Hence it's only a start to get tests back on free to air tv. I can't believe it's been 12 years since the last live test on tv! Where did that time go???
Gary Ballance set to be included in the squad and expected to bat at 3 in the first test. Haseeb Hameed likely to be left out. Liam Dawson also recalled into the squad.
From the sounds of the article below the team will be:
Are we really likely to play 2 spinners? Dawson is hardly going to run through the S Africans, though if he went in at 8 would strengthen the batting in the absence of Woakes. And if we play TRJ, we'll have 5 right arm seamers which again looks OTT.
As we already have 4 seamers and Mooen, I'd have been tempted to play an extra batsman, especially with Jennings being new and Balance having question marks against him.
Can't wait for a bit of test cricket, feels like it's been away for too long. I love Eng v SA series, they almost always seem to be close and hard-fought.
Great article about the 1998 series here which really whetted my appetite.
Not sure we need 4 and a half quicks (Jennings has been 5th bowler for Durham this year) and 2 spinners. Think it's a bit overkill.
I guess the argument is that there is no need for a specialist batsman at 7 as Moeen and Dawson are more than good enough. Fair point but there is no need for too many bowlers. My choice would be Foakes at 7 to take pressure off Bairstow and allow him to focus on batting 5. Foakes is a specialist keeper who will save more runs than he will cost and more than capable of batting 7. That strengthens the batting but does little damage to the bowling...
Personally if we were having 2 spinners I'd make one of them Rashid. If he's second spinner there is no need for him to be able to the up and end you might as well use him as an attacking bowler.
Because the selectors knew Gaz Baz would take them apart
He's still in (q kiss of death), and has scored tons of runs this season (averaging 94 over 13 innings) - that's why he's playing ! This might come back to bite you !
Comments
*joking*
As we already have 4 seamers and Mooen, I'd have been tempted to play an extra batsman, especially with Jennings being new and Balance having question marks against him.
Great article about the 1998 series here which really whetted my appetite.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/04/england-south-africa-1998-the-spin
I guess the argument is that there is no need for a specialist batsman at 7 as Moeen and Dawson are more than good enough. Fair point but there is no need for too many bowlers. My choice would be Foakes at 7 to take pressure off Bairstow and allow him to focus on batting 5. Foakes is a specialist keeper who will save more runs than he will cost and more than capable of batting 7. That strengthens the batting but does little damage to the bowling...
Personally if we were having 2 spinners I'd make one of them Rashid. If he's second spinner there is no need for him to be able to the up and end you might as well use him as an attacking bowler.
14-1 Cook caught behind wafting unnecessarily.
Jennings lbw Philander 8
I would have reviewed it, looked dubious. We shall see, not that it matters.
It pitched outside leg, so would have been not out, as I suspected. It was also missing the stumps !
This might come back to bite you !