England Tour of South Africa 19/20

(03-01-2020 13:16 )Charlemagne Wrote:  England won't be allowed to play football during their training sessions after Burns injured himself yesterday.
The 2nd test is underway from Cape Town, currently England are 110-3

They'll probably try rugby or American football next!!

England all out for 269.

South Africa collapsed at the end and were 215 - 8 at stumps.

(04-01-2020 17:41 )Charlemagne Wrote:  England all out for 269.

South Africa collapsed at the end and were 215 - 8 at stumps.

As England were staring down the barrel at one point, They have certainly got away with no real damage today! A lead of 54 at this point is probably worth 100 given the state of the pitch, So somehow SA have to narrow that gap by at least 25 runs tomorrow!! Obviously they will want to cancel the deficit entirely - goes without saying - but reducing the deficit by this much, is a bare minimum!

I don't think I would want to be chasing any more than 200 - 220 on this track in the last inns!

Turns out the pitch isn't Deteriorating as much as I thought! England might need a decent score north of 300 as a target after all!

At stumps England were 218-4. A lead of 264 runs

(05-01-2020 17:33 )Charlemagne Wrote:  At stumps England were 218-4. A lead of 264 runs

Didn't see the last hour of the days play - rugby came a calling - but looks like it was easy enough for England to see out the day, and consolidate a strong position!

Still no demons in the pitch, and although having a score on the board is a position of strength, SA will feel that if they can make a breakthrough, a chase is still on with the pitch more than playable from a batting viewpoint!

For England's part, will they start to wonder exactly what a defendable should be??, having maybe - and justifiably - thought that the track would have continued - and increasingly so - to play tricks with uneven bounce, and therefore had the mindset that a lower target was defendable!!

Fascinating two days in prospect! Test cricket at its best, and whether designed - or not - a perfect pitch which should be the blueprint around the grounds in each country (local characteristics taken into account0

England have declared on 391/8 with Sibley 133 not out. That leaves South Africa almost 5 sessions to make a test record 438 to win.

South Africa ended the day on 126-2, needing another 312 runs to win.

Shouldn't have that winning line in their thoughts at all, but bat properly, and each ball on its own merits, and with all the remaining overs having to be bowled come what may, SA may just come close! Should be a fascinating day tomorrow!

In one sense it drives a coach and horses through the argument for 4 day test matches, but there might still be an argument, if pitches were prepared for it! Many thought that this pitch would be an uncomfortable place to be for batsmen come days 4 and 5 - indeed it should be so - but this track - save for some - from particularly spin - jumping from the rough, has not done nearly as much as seemed likely as far back as day two. If four day tests are to be introduced, pitches have to be - in effect - less well prepared, and not rolled into oblivion.

The major issue for me regarding any change, is that those that can see a case, do so - apparently - only for matches involving the lower ranked nations, and not across the board! Either all in. or none in!

England win by 189 runs,