Love watching Broad batting like this, on his day he’s a pretty good hat. Wood also looks like the kind of bowler that will cause havoc with the bat given half a chance.
Great to watch.

strange innings….. stat attack

Zak Crawley’s 66 is the lowest ever high score in an innings in which the batting team has made 400. It surpasses David Boon’s 68 v Sri Lanka in Colombo in 1992 when Australia made 471. #SAvEng

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 25, 2020

63-4 SA are rocking

1 to get! SA need 25 to avoid the follow on (if England enforce it)

five for wood! do they enforce ? looks like england want to bat again

Since he lengthened his run-up, Mark Wood has claimed his Test wickets at a cost of 14.42 apiece with two five-wicket hauls in three Tests. Different bowler. And a much, much more effective one.

— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) January 26, 2020

244-0

458-9

Question for the cricket experts. Why did England not enforce the follow on? Something to do with the state of the pitch maybe?

Question for the cricket experts. Why did England not enforce the follow on? Something to do with the state of the pitch maybe?

Bowling for a win or draw is always preferable to batting, even for a modest score, on a four day old wicket. Put the game out of sight and put the pressure on your opponents. It wasn’t a huge gap for SA to make up and they have enough quality to frustrate the bowlers.

the modern thinking is (if your not taking the last 2 wickets first thing in the morning session) is to give the bowlers a rest bash some quick runs in the knowledge that anything over 150 is going to leave 350+ to get on a worn wicket and chases of that size are very very rare beast in test cricket.

This ^ already enough signs that the wicket is starting to vary in bounce a bit and the groundsman has said that it’ll get worse from here. We could have put them in again, they score 350 and we need 135 on a minefield and risk losing a test. Yes, probably they’d only get 200-odd and we’d win by an innings or 9 or 10 wickets but you don’t know.

Secondly – fast bowling is incredibly hard on muscles and joints. All quicks are either recovering from injury, nursing an injury of some sort, or coming up to their next injury. Though we rolled SA for not very many, it still took 70 overs with none to spin, it’s the fourth test with not a lot of rest between and they’re off to SL shortly, and cumulative fatigue is a major factor in injuries. To risk an injury when we don’t need to in order to win the test is pointless.

Sir Alastair was summarising back at Sky in London and was asked the same, and whether he consulted his bowlers much, and he said that most of the time they would never even consider it so asking was pointless. Likewise asking them what to do if they won the toss; Broad notoriously always wants to bat first no matter what. He was angry even when Chef chose to bowl at Trent Bridge in 2015 – you know, when he then took 8-15 and we rolled Australia for 60 in under 20 overs……

Ah I see now. Many thanks for the explanations (we don’t have Sky and TMS isn’t covering the series my information sources are limited).

My thinking was that enforcing the follow on would mean England knowing exactly what they needed to win, rather than possibly wasting time putting unnecessary runs on the board, but I hadn’t thought about the above, particularly the physical effects of continued fast bowling.

Cheers guys.

it also depends on how close to the 200 it is, larger the lead more likely to enforce.

I’ve wondered why the follow on is a rigid number. 600 vs 400, or 325 vs 125 is a different proposition, I wonder if it should be say 50% up to a max of 200.

We already lead the series, so aren’t chasing a win as much as SA. Plus the injured/tired bowlers issue.

Hmmm, time to start feeling everso slightly concerned?

Don’t see them chasing it down or lasting another 5 sessions (minus any rain) but it would be great for the game if they did.

Excellent! almost as enjoyable as getting him out* for 99

*actually feel sorry for him, unlucky

that’s it a 3-1 series win, pretty emphatic in the end.

I’ve been run out for 99.

Backing up at the non-striker’s end, deflected off the bowler’s ankle and on to the stumps.

Bastard umpire had given leg byes for one i’d hit much earlier on as well…….

Considering Archer and Anderson hardly bowled it was a really good win. Young batters doing well too. I dream of getting to 99………

Good Morning everybody

Bit of rain around at Headingley this morning, bat or bowl?

(No, I haven’t lost the plot)

Think I’d bowl first.

Cake, anyone?

Hmm would a damp green top suit Archer? I’d get Broad on to get Warner early. Rather England bat second hopefully they’ll do better when it dries out

Feels good doesn’t it

England win toss and bowl

this will make working from home more fun 🙂

(Final day on sky sports too, but starts a bit later)

Covers are coming off!

Still not sure about bowling, feels like it might be tough to bat on day 5.

Aaaargh – you teased me! I thought there was a good repeat on Sky!!

…as a solitary pigeon struts about rather nonchalantly in the outfield, and a large red bus is just ambling it’s way down the Kirkstall Lane. Oh look at that, there’s a gentlemen under the scoreboard wearing a very fetching raincoat, or is it a Macintosh? It’s a bit difficult to see from here…

Ha ha.

Just listening to this now. God I want normality back!

Aaaargh – you teased me! I thought there was a good repeat on Sky!!

It’s on TMS, which is arguably better.

Warner does not sound comfortable already.

It’s on TMS, which is arguably better.

Arguably? What!

I’m being diplomatic.
Warner does not have a clue here.

Yes!

Needed that early wicket!

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/my-dear-old-things-its-stw-tms/page/95/
Relive it from here too! 😆
RM.

I usually watch live on sky with TMS commentary.

And now Headingley 81!

Am a bit more chipper than I was a few hours ago.