England vs South Africa: 2nd Test Match Thread

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

Here is the match thread for the 2nd test at headlingley

Likely teams

England: Strauss,Cook,Trott,KP,Bell,Taylor,Prior,Bresnan,Swann,Broad,Anderson

S.Africa: Smith,Peterson,Amla,Kallis,AB,Rudolph,Duminy,Philander,Steyn,Morkel,Tahir

Although massive rumours going around that, england will play 4 quicks and leave out swann!

DISCUSS MATCH HERE

[Liam]

Need at least 3 wickets this session and it would be nice to have smith, kallis and Amla back in the hutch. Big ask but this is a huge session for England.

[Liam]

Just feel Finns bowling a little too short. Pitch it up and get them driving

[liverbnz]

So what's gone on here this morning folks? Seems odd that England have bowled first and taken no wickets. Is there no life in this pitch? Any swing for Jimmy or Bresnan?

[Fists of Fury]

Dropping sitters does little to help.

[msp83]

This really is slipping away from England here. 110 without loss, so now that is almost 750 runs for 2 wickets in the series for England now, well sspeaks for itself.

[msp83]

It took England a long long time to bowl outside off stump to Smith in the first test, and they are repeating the same here, bowling too straight at him looking for the LBW if he misses. But Smith has a very strong though unorthodox leg side game. At times he trys dragging balls from way outside off through the leg side, but by bowling too straight England are cutting down on their chance to find the edge or make him play an airy shot.

[msp83]

And that is the 50 for Graeme Smith, continuing his fine record against England.

[FerN]

Smith gone

[Hibbz]

Ha ha poor Nasser, banging on and on about bowling outside off stump and minutes later some leg side trash brings about the break through!

[alfie]

Aha !

Just switched back from Olympic action and bingo ...out goes Smith

About time ...perhaps I had better stay with cricket for a bit

[Liam]

Needed that wicket. Fair play to Tim bresnan he just keeps runnin in and gets these wickets, now another couple. I said if we can get 3 before tea, with smith amla and kallis back in the hutch we'll be in business! Smith gone, another two now please

[gboycottnut]

I have a feeling that should England lose this test and go 2-0 down, Andrew Strauss may decide that enough is enough for himself as far as the England captaincy goes and he steps aside and let's someone else have a go.

[liverbnz]

Unlucky Broad. Get another one here and we could put the pressure on.

[Liam]

Smith now amla!!!!! Get in there, I said smith, amla and now kallis to come, come on England!!!

[FerN]

Amla gone

[Hibbz]

Ha ha, first it's leg side trash now a "deliberate" miss-field leading to a comedy run out. If you can't be good be lucky!

[Liam]

Jaffer from broad

[liverbnz]

Brilliant from Prior knocking the bails off whilst failing over.

[mystiroakey]

Come on england!!

[liverbnz]

Snorter from Broad. England gaining some momentum here.

[Liam]

If we can get them 150-4 at tea the evening session will be very tasty indeed

[Hibbz]

Could have been embarrassing for Broad if Bresnan had thrown to his end and he was there doing his teapot routine missing the chance for the run out.

Luckily it just meant Shola Amla was the man dismissed.

[mystiroakey]

getting alma out makes it all worthwhile!

phewww

[Fists of Fury]

Kallis resumes normal service. We won't get him out all series.

[mystiroakey]

shot of the day by kallis.. jeas

[Hibbz]

See ya wiggy ya fat Bar Steward.

[Liam]

Superb! Kalmia gone, I said 150-4 would be great, and we've got kallis, smith and amla all back in the hutch like I asked for! Get in there!

[mystiroakey]

SWEET KALLIS!!! Gone

[GSC]

1 of these 2, then this lineup doesn't look quite so threatening.

[mystiroakey]

Superb! Kalmia gone, I said 150-4 would be great, and we've got kallis, smith and amla all back in the hutch like I asked for! Get in there!

good call

[msp83]

Good 2nd session for England, Smith got out to a rather harmless ball from Bresnan, fair reward for Bresnan who asked some questions of the batters in the first session, then the immovable Hashim Amla was runout in a terrible mix up. And to cap it all, Anderson then got Kallis.
The good thing for England when Play eventually restarts is that the rest of the lineup hasn't had much of a bat all tour. AB is absolute quality, and Petersen is set. If England can get through one of them, then it'll be Rudolph and then Duminy. Both of them haven't quited established their placess in the side, and although JP will be more than happy to have seen Swann dropped he has had his share of trouble with the short stuff as well as besides spin. Although Philander has made runs in FC cricket at times, the SA lower order is not really close to that of England in terms of their batting output.
So come on England you can do it, and reestablish some credibility to your captain.

[Duty281]

If we can nip 2 more out before stumps then it's advantage England. We're still no.1, but only just.

[msp83]

England should take at least another 3 to justify the call at the toss. The rain came at a stage when England were building some momentum hopefully the rain would have spiced up the pitch a bit more. And it stays away.

[Liam]

Yup couple more would be nice, get in streyn/Morkel by the close would be ideal

[gboycottnut]

Very disappointed about Finn. He really hasn't looked that threatening a bowler to these South African batsmen. Then again the same could be said about that other overrated bowler in the England team, one Stuart Broad. England could well do with a fast bowler who has serious gas in order to shake up these South African batsmen with fast, nasty short balls.

[msp83]

Anderson and then Bresnan bowled alright, but other than the odd good ball, Broad has been disappointing, and Finn has had his share of problems.

[msp83]

Petersen closing in on his hundred and the runs aren't quite flowing for South Africa here. A wicket at this moment will be just fine for England.

[msp83]

The hundred for Alviro Petersen!. So all of SA's top 4 have made 3 figure scores in the test series already!.

[FerN]

100 for Peterson. Shaky, but still there

[msp83]

Finn's so unlucky today. It was a ssuperb over, he bowled a fine fine ball at Petersen that nipped back sharply to smack him on the pad to be given out by the umpire, but it was a touch too high and he has got away on review.

[GSC]

Finn looked very good with the new ball. Broad was shocking. If Swann returns he'd be line for a drop.

[GSC]

As I speak Broad bowls AB

(per the live text)

[eirebilly]

Broad gets AB

[msp83]

South Africa's and De Villiers' luck has ran out at last, he has played on to Broad for 47. 254-4 SA now, England would dearly love to get another to end the session.

[Duty281]

Vital wicket for England approaching stumps. SA have a longish tail, if England get Petersen out by drinks tomorrow morning, we may keep them to below 350.

[Guest]

we still should have got more than 4 wickets considering we won the toss and chose to bowl!

[GSC]

Frustrating day so far for England, but they've done decently. With a bit of luck they could've knocked them over very cheaply.

[eirebilly]

Broad to Steyn now. Come on Broady

[Guest]

hey billy!!

[eirebilly]

Hey CF

[Sponsored content]