England tour of South Africa (4 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20s)

[010203]

England end this decade and start the next one with a 4 test series in South Africa. South African cricket has endured some turmoil recently but with Graeme Smith as Director of Cricket and new Mark Boucher head coach running the show, England might be ripe for an ambush having not won a series containing at leats two tests since they beat India in England last year.

1st test: December 26-30 - Supersport Park

2nd test: January 3-7 - Newlands.

3rd test: January 16-20 - St Georges Park

4th test : January 24-28 - Johannesburg.

3 ODI's - Feb 4 in Cape Town, Feb 7 in Durban and Feb 9 in Johannesburg.

3 Twenty20's - Feb 13 in East London, Feb 15 in Durban and Feb 16 in Centurion.

 

[Ishikawa]

England have had a very disrupted preparation through illness and other health matters & through the appointments of Smith, Kallis, Langeveldt back into the SA setup there's been a lot of positivity on their side coming into the home summer. So while would expect England to have the personnel to account for SA comfortably it may not necessarily be the case - as we often see on tours now, a poor performance in the first test can really spiral.

Anyway love the SA home summer and an England tour there is pretty much always great so bring it on!

 

[PhatBoy]

SA desperately need a win here to arrest their slide. Need their heavyweights to stand up - Faf, QDK, Markram, Rabada.

 

[Seedsfan]

Would of thought Raynard Van Tonder would have been included in the South African squad. Current season stats 603 runs from 8 innings at 86.14 2 100s 3 50s and a top score of 204. Building a decent resume for a 21 year old

 

[Cleavy]

wicket to Anderson on 1st ball of Test

 

[HBF]

wicket to Anderson on 1st ball of Test

SA have got it to 25/1 now

 

[corbies]

Curran gets Markram with a very soft dismissal. This South African batting line up looks shaky at best.

 

[to1994]

SA desperately need a win here to arrest their slide. Need their heavyweights to stand up - Faf, QDK, Markram, Rabada.

I'd probably have Elgar ahead of Markram right now. Markram had a solid start but there were a lot of cheap runs there and he's been useless of late.

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

Markram has gone backwards significantly since he came into the side. He has the most incredible and patient temperament but over the past twelve months, he had started making some absolutely boneheaded decisions that undermine his incredible talent. I'd be tempted to drop him after that dismissal which is saying a lot as I've said he has the talent, class and temperament to be our best ever opener, but he's decision making is not where it should be right now and he needs a break. That, or shifting down to #3.

 

[010203]

Markram has gone backwards significantly since he came into the side. He has the most incredible and patient temperament but over the past twelve months, he had started making some absolutely boneheaded decisions that undermine his incredible talent. I'd be tempted to drop him after that dismissal which is saying a lot as I've said he has the talent, class and temperament to be our best ever opener, but he's decision making is not where it should be right now and he needs a break. That, or shifting down to #3.

If he could convert stylish 20's and 30's into centuries, he'd be a top, top batsman. Justin Langer and Matt Hayden took their time in developing into top class opening batsmen, maybe the same with happen to Markram.

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

If he could convert stylish 20's and 30's into centuries, he'd be a top, top batsman. Justin Langer and Matt Hayden took their time in developing into top class opening batsmen, maybe the same with happen to Markram.

Possibly. The issue with Markram is patience in good batting conditions, which is really bizarre. It's bizarre because when batting is touch and on difficult pitches he's brilliant, and his incredible temperament shines through. There's no South African batsman in the past twenty years I'd take on a minefield over Markram, he's that good. But when batting looks easy, he is ridiculously frustrating because he doesn't score runs at a solid rate then slashes at a ball that's there to be put away and bang, it's all over.

 

[frankrizzo]

That was just a bad session all round, ordinary shot selection and pretty wasteful bowling that got rewards.

 

[4THAWN]

Jofra Archer 0/41 after 8 overs

 

[frankrizzo]

Jofra Archer 0/41 after 8 overs

He has bowled a good last two overs but that first one after lunch was putrid.

 

[Blue1980]

Curran wicket.

England you would think look the goods to win this, but their batting can be very brittle as well, and South Africa’s bowling lineup is still largely intact.

It’s the batting where they are in a real transition phase.

 

[Seedsfan]

South Africa’s tail looks long not sure they have the balance right

 

[eddiesmith]

How great is it to have 15 hours of test cricket a day!

 

[HTPunter]

QDK giving South Africa some hope. Depending on the conditions high 200s might be a competitive total and at 5-177 they should post that now.

 

[frankrizzo]

Stokes was off for dehydration and so couldn't bowl and to be honest he looked like he still shouldn't be out there.

 

[corbies]

It's been a class QDK knock. The classic counter-attack that he's become known for.

 

[Ishikawa]

South Africa’s tail looks long not sure they have the balance right

Pretorius batted very nicely for a debutant, helped haul them out of what looked to be a disastrous first day was unsure how he'd be suited to the number 7 spot but pretty good signs if that's any guide. Philander is as good a number 8 going too so while its not the strongest about I don't think it's too bad.

Brilliant by de Kock - closest player to Gilchrist I've seen just scores so freely so easily.

I know there are still a lot of reports about confirming Englands attack still very much under the weather so maybe that played a part in diminishing their day the longer it went, but in all an entertaining day of cricket.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Jofra Archer 0/41 after 8 overs

He has bowled a good last two overs but that first one after lunch was putrid.

In fairness to him, he was battling flu prior to Test. Yes no excuse once you’re out there but does take a bit out of you in that heat as well.

 

[PhatBoy]

Chalk up another good QDK knock when his side is up the shltter

 

[corbies]

Jofra Archer 0/41 after 8 overs

I think most reasonable cricket fans realised that the way he is and the way he bowls he was always going to be inconsistent. Hell he used to have absolutely terrible days even in the Big Bash.

Alot of people took umbrage with the some of the over-the-top stuff after his first Ashes test from the English press but that's to be expected from them. George Dobell said he will be better than Mitchell Johnson (not might, will).

 

[Seedsfan]

In fairness to him, he was battling flu prior to Test. Yes no excuse once you’re out there but does take a bit out of you in that heat as well.

What was the excuse in NZ then?