England v South Africa, 2nd Test, Old Trafford, 25-29 August, 2022

Extras keeping us in it right now. Crawley looks a bit lost, like he’s not sure whether to stick or twist.

51 partnership… 27 to Bairstow, 20 extras and just 4 to Crawley. The Bromley Boycott?

I’d have taken Nelson for 3 at stumps when we started the innings, never mind when Root fell.

Make 250 and we’re well in charge. Though an awkward little chase might be tougher than taking on 300 with little to lose…

Poor ol' Joe has gone off the boil somewhat.

I guess even great batsmen have their lean spells.

Let's hope Jonny can convert.

I think SA were guilty of overthinking things at the toss here. Two spinners, bowl last? If you’ve just rolled a side over twice in 90 overs, you stick them in again if you have the chance, especially if it’s going to do a bit early on. You’ll probably end up bowling last anyway, and only batting once…

Aye beams. I was surprised they left Jansen out (or was he injured?).

It weakened both their batting and bowling IMHO.

beamer wrote:I think SA were guilty of overthinking things at the toss here. Two spinners, bowl last? If you’ve just rolled a side over twice in 90 overs, you stick them in again if you have the chance, especially if it’s going to do a bit early on. You’ll probably end up bowling last anyway, and only batting once…

Exactly. Plus, Bazball...

JGK wrote:

beamer wrote:I think SA were guilty of overthinking things at the toss here. Two spinners, bowl last? If you’ve just rolled a side over twice in 90 overs, you stick them in again if you have the chance, especially if it’s going to do a bit early on. You’ll probably end up bowling last anyway, and only batting once…

Exactly.   Plus, Bazball...

Yeah, it only works when chasing, so why put that in the mix? Could be a toss cock-up to rival Nasser in Brisbane or Drunky at Edgbaston…

After a productive start for us, The Phone now has our number, dialling it in at 90mph plus and seeing off Jonny and the Bromley Boycott.

This could end up not much beyond parity, or a three-figure lead. The next hour might decide this match. Foakes needs some runs, as does the captain to an extent.

Decent fight by Stokes and Foakes to put England in front.

Nortje certainly worked up a head of steam.

Surprising the spinners are on after lunch here.

Clearly I got it wrong about Jansen being so promising; he got dropped for this ordinary Harmer fellow.

Harmless mk 2? On this evidence, there was a benefit of Brexit…

(Watch him run through us as we chase 150 in the second innings now…)

beamer wrote:Harmless mk 2? On this evidence, there was a benefit of Brexit…

(Watch him run through us as we chase 150 in the second innings now…)

Very ordinary, surely Elgar is not much grey matter to select him ahead of Jansen who looks like he can bat better than him too. Elgar also opted to bat first in bowler-friendly conditions.

Excellent 100 stand for England.

skully wrote:Excellent 100 stand for England.

It was, but one would have to question Elgar's decision to let the batsmen settle in against inocuous slow bowling. It seems Elgar may have backed the poms.

The Stokes/Foakes stand was only 4 short of the record 6th wicket stand by England v SAf in England - Mo and Neph put on 177 at Lords in 2017.

Red wrote:

skully wrote:Excellent 100 stand for England.

It was, but one would have to question Elgar's decision to let the batsmen settle in against inocuous slow bowling.  It seems Elgar may have backed the poms.

His faith in the spinners here, from team selection onwards, is bizarre. Completely over-thinking it, at best. Facing a shaky batting line-up with a fearsome pace attack, surely there’s only one route to take unless you’re on a dustbowl in the subcontinent.

skully wrote:The Stokes/Foakes stand was only 4 short of the record 6th wicket stand by England v SAf in England - Mo and Neph put on 177 at Lords in 2017.

I will also stick my neck out and make the call that that was the record partnership between two players that rhyme (dunno if Peter Willey ever had a decent go with Graham Dilley), AND the record between two blokes called Ben

Does Chappell rhyme with Chappell?

Does Waugh rhyme with Waugh?

So the much vaunted SA pace attack was brought back to earth. England also showed that you don't need Bazball approaches to win tests. Poms have a keeper who can bat, SA have lose one in QDK.

Root to open the bowling. i know theyr leftys but it seems a waster of a nearly new ball.
robbo must have been cursed by the anti racists; hes bowling well but cant get
a wkt.

Broad bowls Markram with a no-ball but it only costs 6 runs. An injured Golden Razzie almost timed out as he struggled to get his glove on over his dodgy finger…

England keeping the foot on the throat of the Yarps with a 3-65 session.

Better for SA in the afternoon session. Is it me, or has the pitch died a bit?