This South African side will sweep Pakistan....

They will win all the test matches in SA this winter.

The pace attack is perhaps the most relentless since the combo of Ambrose, Bishop and Walsh

I don't think any of them have been at their best. They're just pretty fortunate England's have been well below par.

(red) they were undercooked (red)

Pakistan are so unpredictable anything can happen. SA are a bit that way as well, didn't they win in Australia but lose to the Aussies at home? If they had the consistency to go with the talent they have (and the depth in batting to avoid having to revert to mediocre players like the red-nosed one) they would be number one by a mile.

I think they'll find Ajmal more difficult this time considering he's not even trying to bowl the ball anymore, that extra bit of unabashed chucking seems to help him a lot.

beamer wrote:Pakistan are so unpredictable anything can happen. SA are a bit that way as well, didn't they win in Australia but lose to the Aussies at home? If they had the consistency to go with the talent they have (and the depth in batting to avoid having to revert to mediocre players like the red-nosed one) they would be number one by a mile.

Wasn't that 4 years ago?

Rudolph is finished. Duminy will now slot in at 6 with de Kock at 7.

taipan wrote:

beamer wrote:Pakistan are so unpredictable anything can happen. SA are a bit that way as well, didn't they win in Australia but lose to the Aussies at home? If they had the consistency to go with the talent they have (and the depth in batting to avoid having to revert to mediocre players like the red-nosed one) they would be number one by a mile.

Wasn't that 4 years ago?

Rudolph is finished. Duminy will now slot in at 6 with de Kock at 7.

I thought it was around a couple of years ago, certainly after we took the Ashes back...

Surely they will stick with AB as keeper for the time being now given the depth it gives to the batting, and the ability to pick a fifth bowler if ever required?

beamer wrote:

taipan wrote:

beamer wrote:Pakistan are so unpredictable anything can happen. SA are a bit that way as well, didn't they win in Australia but lose to the Aussies at home? If they had the consistency to go with the talent they have (and the depth in batting to avoid having to revert to mediocre players like the red-nosed one) they would be number one by a mile.

Wasn't that 4 years ago?

Rudolph is finished. Duminy will now slot in at 6 with de Kock at 7.

I thought it was around a couple of years ago, certainly after we took the Ashes back...

Surely they will stick with AB as keeper for the time being now given the depth it gives to the batting, and the ability to pick a fifth bowler if ever required?

AB only averaged 40 for this series. Was only stopgap because of Boucher. Kallis will still be the 5th bowler.

I'd take a keeper averaging 40 when he averages high 40s as a specialist batsman, for the chance to play an extra batsman or have that flexibility in the side.

beamer wrote:I'd take a keeper averaging 40 when he averages high 40s as a specialist batsman, for the chance to play an extra batsman or have that flexibility in the side.

The point is that Kallis gives that flexibility.

taipan wrote:

beamer wrote:I'd take a keeper averaging 40 when he averages high 40s as a specialist batsman, for the chance to play an extra batsman or have that flexibility in the side.

The point is that Kallis gives that flexibility.

He's 37 though, surely you can only get a couple more years out of him, and with an ever decreasing bowling workload?

beamer wrote:

taipan wrote:

beamer wrote:I'd take a keeper averaging 40 when he averages high 40s as a specialist batsman, for the chance to play an extra batsman or have that flexibility in the side.

The point is that Kallis gives that flexibility.

He's 37 though, surely you can only get a couple more years out of him, and with an ever decreasing bowling workload?

We have Philander.

Jokes aside, AB has lower back problems.

Hasn't obviously shown any this series.



But then, England haven't often been out in the middle for any very extended periods of time I suppose!

F**k me, those two Yarpoz series really were in 2008/09. SA 5 draws out of 8 since (including 3 at home) which I guess is why they're not a long way clear at the top, when most sides tend to win at home these days.

SA just haven't been hammering teams. I'd say that before this series we've deserved the number one spot for the sheer weight of numbers. On which SA have been falling short. They are the better side, though, as I did fear.

And in these days of short tours with little acclimatisation, winning away from home suggests you are significantly better than the opposition. England's last home series defeat was SA in 2008, I think... This England team clearly peaked in 2010/11 though, as the previous successful version did in 2004/05 and it's the same issue, you can get a certain way with good but not great players, but you can't keep outperforming the sum of the parts forever, and in this time's case it seems internal unrest is a major factor.

Was last time, as well, wasn't it? I don't think England are still far away from being the best (if they're not playing in the subcontinent ) - as we've mentioned, we've been carrying an opener and can't get our numbers five and six firing together. Plus our spinner is becoming ineffectual (probably due to injury). Oh, and our bowlers have turned into dobbers (probably due to injury). And there're technique and/or mental issues in our batting order.

So, it's a pretty rosy outlook for our future...

So what does that leave? Oh yeah, a decent keeper-batsman and a young quick bowler who goes for a few runs but gets wickets. We should be able to stay above New Zealand, just about!

Well, it leaves us quite a bit dependant on how they recover. SA have exposed Cook's technical issues and he's falling (almost literally) back into bad habits - some time of when the T20WC is on could sort him out. Trott won't have to face Steyn for a while so he could be quids in. Little Ronnie is always more Falstaffian against lesser bowling attacks. The kids have shown flashes. I don't hold out much hope for the bowlers - none of them are going to be able to rectify their physical deficiences. Plus, alot of it rests on a genuine world class batsman who just happens to be an egotistical, divisive shitwad.

Well, we have to move on assuming he won't be available or selected, for the time being.

In terms of the bowlers, Jimmy A should still have a couple more years of being effective in favourable conditions at least. Broad is a worry, well down on pace and slipping back into old bad habits. He's still capable of a Fredaloesque spell out of nowhere, but most of the time this year he has looked totally unthreatening. Either give him some time off to sort out whatever the problem is, or a few injections and tell him to get the ****** on with it... either way he's not adding much to the team as he is right now, and his batting has gone backwards as well.

And Swann, injury problems as well, he's no youngster despite the relative lack of international miles on the clock and the alternatives are limited. And of course there's the issue of all three of them plus perhaps Bresnan and Finn as the "Twitter twats" clique said by some to be as culpable as KP in the recent goings on.

They better have good brooms.

the saffies have won 1 home series in the last 3 years (the last one vs the lankans). on paper they should win against the pakistanis quite easily, but one never knows with either team

dont expect any turners though

They didn't have Philander until recently, that in itself is a HUGE improvement.

Pakistan need to find a fast bowler very fast

Junaid and Gul are ok but the first change bowler has to be equally good if not better

I wonder if they will give a new fast bowler a chance or continue with M Sami

I wonder whats the story with Wahab Riaz! Despite a bit of promise he hasn't been given a chance at test level for a very long time.