another one, 185-5

Much, much better in the field today. Great work from Bairstow.

235-7 and Jimmy has a shiny new conker

I think they could have done without the new ball tbh. Shame they let that partnership get away a bit as otherwise a very good day for england.

Englands turn – SA 313 all out

I think bowling machines have made a hell of difference to the batting abilities of tail enders, even if it’s not being so afraid of the quick stuff and keeping in line makes it much more difficult to run through a side on a half decent pitch especially late in the day.

I have a feeling this isn’t go to go well.

I thought Mike Selvey in the Guardian was a bit pessimistic – to lose the toss and have them 267-7 was a good effort. I should think they’ll be pretty pleased to have them all out for 313.

oh dear

The search for a decent opener continues…

blowers in summer dress 😯

Cook is looking in poor form, isn’t he?

1009 no !! 8)

Tejas Misar went for 4 a ball !! 😯

1 and 3 also made hundreds and didn’t get a mention!

Well done Root!

(Again)

Thank goodness for a strong middle order.

root to the rescue again

Nod to stokes as well

Sounds like that’s probably it. Top quality counter attack that – kept the field moving, didn’t get pegged back. If England had bowled better at the tail then they’d be close to parity.

If the SA’s hadn’t all got in and then got out we could still be bowling. If my aunt had balls……

Tails getting runs is all part of cricket nowadays (TMS text had it right, oh for the days when they didn’t know which end of the bat to hold and used to swing it like a Somerset yokel threshing corn……) 313 is competitive without being a match defining total for either side. Promising to be a good test match this one.

Top of the order worries me still though; I’m a huge Cook fan and he’s shown time and again that he has the ability and concentration to play massive innings. And on one hand you can say he’s England’s top run scorer despite getting his fair share of bad luck over the years (how many times out strangled?) on the other for some reason I never feel comfortable until he’s been in for 25 overs.

Cooks main issue is that he must fell like he is carrying the entire bottom order – he is so hardly surprising

To play as he does with that pressure is pretty admirable

he does take a while to look like he is in though.

And on one hand you can say he’s England’s top run scorer despite getting his fair share of bad luck over the years (how many times out strangled?)

I’ve never thought that being strangled down the leg side is bad luck – if you play at it there’s always a chance of feathering it.

I suppose because it’s a ‘bad’ ball that should be leg glanced for runs (ideally 4 of them in proper cricket where fine leg isn’t fine because the WK doesn’t need a backstop!)

Akin to slapping a full toss straight to cover. Yes, both are ‘mistakes’ but one’s clearly incompetence.

or inside edging a drive ball………

Tough day ahead, come on Mo.

or inside edging a drive ball………

…And again. Seems like there’s a little bit of something in the pitch today.

looks like it’s going to be a tight match

Enthralling game, two evenly matched teams and a proper test match style wicket.
Added spice added by being married to a South African.
Man of this match regardless of the result should be the head groundsman.

another dropped catch 🙁

luckily wasn’t too costly
SA 28(18)-2

broad is on fire

De Villiers out for a duck 🙂

Amla back in the hutch

31 – 4

what a catch 🙂

Broad 4-1 in 24 balls

By all accounts an unbelievable catch by Taylor, will look forward to seeing that.

bowled him

was listening to it in the car on the way back from my daughter’s sports club. Classic commentary…

“I’m speechless. Which is a major handicap given my occupation!”

I’d just stopped paying attention for half an hour and though I wouldn’t have missed much 😯

A Broad series deciding spell – those seem to be coming along rather more regularly now, almost one every series!

Broad has 5-1 in 31 balls

Damn I missed it but awesome performance from him.

45-6

another great catch of a rank bad ball 🙂

Catches win matches !!!!

Just got in and som was showing me replay of first catch and bang an even better one!!

the wheels are off !

46-7

7 – they’re all getting in on the act

In the context a 10 run lead suddenly seems quite significant!

Got up early, did the chores and thought ah, I’ll have a look a the cricket, lunch has just finished…. 😯

Still sat here 😀