South Africa Tour of England

Ben Stokes uncompromising!! No change in approach!! We will see!!

This test didn't go to script.
What happened to he 2nd innings comeback.

England stick with their policy of naming their XI a day out, & make one change, with Robinson replacing Potts.
The reasoning is that his extra height should be affective on an Old Trafford pitch which is expected to offer decent pace & bounce.

(24-08-2022 18:52 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  England stick with their policy of naming their XI a day out, & make one change, with Robinson replacing Potts.
The reasoning is that his extra height should be affective on an Old Trafford pitch which is expected to offer decent pace & bounce.

I get the cricket logic Booms! I do think though - leaving aside the fact that Potts has been one of Englands' few shining lights - he too given his action (yes less natural height) could extract decent bounce, but he has the natural ability to beat the bat of the deck anyhow, so unless England are going down the route of leg theory bombardment tactics, I wouldn't have made that particular change! There is after all only 3 inches (yes three inches is three inches )difference. I must confess, it looks to be much more when you look at the stature of the two men together.

Englands issues were not with the bowling. Have they even tried to address those?? Seems not with only one change, and it being this one! SA will too relish the Old Trafford deck

England v South Africa 2nd Test Old Trafford Day 1 Tea
South Africa elected to bowl
SA 151 (53.2 overs) Rabada 36 Petersen 21 Verryenne21 Anderson 3-32 Broad 3-37 Stokes 2-17
ENG 111-3 (28 overs) Bairstow 38 no Pope 23 Crawley 17 no Extras 20

South Africa are playing 2 spinners, with Harmer coming in for Jansen.

Sky commentators spent half an hour before the toss going into great detail about the wonderful South African pace quartet, & where made to look rather silly when they were split up after just one Test as a group, in favour of a double spin option.

Feels like a big opportunity this morning to get stuck into their batting line up! Bowl then out cheap and quick and it’ll help negate their two spinner tactic

Only negative in the morning session was Robinson taking a wicket which was overturned, as he had overstepped. If my memory is correct, this has happened before to him in a Test.

Interesting first day, South Africa struggling first up and rolled over cheaply. Maybe just as well, as the same deficiencies at the top of the order for England 3 down for not very much! Root was mad as hell with the way he got out, but Crawley - who is still ship to shore more likely than not in my view - got stuck in in conditions which were still tricky, and this time around. has not been the early walking wicket. Along with Bairstow, again showing his qualities (which I still think should be seen at #3), they have built a solid foundation to their partnership. Allowing for 'start again syndrome' in the morning, England may, just may, see themselves with a decent lead! Can't afford Stokesy to go at it like a bull at a gate come what may though.

I have to say, although I did kind of prophecy, I was astonished that, having made such inroads, England did indeed go to short pitched attacks, with a field setting that suggested they were defending a vulnerable total. Would the Aussies Indians or even SA themselves have done that??, and would SA have posted the recovery score (slight it may have been) had England gone with disciplined line length bowling to a more attacking field??

When Notje's bowling South Africa may concidered having a long stop.