4th Test: South Africa v England at Centurion on Jan 22-26, 2016

[TheParraboy]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-england-2015-16/content/story/964187.html


Bit of trash talk from AB

Time to walk the talk lad.

Don't know about his "there are no dead rubbers in test cricket" comment. Poms (like in the ashes) would have celebrated long and hard after securing the series, they cannot be 100% physically or mentally as though it was a "live" test

Even though England have already won the series against South Africa, AB de Villiers has declared them "not unbeatable" in a feisty press conference ahead of the final Test.

De Villiers referred to cracks in England's batting, with three of the top five potentially playing for their places in Centurion. He also suggested that some of their bowlers "have lost pace" - a comment widely interpreted as an attack on James Anderson, England's attack leader who has so far only managed to take three wickets in two Tests.

"There's no hiding from the fact that they seem to know what they are doing. But there's also no doubt that there are weaknesses there, and we've exposed some of them - but not enough and not for long enough," de Villiers said. "Their batting is not 100% best-in-the-world material. The bowling line-up is very experienced but some have lost pace over the years but they're very smart and very skilled. They're not unbeatable."

With words like that, Alastair Cook warned that de Villiers may be asking for trouble from the England attack. "He's obviously trying to wind everything up and if Jimmy reads it he'll have a word," Cook said. "I actually think his speeds have been quite good in this series. It's a brave man to call Jimmy Anderson out but I guess it will spice up the match a little."

That does not bode well for South Africa's batsmen, who have had a torrid time of it in the last two months. They have managed only two scores over 300 and slumped to their two lowest totals since readmission - something de Villiers is not running away from. He admitted their performances were not good enough - "it's time for us to wake up a little bit now and start playing proper cricket" - but did not say whether much had changed behind the scenes to enable that to happen just yet.

For now, he offered fighting talk: "There are no dead rubbers in Test cricket. The game has got way too much tradition and culture and history for us just to rock up and think it doesn't mean anything. It's a huge game for us. We'd hate to lose 3-0. I think 2-1 sounds a lot better. It would be great to win a Test. We haven't won a Test for 12 months."

 

[Hutty1986]

AB's spot on. This isn't some amazing England side. Just might struggle to back his words up because a fair few of his team mates are nuffies these days.

 

[The Roth]

No one is unbeatable. Every test playing nation has cracks in it. Its up to the opposition to expose them and see how much they can paper over their own cracks.
I am under no illusion, The only reason England won the series is because South Africa are rapidly falling rather than England dominating them.
But I will take the win

 

[Pete Cash]

England are the best side right now IMO. Pace bowling matters a lot in test cricket and with steyn injured I reckon broads the best. Chuck in Anderson (aging) and some decent backups with Cook and Root they look to be a tough team to beat.

 

[Twizzle]

add Stokes to that lot, I like him

 

[The Charlatan]

They've got two very handy guys in Broad and Stokes, the former who is a great bowler and handy with the bat and the latter a good bat who can perform with the ball. Always handy to have guys like that as your #8 and #6 respectively.

 

[Pete Cash]

Yeah they bat a long way down considering they have Ali at 8 who averages nearly 40 in FC cricket.

 

[TheParraboy]

SA wont toss and are batting
0/28

5 changes to SA, Du Plessis dropped

 

[redvscotty]

Looks like Amla is back (bad for the rest of the world) but AB just got out for a duck.

Who's this Cook on 97, had a few shaky balls? He's on 97 so hope he gets the ton.

Forgot it was on otherwise would have had it on 3 hours ago grr.

 

[Iafeta]

He's Jimmy Cooks son. Jimmy was a great opening bat, but like the legendary Clive Rice when SA was readmitted he was unfortunately slightly past it. He got a first baller on debut. May have even been their first ball back. He scored 60 odd first class hundreds and was great on the English county scene.

 

[Twizzle]

Saffas 5/329

 

[Pete Cash]

Good strike back by the saffies. Could put some scoreboard pressure on the poms

 

[_snafu_]

Nice century from de Kock.

