creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Puskas]

Has Peter Moores been secretly replaced by Owen Coyle?

Don't, repeat..don't, write a poem about that.

Goodness me - why ever not?

I even have a first line:

"For a Peter Moores mask Owen Coyle does hunt..."

I need to think about how to carry it on.

[Dujon]

Oh dear! What can the matter be?

England have let me down. A damned good start to its first innings followed by a cascade of falling wickets. Looking at the S.Af first innings scorecard makes me wonder what is going on. The southerners cruise past the England total with the loss of just two wickets (and one of those was Peterson's duck) two centuries already posted and another looming. Sheesh!

[Worthy4England]

Oh dear! What can the matter be?

England have let me down. A damned good start to its first innings followed by a cascade of falling wickets. Looking at the S.Af first innings scorecard makes me wonder what is going on. The southerners cruise past the England total with the loss of just two wickets (and one of those was Peterson's duck) two centuries already posted and another looming. Sheesh!

We didn't see much posting activity whilst we dispatched that other set of Southerners

Not enough runs on the board and some excellent bowling, and pretty poor shot selection on day 2 seem to be at the heart of it.

[BWFC_Insane]

Oh dear! What can the matter be?

England have let me down. A damned good start to its first innings followed by a cascade of falling wickets. Looking at the S.Af first innings scorecard makes me wonder what is going on. The southerners cruise past the England total with the loss of just two wickets (and one of those was Peterson's duck) two centuries already posted and another looming. Sheesh!

We didn't see much posting activity whilst we dispatched that other set of Southerners

Not enough runs on the board and some excellent bowling, and pretty poor shot selection on day 2 seem to be at the heart of it.

Let's face it South Africa have a phenomenal batting line up.

So good its scary.

[Worthy4England]

Oh dear! What can the matter be?

England have let me down. A damned good start to its first innings followed by a cascade of falling wickets. Looking at the S.Af first innings scorecard makes me wonder what is going on. The southerners cruise past the England total with the loss of just two wickets (and one of those was Peterson's duck) two centuries already posted and another looming. Sheesh!

We didn't see much posting activity whilst we dispatched that other set of Southerners

Not enough runs on the board and some excellent bowling, and pretty poor shot selection on day 2 seem to be at the heart of it.

Let's face it South Africa have a phenomenal batting line up.

So good its scary.

Certainly is. But we have some decent bowlers too (generally)

[Worthy4England]

Maybe I'll recant that last comment...someone tell me it's day 5 already. Would be good to get a draw!

[BWFC_Insane]

I go back to what I said earlier in the summer, and that if we rigidly stick to the four front line bowlers, then we will struggle to bowl good teams out on good wickets. As this is showing.

South Africa are so good that probably throwing Finn in wouldn't make a huge difference. At the same time however can anyone seeing us beating them over a series with our attack as it stands?

[Worthy4England]

I'm not so sure - they're a bit of a one man show - Amla has half their total team runs!

[BWFC_Insane]

Cook gone already....

[Worthy4England]

Cook gone already....

And Trott...

[thebish]

and the fecking rest!!!

[BWFC_Insane]

Not good enough really. South Africa look several years ahead of us. Paying the price for Swann not being in form and having a pace attack that rely heavily on swing. And very inconsistent batting.

[Dujon]

[WFE] Your snide remark is water of a duck's back. When it comes to The Ashes series I am strictly neutral.

However, to save your sensibilities from a further battering, I won't mention my astonishment at the performance of 'The Best Team in the World' and the overwhelming superiority of 'The Second Best Team in the World'. There is still time for the England team to save face, although a draw seems rather unlikely at this stage. It is also only the first test, there's plenty of play to come.

England, please gather your wits together and put up some sort of fight.

[thebish]

Not good enough really. South Africa look several years ahead of us. Paying the price for Swann not being in form and having a pace attack that rely heavily on swing. And very inconsistent batting.

... and a very dry pitch.

it'll be reet.

[Worthy4England]

[WFE] Your snide remark is water of a duck's back. When it comes to The Ashes series I am strictly neutral.

However, to save your sensibilities from a further battering, I won't mention my astonishment at the performance of 'The Best Team in the World' and the overwhelming superiority of 'The Second Best Team in the World'. There is still time for the England team to save face, although a draw seems rather unlikely at this stage. It is also only the first test, there's plenty of play to come.

England, please gather your wits together and put up some sort of fight.

My sensibilities aren't battered quite, yet.

England have the tag of best team in the world deservedly at the moment, based on their results over a period of time, rather than just one test. The last three series against the Saffers have been a win, a loss and a draw - which is sort of quits, England have won the last two Ashes series, wheras the Saffers I think only managed a draw with the Aussies at home in the last series and lost the series before.

South Africa started the series in third place in the rankings, Australia are above them. They would however be the Best Team in the World, should they win the series.

[Bruce Rioja]

Off down to Shrewsbury today to watch Godson play for Derbyshire juniors. Sandwiches made - just need to pick up a lattice pork pie.

[Puskas]

Sod the Olympics, with its small boys failing to get gold/silver/bronze badges for jumping into water, and its pillocks prancing about on mats in leotards (why not use leopards instead - only one letter different, yet far more entertaining) - the second test starts today.

Marvellous. Let's get back into it.

And we can watch another Lanky collapse whilst we're at it...

[Puskas]

Flippin' 'eck - four seamers, no spinner, and inviting South Africa to bat.

Recipe for disaster? Risky, at any event.

And, at Aigburth, Gareth Cross out early. Useless DMB.

[BWFC_Insane]

So instead of doing what we need to and playing 5 bowlers we leave our spinner out to bring in a 4th seamer.

Can only be cos they think our batting is shite.

About time we batted properly consistently, rather than tinker around with 4 slots that will struggle to bowl out the very best!

[Puskas]

So instead of doing what we need to and playing 5 bowlers we leave our spinner out to bring in a 4th seamer.

Can only be cos they think our batting is shite.

About time we batted properly consistently, rather than tinker around with 4 slots that will struggle to bowl out the very best!

Yes. I believe Strauss and Flower wanted to get to number one in the world - how on earth would they ever achieve that with only four bowlers?
It's not as if we've won many matches in the last few years with only four bowlers, is it?