Cricket fred

[Digby]

One can only hope the Denly drop was the TMS champagne moment, it'd be unusual not to award achievement, but it was so, so bad it feels deserving

[Banquo]

did it matter?

[Digby]

Only in the sense a side has standards or it doesn't. We don't, but that's not really news, we're too nice, we'll even over bowl Archer to help another side out

[Banquo]

Only in the sense a side has standards or it doesn't. We don't, but that's not really news, we're too nice, we'll even over bowl Archer to help another side out

yep, Silverwood seems to have 'transformed' Archer.

[Banquo]

RIP Bob

[Digby]

I'm confident he's already complaining. Nonetheless his career as a bowler was top notch

[Galfon]

Great for Midlands cricket when he chose Warks after his breakthrough Ashes tour.Potent force when fit and with his tail up, his captaincy style more Root than Brearley.
His tv commentary had good value derived from his personal experiences.
RIP Goose.Good innings.

[Banquo]

I'm confident he's already complaining. Nonetheless his career as a bowler was top notch

he was a top bloke

[Galfon]

ffs. early Burns demise after first ball escape.
More than useful SA new ball attack and wicket with summut in it innit, will be good test of Eng. resolve.

u/d: 15 - 2 Sibley gone. pace & unpredictable bounce.
Tough hour or so ahead.

[Digby]

It had never occurred to me Philander was unplayable.

Thank god we didn't elect to bat last on this wicket

[Galfon]

3 gone in 8 balls - back on track.
YJ gets his timbers tumbled again..another chance for him goes begging.

[Digby]

Very giving of Bairstow not to give the selectors any issues if they wanted to pick a spinner

[fivepointer]

Poor shots from Root and Stokes. And a typical non shot from Bairstow who makes the bowlers job far too easy. Any kind of 1st innings lead seems unlikely at this stage.

[Galfon]

SA 158 lead with 7 wickets to play with..
It's another heady mix of Results wicket/ Eng. flakiness.

[Digby]

Plenty of soft dismissals from both sides in this match, that and the current state of the game after just 2 days leads me to conclude there'll be a winner in the opener, you heard it here first!

[Banquo]

It had never occurred to me Philander was unplayable.

Thank god we didn't elect to bat last on this wicket

Philander is a fantastic bowler.

[Galfon]

Philander is a fantastic bowler.

Apart from his wickets to concede just a run/over from 15 on that track was tops (compare Archer)
To call his retirement from the national team at just 34 seems a bit previous.He's off to Zummerzet next year & covering his options .

[Digby]

It had never occurred to me Philander was unplayable.

Thank god we didn't elect to bat last on this wicket

Philander is a fantastic bowler.

He's very good, just maybe not as good as we made him look

[Banquo]

It had never occurred to me Philander was unplayable.

Thank god we didn't elect to bat last on this wicket

Philander is a fantastic bowler.

He's very good, just maybe not as good as we made him look

Sounds familiar, we’ve also made their batsmen look better than they are. He showed us the line and length, but we seem unable to learn; Archer needs some help I think.

[Digby]

Archer just spent a week in bed being sick and was then asked to bowl first rather than rest another day, and do so in very hot weather when the pitch would only get worse. Though yes Archer needs some help, hopefully in the main with the workload

[Galfon]

The lurgy is getting a grip on the team - Buttler & not well-looking Root affected today..
The Nortje-watchman grabs forty, and the weather's worsening.Happy days.

On a brighter note, Clive Lloyd gets his knighthood - very fine player but a great captain.
Well deserved - put alot back into the game too.

[Banquo]

Archer just spent a week in bed being sick and was then asked to bowl first rather than rest another day, and do so in very hot weather when the pitch would only get worse. Though yes Archer needs some help, hopefully in the main with the workload

I was referring also to his 'form' in NZ....

my we bowled badly this morning, suppose some lurgy mitigation..

[Banquo]

The lurgy is getting a grip on the team - Buttler & not well-looking Root affected today..
The Nortje-watchman grabs forty, and the weather's worsening.Happy days.

On a brighter note, Clive Lloyd gets his knighthood - very fine player but a great captain.
Well deserved - put alot back into the game too.

....and one of the greatest cover points in the history of the game.

[Galfon]

wtf..??

(50 opening partnership)

[Digby]

Nobody saw that coming. If we can get some more runs before the next rolling of the roller wears off this might be a game yet