England v S Africa 2nd test

[Matt50]

Now that the golf is out of the way attention turns to the 2nd test between S Africa and England.
England are clearly in big trouble, but i couldnt resist laying S Africa to win the match at 1.14.  Given that the weather forecast is good for the next 2 days, I felt that if Cook, KP, Bell and Freddie could bat well then we could easily save it.

An hour and half into today and no wickets down which is a big bonus considering Jimmy Anderson is at the crease.
S Africa's odds to win the match are now 1.35.

[AndrewT]

Now that the golf is out of the way attention turns to the 2nd test between S Africa and England.
England are clearly in big trouble, but i couldnt resist laying S Africa to win the match at 1.14.  Given that the weather forecast is good for the next 2 days, I felt that if Cook, KP, Bell and Freddie could bat well then we could easily save it.

An hour and half into today and no wickets down which is a big bonus considering Jimmy Anderson is at the crease.
S Africa's odds to win the match are now 1.35.

I've just been talking about this with the guy sat next to me at work - we both agreed SA at 1.33 was a massive price. There's over 5 sessions left, on a 4th and 5th day Headingley pitch with no rain forecast.

We're dead.

[AndrewT]

Great work KP.

Come in, hit two fours, hit a single to keep the strike, hit another 4 then get out pushing at one that's swinging. Thirteen from 5 balls and we're super dead now.

At least I'll have some Betfair winnings to ameliorate working in an office of South Africans.

[Matt50]

Was KP still in 20/20 mode?

[Rookie (Rodney)]

Was KP still in 20/20 mode?

Best way.

[Longy]

Great work KP.

Come in, hit two fours, hit a single to keep the strike, hit another 4 then get out pushing at one that's swinging. Thirteen from 5 balls and we're super dead now.

At least I'll have some Betfair winnings to ameliorate working in an office of South Africans.

To be fair that is the way he scored 158 against the aussies in 05 and that was a very important innings.

[Matt50]

Very poor batting by England IMO.

S Africa showed how it could be done and so to a certain extent did Jimmy Anderson this morning.  THe rest of them have failed miserably.

Cant really see Tim Ambrose and Freddie pulling this one out of the fire.

[Pelham Boy]

Great work KP.

Come in, hit two fours, hit a single to keep the strike, hit another 4 then get out pushing at one that's swinging. Thirteen from 5 balls and we're super dead now.

At least I'll have some Betfair winnings to ameliorate working in an office of South Africans.

To be fair that is the way he scored 158 against the aussies in 05 and that was a very important innings.

That match was in the fifth day though and scoring runs were just as crucial as crease occupation. Today's was a dreadful effort. In an innings where all he should have been thinking was batting time,to come out playing shots makes me wonder what they talk about in the dressing room.

The guy is without a doubt a world class batsmen,but he needs to adapt his game to suit different situations.

To show how annoyed i am with him i'm going to remove him from my avatar!!!

[Matt50]

Today is the 27th anniversary of the final day of the 1981 Botham test match.

The stage is set for Freddie to copy Botham's heroics.

[Longy]

I disagree runs are crucial, if we were going to save this match, we are deffo going past the South Africans. Therefore after that point runs become a very crucial factor in saving the game.

Also attacking the bowlers changes the game, spreads the field puts the South Africans onto the defensive. Pietersen was reckless but there are good reasons for coming out and playing your shots imo.

[AndrewT]

I disagree runs are crucial, if we were going to save this match, we are deffo going past the South Africans. Therefore after that point runs become a very crucial factor in saving the game.

Also attacking the bowlers changes the game, spreads the field puts the South Africans onto the defensive. Pietersen was reckless but there are good reasons for coming out and playing your shots imo.

Yeah, but take a few overs to bed yourself in (which KP has actually been doing more of recently - getting to 25 then opening up). Don't start like a train and then get caught at a ball you tried to leave at the last second.

[Pelham Boy]

imo runs would only start to become important if we were still batting tomorrow. I would have no problem with KP playing some shots,but only once he had played himself in.

The two sides approach to batting in this match sums up the mess we are in. How many England players have got themselves out driving away from their body compared to the South Africans? Mckenzie and De Villiers are both naturally attacking batsmen but they adapted to the pitch and the conditions. It is a test match after all.

[Matt50]

I disagree runs are crucial, if we were going to save this match, we are deffo going past the South Africans. Therefore after that point runs become a very crucial factor in saving the game.

Also attacking the bowlers changes the game, spreads the field puts the South Africans onto the defensive. Pietersen was reckless but there are good reasons for coming out and playing your shots imo.

Yeah, but take a few overs to bed yourself in (which KP has actually been doing more of recently - getting to 25 then opening up). Don't start like a train and then get caught at a ball you tried to leave at the last second.

Freddie is doing totally the opposite to KP - 2 runs from 33 balls.
So that suggests that one of them is not carrying out team instructions - i reckon i know which one.

[AndrewT]

I disagree runs are crucial, if we were going to save this match, we are deffo going past the South Africans. Therefore after that point runs become a very crucial factor in saving the game.

Also attacking the bowlers changes the game, spreads the field puts the South Africans onto the defensive. Pietersen was reckless but there are good reasons for coming out and playing your shots imo.

Yeah, but take a few overs to bed yourself in (which KP has actually been doing more of recently - getting to 25 then opening up). Don't start like a train and then get caught at a ball you tried to leave at the last second.

Freddie is doing totally the opposite to KP - 2 runs from 33 balls.
So that suggests that one of them is not carrying out team instructions - i reckon i know which one.

Flintoff knows the game is gone - he wants lots of crease time to get a good look at the SA bowlers for the next test.

[Matt50]

I disagree runs are crucial, if we were going to save this match, we are deffo going past the South Africans. Therefore after that point runs become a very crucial factor in saving the game.

Also attacking the bowlers changes the game, spreads the field puts the South Africans onto the defensive. Pietersen was reckless but there are good reasons for coming out and playing your shots imo.

There was only 15 minutes until lunch when KP came out to bat.  If he and Cook had lasted then the morning session would have belonged to England.  Instead, he attacks and gets out and the South African tails are up.

If he was going to attack he should at least have waited until after the lunch interval.

He may as well have come out last night instead of Anderson.