England v South Africa, 3rd Test, The Oval, 27-31 July, 2017

Seems the ideal number 6 to me, assuming the top order is a bit more solid. Bat someone like him at 8 and he's wasted (same goes for Moeen really).

If those two are part of a five-man attack, someone has to bat at 8 though, and it's not going to be Bairstow or a specialist batsman. Nice problem to have in a way, but not if it means picking a passenger like Dawson.

Anyway, Westley and Malan in the squad for the Oval. All others apart from the injured Ballance retained - the Essex man will bat three (seemingly getting the nod over Stoneman due to the wish for a right-hander) and Malan becomes one of three options for the 11th man (they'll probably stick with the mascot though).

Well, "we are where we are" and "it is what it is".

We're very much in "taking a punt" territory now, more so than for perhaps a decade or two.

The apparent "chosen ones" have come in and failed to impress, or lost their way at county level before getting to that stage, or had it taken away by circumstances beyond their control. It's just become a case of looking who is in half decent form and giving them a go. Hard to back any batsman coming in now to play 50 Tests, though we might stumble upon a short term solution at least. We need to...

Wood out, two dads in.

Toby, or not Toby?

So Toblerones it is.

Lordy.

Malan to make his debut; Dawson is out. So the poms have got rid of Dawson and Ballance, plus deadWood.

The hosts choose to bat first.

Mark Wood, eh?

Was passed fit - then dropped out again.

Seems to be an injury waiting to happen. It is that short, springy "jack-in-the-box" run-up that does for him? Or is the run-up an attempt to lessen the amount of impact on his body?

Anyway, maybe he has to follow in the 4-over footsteps of Tymal Mills?

Or try spin bowling (a variant without too much torque or twist, presumably).


I can't see how they can take him to Aus, anyway, at this stage. Pity: yet another of those Bruce Reid, Simon Jones types, it seems. Too brief, too promising a career.

Jennings maintains his cracking form.

As in: cracking.

Westley looks OK. Jennings doesn't.

Root also goes, to a good catch behind, and England are in some doo-doo.

Seems strange that he would dive for that.

Well, that was short.

!"Herrrrrrrrrrrrrrre comes JON-NY!!!!"

Or rather, Stokes. Stokes keeps his #6 spot.

Malan got a jaffer, as did Root.

Root caught de Kock bowled Philander. Is that an R-rated dismissal?

Red wrote:Malan got a jaffer, as did Root.

Root caught de Kock bowled Philander. Is that an R-rated dismissal?

Loose shot.

Top knock from Piggsy and good effort from the Pom tail. Looks like the Poms are a real chance here. Weather might spoil what has been a good series. Should be a five match series

I haven't seen any comments about Duminy being sent home. Probably the end of his test career.

Anyone still questioning Stokes's value to this England Test side?

Great start for TRJ, even if he's one of those one-hit wonders of English seam bowling he's certainly made a mark on Test cricket. How do we get Woakes back in the side now, other than perhaps rotating/resting Jimmy and Sturat for the WI series?

Anyway, this series is turning into a 2015 Ashes tribute act. One side gets a half decent first innings score, the other capitulates.

beamer wrote:Anyone still questioning Stokes's value to this England Test side?

Great start for TRJ, even if he's one of those one-hit wonders of English seam bowling he's certainly made a mark on Test cricket. How do we get Woakes back in the side now, other than perhaps rotating/resting Jimmy and Sturat for the WI series?

Anyway, this series is turning into a 2015 Ashes tribute act. One side gets a half decent first innings score, the other capitulates.

Aye, win the toss, win the test.

Wow, SAf 8 fer bugger all after being 7 fer fark all (effectively 9 fer with Verny gravying his undies uncomtrollably). Looks like Toby 2-heads is a find.

Wonderful innings by Stokes to get the competitive total for England.

The Oval must've been jumping in the final session.

Roland-Jones...beginners luck or is he the genuine article?. I guess time will tell. In the meantime it looks like only the weather will save the Saffies.

Big Dog wrote:Roland-Jones...beginners luck or is he the genuine article?. I guess time will tell. In the meantime it looks like only the weather will save the Saffies.

He is rising thirty, so maybe a late bloomer. Not sure what he will do on our hard, flat decks though.

SA batting is often brittle.

A bit frustrating not to finish them off last night, as it may well have given them an additional wicket. I know, we'd obviously have taken this position at the start of yesterday...

Presumably Root will choose to bat again now whatever happens.