similar "famine or feast" story for Hales with both failing to average more than 38 in any form of the game. These two hold the records for the top two innings in one day cricket for England and undoubtedly, on their day, they are fantastic - but those days simply don't come along enough.
Morgan and Ali played key innings although it felt like Morgan could have been out 30 times for his 33.
Taking nothing away from those players and the brilliant recovery they put on I felt there was a lack of maturity from the England top order and the management.
Going into this game all the talk was that the pitch was going to be very quick and bounce much more than the previous 3. There was also talk that the ball was swinging early on.
We all know the Aussies only have 2 bowlers. Outside of Cummins and Hazlewood the rest are much of a muchness.
Having lost the toss the plan should have been give yourself a while to get your eye in make sure you know the pace and bounce of the pitch and how mucj it is swinging before going big. Then after losing 1 or 2 early wickets it should have been a case of see off the new ball. When the shine has gone and other bowlers come on we go for it.
Only Buttler was really got out. The rest were victims of bad shots.
I'm all for this gung ho attitude but it must be within the circumstances. If we had seen off that initial spell being 2 or 3 for 25 or 30 by getting 1s and 2s rather than going big you can then attack the other bowlers.
Puts our woeful approach with the bat into context though.
Just a shame that we didn't get 260 because that would have been competitive. Let's hope we learn from this.
9 times out of 10 this leads to a big, competitive score, but the other time there will be a major screw up. The worry is that we will be dominate in the WC next year, then screw up in the final
7 down
Anyway, I was referring to the possibility of the game being called off because the South Africans don't fancy a bit of short stuff.