1st Test: England v South Africa at The Oval Jul 19-23, 2012

[Hallatia]

pitch was much flatter day 1, they have been getting some turn out of it for most of the last day, but Smith and Amla just really frustrated the attack up front and then went on with it. There was some boring cricket from them up front, but halfway through the first session last night, they just revved the engines and flew to a partnership of 259. Biff played an exceptional knock in his hundredth test, but it was good to see him replaced by someone who plays much prettier and I'll post a picture just for Parraboy, because he is closing in on his century now too

At the end of Day Three, South Africa 403/2, lead by 18. Smith departed on 131. Amla is now on an unbeaten 183 and Kallis on 82*

 

[Twizzle]

draw coming up

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Kallis got his century last night. Well done fat man on your 100th pie of the tour.

 

[Hallatia]

he didn't get his century last night, 82 not out

 

[AlwaysGreen]

82 runs is nothing compared to his 100 pies.

 

[Hallatia]

this is the kind of pitch no one will want to bat last on, I can see a result coming, if South Africa can get a lead of around 300 with an hour or so left in day 4, then I reckon it's in the bag. I think at the moment, any result is still on the cards and it is what England can manage to do in the first session and a half which will determine whether they can stay in this match

 

[TheParraboy]

Could see a double ton to Jacques before declaration, worst case he will get 150 the great man

 

[Hallatia]

Great quote about Smith's dismissal yesterday "Imagine breaking a 259 run partnership and seeing Jacques Kallis come out to bat"

 

[Hallatia]

Amla just reached the highest score by a South African at the Oval, it's funny the commies wanted to double check if it was the highest by any South African or just by South African playing for South Africa

 

[VictoryFC]

Strauss smashing his glasses off a throw was brilliant. Don't think we've ever seen anything like that, or will again.

 

[Hallatia]

lol The Cricketer magazine just retweeted this from Iain O'Brien

It’s ok Eng, Kallis’s vulnerable point is coming up soon; well, not that soon, but the 180’s isn’t tooooo far away.

 

[Hallatia]

and there's Amla's second double ton, great knock, well deserved

 

[Hallatia]

Warney seems to really rate Tahir and expects him to extract what's in this pitch. It does look like it has a bit for the spinners. Nothing on the scorecard quite shows that yet, though

 

[Hallatia]

Kallis almost run out with SAfrica on a quadruple Nelson

 

[TheParraboy]

The great man brings up his 43rd test ton with a boundary

 

[Hallatia]

a little gesture for Mark Boucher and the great man just fires from there

 

[Hallatia]

the first time ever that England have had two consecutive 200+ run partnerships posted against them in test cricket anywhere in the world.
Lovely little stat that

 

[Hallatia]

interesting, another new ball coming up soon

 

[Hallatia]

The great man, 2000 test runs against England

 

[Hallatia]

oh, and, God Bumble is senile, but very funny to listen to