Cricket thread just for Cerbera

So all out for 309. Finn taking 4 wickets without bowling that well, and Anderson bowling well for only 3 wickets.

I was surprised England left out both Oniosn and Bresnan, needing to bowl SA out twice, and the released Onions takes 9 for 67 for Durham, and he ran out the other wicket to fall!

This leaves England with both Taylor and Bairstow in the batting line-up so they had better make their chance count.

I love Onions, only injury has prevented him from having as many Test scalps as Anderson imo.

Surely he'd be a better new ball option than Broad?

Oof, Cook edges through the slip cordon.

England really need a lead here.

39-3.

Struggling.

Step up, new boys!

Mock Cuncher wrote:

39-3.

Struggling.

Step up, new boys!

Your wish is Jonny's command.Good lad,proved me wrong,Steyn and Morkel tried to bounce the crap out of him but he played the short ball much better than against WI.Need a century tomorrow from someone,still could be an interesting match,hope the weather stays good.

Shame for Bairstow. Deserved his century there.

Not going to be much in it by the time Englands last two are out, even though Anderson is battling well with Swann at the moment and taken a nasty blow on the tip of his elbow from a bouncer.

It's hot and sunny there, 29 degrees, so bowling isn't going to be much fun for England so these tailenders could do with sticking around for as long as possible, even if they're not scoring many.

South Africa just have the edge for me, and if England don't have a wagging tail that puts on another 100, which would change things, then SA could rack up a big second innings score.

The new ball has got wickets for both teams. When you get past that it seems pretty flat for batting on.

The key to this one is how many wickets we can get early on in their second go. Pretty annoying the weather is so good there and our game today is rained off.

Jon L wrote:

The new ball has got wickets for both teams. When you get past that it seems pretty flat for batting on.

The key to this one is how many wickets we can get early on in their second go. Pretty annoying the weather is so good there and our game today is rained off.

Where are you Jon? It's hot and sunny here in wiltshire too.

'Sunny' Cornwall. Still raining here, almost all the games off.

Sorry Jon I wasn't gloating I didn't know what the weather was like elsewhere, and as it's sunny here and in London I thought it was a nationwide phenomenon that only happens once in a year or two.

It's been miserable here. I was watching the cricket all day yesterday as it really was too wet to leave the house.

No offence taken Jock, we have just had a nightmare season with so many games cancelled. It is no fun watching someone else playing when you are off!!

England into the lead. Good psychological boost but I still think SA have the edge unless we score another 50 or 60. Then with some good bowling they could be 3 down by the time they've caught up.

That would make an interesting finish.

This will be a result game now. Just half way through and first innings all done so its a straight forward one innings game now.

One of the bowlers has to step up and find a match winning spell from somewhere. Anyone who gets 5-50 should win the game for their team.

315 then. Good last wicket partnership though, and good to see Swann score a few again. He used to do this regularly.

Two quick wickets, and Amla dropped too. A big evening session here could be a series changer.

Kallis out,LBW Finn-he didn't think so but he was.Game on.

Greenskin wrote:

Kallis out,LBW Finn-he didn't think so but he was.Game on.

Not game on.England 12-2 chasing 346 to win.All over bar the shouting and there won't be much of that.

The frustrating thing is that England just haven't turned up. SA-like England-are a good side but not a great one, yet it's not really been a contest.

Bell and Trott to bat til tea, then Bairstow and Prior to smash the last hundred.

Mock Cuncher wrote:

The frustrating thing is that England just haven't turned up. SA-like England-are a good side but not a great one, yet it's not really been a contest.

Bell and Trott to bat til tea, then Bairstow and Prior to smash the last hundred.

I see KP got a golden duck for Surrey today.

That happens.

He's the one player you'd fancy to 'do it' tomorrow though.

Mock Cuncher wrote:

That happens.

He's the one player you'd fancy to 'do it' tomorrow though.

True enough. Don't think they'll ever select him again. Sad really, as it's all over IPL money and he's the only England player they want. If others were attracting big bids ,the ECB would have changed the rules to allow them to play.

If Trott rediscovered his old form he could easily bat through tomorrow and be the lynchpin while some others upped the run rate.

He could, but sadly he won't and I would estimate England all out for 203.

If this story turns out to be true, I reckon KP can kiss goodbye to his England career, not that he would be too devastated about it, but texting the opposition with advice on how to get Strauss out is just one headline too many for me.

Yes the Saffers wouldn't necessarily have gained any knowledge they didn't already have to hand, but it's the fact that he was prepared to do it in the first place.

If true I would consider it equal to having involvement with match-fixing or passing on information to a bookie for profit, and a long ban would be the usual punishment for that.

Pietersen's already 32 so a 4 year ban or so would leave him too old to miss that much top class cricket for so long, then expect to come back in good enough form to play International cricket again.

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Getting exciting now. A run out when chasing only 2.5 per over? Then caught on a no-ball and the closest attempted stumping just going in our favour.

England need 58 to win in 22 overs, 8 down already, and the new ball is due. Brilliant stuff.

Prior has lived on the edge here. Good stuff from England to get so close though.