England tour to SA: 2015

[MickeyD]

^to add to that...

Fielding all day does dehydrate you.

"in the old days" the hours of play were the same but you did not see the 12th man come onto the field with a plate of bananas, pineapples, watermelon, etc. It was a glass or two of juice and back to the hut with the 12th man.

You also did not see players leaving the field so often for whatever "reasons". The umpires were very strict about that.

If you look around the boundary fence at any game these days, you see rehydration solutions in cooler boxes all over the place. These okes are spoiled!

 

[sox63]

Off topic: today poses a question about what is our best starting line up. Regardless of QdK's failure he is guaranteed a spot because AB doest want to keep. The top 6 put their hands up, with the exception of van Zyl. And Morris proved his all-rounder credibility.

With Steyn and Philander fit, Morris and Rabada miss out imo. The van Zyl situation is still tricky though. Next batsman in the squad is also not an opening bat. So would a full strength be:

Elgar
Cook/Hendricks
Amla
AB
Faf
Bavuma
QdK
Steyn
Philander
Morkel
Piedt

 

[satanboy]

^to add to that...

Fielding all day does dehydrate you.

"in the old days" the hours of play were the same but you did not see the 12th man come onto the field with a plate of bananas, pineapples, watermelon, etc. It was a glass or two of juice and back to the hut with the 12th man.

You also did not see players leaving the field so often for whatever "reasons". The umpires were very strict about that.

If you look around the boundary fence at any game these days, you see rehydration solutions in cooler boxes all over the place. These okes are spoiled!

Made of soft butter.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

I've seen a lot of talk on this thread about how taxing it is physically to stand in the field all day in this heat.

Maybe this deserves a new thread, but aren't these professional athletes at the end of the day? And I really mean "stand" in the field. The bowlers seem to run a bit and now and again a random fielder chases a ball, but if this is your career, don't you train to do it?

Edit: and in all my years watching this sport, I've never heard a player in an interview citing the above reason as mitigation for a poor performance. I've only heard commentators and armchair warriors calling it.
In my years as a professional sportsman, I and my team-mates never would have thought of pulling this line.

No player would admit it, but if you've ever played cricket then you would know that it's draining on the body to run around in that heat. They may be professional athletes but they're not superhuman, only AB is

 

[stefan9]

Nice ton for Bavuma. We should not have declared though. Now we must run around in the sun tomorrow. No way we'll see 10 sticks in one day on this pitch.

There is a whole week before the next test. We had to take the chance to see if england will collapse or not. Unlikely but stranger things have happened.

 

[Neoprod]

Off topic: today poses a question about what is our best starting line up. Regardless of QdK's failure he is guaranteed a spot because AB doest want to keep. The top 6 put their hands up, with the exception of van Zyl. And Morris proved his all-rounder credibility.

With Steyn and Philander fit, Morris and Rabada miss out imo. The van Zyl situation is still tricky though. Next batsman in the squad is also not an opening bat. So would a full strength be:

Elgar
Cook/Hendricks
Amla
AB
Faf
Bavuma
QdK
Steyn
Philander
Morkel
Piedt

Bowler light...with Quinton at 7, that's basically 7 batters. Throw Philander in and that's alot of firepower. We should pick pick 5 bowlers and 6 batsmen with QdK being number 6. Players need to take responsibility and perform...no picking cover for batting weaknesses by finding a bowler who can bat a bit instead of the best wicket-taker (playing Morris in this match, Abbott in the recent past are symptoms of that).

We were spoilt for years by Kallis...players like that make a side so much stronger and easier to pick. The selectors keep trying to find a new Kallis but it's easier to find 5 good bowlers and 6 batsmen than another Cullinan diamond, imo.

 

[phiber]

I wouldn't even bother with a front line spinner, they don't do anything in the game till the second innings, its like carry dead weight. If we had a spinner that could bat, or at least build some pressure I'd look at it, but we should rather look to develop Elgar to Bowl 10-12 in a day. Morris brings good balance with the ability to bat, and can bowl 2nd change. This way we have 5 front line seamers and a part time spinner, that suits us way more. Each of the seamers can easily bowl 3 spells a day, giving you 90 anyway... so that means we can use the part time spinner to rotate and rest them. Should only play spinners on wickets that are known to turn, like Durbs and then I'd replace Abbott/Rabada for the spinner.

Elgar
Bavuma
Amla
AB
Faf
QdK
Morris
Steyn
Philander
Morkel
Abbott/Rabada

 

[modern10]

I wouldn't even bother with a front line spinner, they don't do anything in the game till the second innings, its like carry dead weight. If we had a spinner that could bat, or at least build some pressure I'd look at it, but we should rather look to develop Elgar to Bowl 10-12 in a day. Morris brings good balance with the ability to bat, and can bowl 2nd change. This way we have 5 front line seamers and a part time spinner, that suits us way more. Each of the seamers can easily bowl 3 spells a day, giving you 90 anyway... so that means we can use the part time spinner to rotate and rest them. Should only play spinners on wickets that are known to turn, like Durbs and then I'd replace Abbott/Rabada for the spinner.

Elgar
Bavuma
Amla
AB
Faf
QdK
Morris
Steyn
Philander
Morkel
Abbott/Rabada

Bavuma is a middle order batsman and should not be shifted around. Rather give Stephen Cook one last chance at the big time

 

[stefan9]

Bavuma is a middle order batsman and should not be shifted around. Rather give Stephen Cook one last chance at the big time

What one last chance? He has never even had one chance.

 

[Neoprod]

We could get 3-5 years out of Cook...Vogel only made his debut for the Aussie's at 35?

Agree with not shuffling Bavuma around...guy's just made a hundred. He deserves to get a run in the middle order. JP needs to show something to get that spot back...if Bavuma keeps racking up the runs, so be it...competition is good.

 

[stefan9]

We could get 3-5 years out of Cook...Vogel only made his debut for the Aussie's at 35?

Agree with not shuffling Bavuma around...guy's just made a hundred. He deserves to get a run in the middle order. JP needs to show something to get that spot back...if Bavuma keeps racking up the runs, so be it...competition is good.

Duminy test career is done imho. He is nearly 32 and has a very average test record. Very unlikely he comes back from being dropped.

 

[stefan9]

Meanwhile Stuart Broad charged for excessive appealing. Thought he should have charged with pitch tampering for that kick at the pitch, didn't think he appealed much. But anything that upsets them is good.

 

[stefan9]

Cook gone. KG does the business and QDK hasn't caught the english illness.

 

[AfricanTech]

Cook gone. KG does the business and QDK hasn't caught the english illness.

Excellent - that will screw with Cook's confidence

 

[Drifter]

Cook gone. KG does the business and QDK hasn't caught the english illness.

What do you mean by that?

 

[MickeyD]

What a catch !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MickeyD]

What do you mean by that?

the dropsies

 

[stefan9]

And morkel gets hales. Great catch by morris.

 

[stefan9]

What do you mean by that?

England shelled 10 catches during our innings...

 

[Agent_Smith]

Ball's doing a bit!