England v South Africa 2012

It's the second test starting today and a big call by England - Swann has been left out and Finn plays. It's the first time since 2003 that England have not played a spinner in a test match and it ends a run of 43 Tests for Swann. Taylor makes his debut in place of Bopara at no. 6 in the batting order, but South Africa have no issues with their side and are unchanged. England have won the toss and have put South Africa in to bat.

First session will be vital & need at least 4 wickets as it will go flat & will be hard work after lunch.Cook drops a sitter at slip,for me he's never looked like a slip catcher.Finn induces an edge & Smith is caught but deadball is called as the batsman was distracted by the noise of Finn's knee hitting the stumps.A fair call,this should have been sorted out by the army of Englands coaches.

(02-08-2012 11:06 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  First session will be vital & need at least 4 wickets

South Africa 84/0 at lunch. Well 4 wickets in the morning session was always optimistic, bearing in mind that in the last test England only took 2 wickets in the whole match.

It looks like England picked the wrong team and also made the wrong decision after winning the toss. All in all a pretty bad day yesterday despite a couple of late wickets making the day look almost respectable for England.

Broad & Anderson start with 6 maidens before the first run was scored today.263-5 (94 overs)

SA 419 All Out.Eng 65-1.Cook out Lbw bowled Philander for 24.

Thanks to KP's 148 no and counting and Prior looking in good touch,hopefully we can level up the test.
Close of play:England 351-5 trail SA by 68

Going to take something special from the bowlers to force a result for either side.Odds on a draw.

With so many overs lost yesterday it all looks a bit flat today & I don't just mean the Headingley wicket.More weather disruptions this morning,but still no breakthrough.SA 90-0 2ND INGS. Lead Eng by 84 runs.

England need 253 to win the test and have 39 overs to get them (which means 6.49 runs per over). There's a huge air of excitement around the ground as England begin their innings, but a draw is still the most likely outcome. For South Africa to win England would have to be bowled out in a single session.