To be fair, he's an aggressive player and they've probably told him to go out and play his natural game. Guess it just shows how much harder it is to play that way against a swinging red ball.Absolutely appalling shot from Buttler.
What the feck was he thinking there? If Broad is at the other end then fine whatever, but Woakes can bat.
Think his time in Test cricket is drawing to a close, bring back Foakes for Sri Lanka
Looking a good shout.SA 150 all out here.
Similar to England when we went to AustraliaSouth Africas decline is eerily familiar to Indias back in 2011. Mass retirement/decline of a number of world class players and no one good enough to replace.
Why I saw its more similar to ours was because Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, Tendulkar, Gambhir all retired and/or began declining by around 2011 to 2013. SA almost mirrored that with AB, Amla, Faf, Morkel, Philander and Steyn all fizzling out for different reasons over the past few years. We found ourselves in a real bad place for about 3-4 years and they will too.Similar to England when we went to Australia
They got/ had Markram missing all series we had Stokes
Only one top class batsman in QDK we only had Root
One other half decent batsman in Elgar we had Malan
A Player well past there best in Faf we had Cook
A bowling attack that won’t regularly take 20 wickets
SA were lucky that Pope was ill for the 1st test or otherwise I believe it would be 3-0 and not 2-1
Then they just need to find a top spinner then Australia here we comeWhen we get Wood and Archer together we'll have a serious bowling attack.
No way. He's not a great test batsman and probably won't ever be. Markram is extremely talented though, Elgar is still good and Bavuma needs to start turning up too.If I was the SA management I'd be trying to get De Kock to give up the gloves and move up the order. They need to build the batting order around him.
Malan has done ok, so if you move to Markram to 3 and De Kock to 4 you've got the makings of a decent batting line-up.
He's the only one in their side scoring any runs!No way. He's not a great test batsman and probably won't ever be. Markram is extremely talented though, Elgar is still good and Bavuma needs to start turning up too.
Yeah. The key is to find a group of quicks and rotate them, so Wood gets plenty of rest. If we can get Stone and Mahmood fit, we've got the makings of a really good group there.We all know he's brittle as feck and even at the age of 30 I'm not sure how much longer he has at the top but when he's fit and firing Woody absolutely has to play.
Sorry, Johnny. You don't build your team around a wicket keeper batsman who averages in the mid to high 30s.He's the only one in their side scoring any runs!
OK mate. I'm wrong.Sorry, Johnny. You don't build your team around a wicket keeper batsman who averages in the mid to high 30s.
They're in for the long haul. Maybe even the first time in their short history where they'll be on par with the weakest teams.
He's not done that badly but he'll definitely be out of the team once Burns is back.Is there something I'm missing about Denly, he has a first class average of 36 and is well into his 30's so is unlikely to improve, why has he even been considered for the no.3 spot?
I hope so, I just don't see it with Denly at all, there are much better options in county cricket.He's not done that badly but he'll definitely be out of the team once Burns is back.
ESPNcricinfo is about the bestFor someone newish to Cricket, what would be a good app to use to follow news and more importantly show me upcoming fixtures in all formats? I use Forza for the football which I like, basically after a cricket version.
He's Ed Smith's mate, I genuinely don't think anyone else would've selected him. He's done an ok job though, but soon time to move on.Is there something I'm missing about Denly, he has a first class average of 36 and is well into his 30's so is unlikely to improve, why has he even been considered for the no.3 spot?
Cricbuzz is the best for scores.For someone newish to Cricket, what would be a good app to use to follow news and more importantly show me upcoming fixtures in all formats? I use Forza for the football which I like, basically after a cricket version.
Can see Denly squeezing in.What a pleasant series that ended up being. Really impressed with how the younger players acquitted themselves. I'm not entirely sure Denly and Buttler are done for with 2 tests in Sri Lanka coming up. I think Wood should be rested for those tests and Ali recalled, will be interesting to see if England take a look at any other spinners with a tour of India on the horizon.
My guess is:Can see Denly squeezing in.
Can see Denly squeezing in.
fecking Bairstow is due to get the gig ffs.My guess is:
Jennings
Sibley
Crawley/Denly
Root
Stokes
Pope
Buttler/Foakes
Ali
Curran
Bess
Leach
Needs a leggie...
They should rest Buttler and give Foakes a chance. We need a specialist keeper in SL and Buttler needs a rest (plus Foakes deserves it).What a pleasant series that ended up being. Really impressed with how the younger players acquitted themselves. I'm not entirely sure Denly and Buttler are done for with 2 tests in Sri Lanka coming up. I think Wood should be rested for those tests and Ali recalled, will be interesting to see if England take a look at any other spinners with a tour of India on the horizon.