 

[TheParraboy]

AB averaging 35.00 for the series
woefull considering his status


Poms 2/138 in reply to SA 475

Poms need to bat all day today, if they do that they win the test for mine

 

[ANTiLAG]

England are the best side right now IMO. Pace bowling matters a lot in test cricket and with steyn injured I reckon broads the best. Chuck in Anderson (aging) and some decent backups with Cook and Root they look to be a tough team to beat.

Australia will thrash them in the next ashes at home.

Has everyone forgotten that Pakistan just beat them?

Anderson is older, he is slower, and he offers nothing on roads.

Broad is hitting his peak. Finn may give support. Moeen Ali a test class leading spinner? Oh he has his days like Durban, but I do not see him posing a consistant threat to opposition just yet.

And while Ben Stokes is capturing headlines right now, I am still not completely sold on him. He is still batting at 34 and bowling at 39 for his career. He can be a match winner, sure, but that same aggressiveness can lose matches when it does not come off.

 

[JJ]

Australia are hard to beat on flat decks, that is true

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Has everyone forgotten that Pakistan just beat them?

They won the series 2-0 it could have been 2-1 or even 1-1 all. If England didn't lapse several times during the series and got a bit of luck. They were very unlucky not to win the 1st test with bad light ending play with England requiring 25 runs.
I think Pakistan may struggle in England. They haven't won a series there in nearly 20 years.

Anderson is older, he is slower, and he offers nothing on roads.

He missed the first test with injury and has struggled to find his rhythm on his return. He is not done yet.
He was the second highest wicket taker against Pakistan and average 15.72 for the series. He will get a good rest and should bounce back against Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the England home series.

And while Ben Stokes is capturing headlines right now, I am still not completely sold on him. He is still batting at 34 and bowling at 39 for his career. He can be a match winner, sure, but that same aggressiveness can lose matches when it does not come off.

Stokes's bowling average when Bayliss took over was 47. now its 38 and falling He is slowly getting more consistent. He is only 24.

 

[ANTiLAG]

They won the series 2-0 it could have been 2-1 or even 1-1 all. If England didn't lapse several times during the series and got a bit of luck. They were very unlucky not to win the 1st test with bad light ending play with England requiring 25 runs.
I think Pakistan may struggle in England. They haven't won a series there in nearly 20 years.



He missed the first test with injury and has struggled to find his rhythm on his return. He is not done yet.
He was the second highest wicket taker against Pakistan and average 15.72 for the series. He will get a good rest and should bounce back against Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the England home series.



Stokes's bowling average when Bayliss took over was 47. now its 38 and falling He is slowly getting more consistent. He is only 24.

Bollocks. If Cook does not play yet another heroic innings, Pakistan win 3-0.

And Anderson averages close to 40 in Australia, that includes the 2010/11 series where he averaged mid 20's. Now he is older and slower.

Anderson offers nothing on roads. In case you missed the meaning, by roads I mean Australian pitches.

But here is a prediction, Stokes will play the Ashes and anything he does right will be praised by the Channel 9 commentators in a way that will make Mitchell Marsh jealous.

 

[Pennies]

Your would have to be a real mongrel to be death riding and running Stokes down this early in his career. Jealous he is not playing for his birth country are we?

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Bollocks. If Cook does not play yet another heroic innings, Pakistan win 3-0.

And Anderson averages close to 40 in Australia, that includes the 2010/11 series where he averaged mid 20's. Now he is older and slower.

Anderson offers nothing on roads. In case you missed the meaning, by roads I mean Australian pitches.

But here is a prediction, Stokes will play the Ashes and anything he does right will be praised by the Channel 9 commentators in a way that will make Mitchell Marsh jealous.

What rubbish.
England were a couple of overs away from winning the 1st test when bad light stopped play. All they needed was another 25 runs. Pakistan deliberately wasted time in the final overs, like any team would when they are losing and time is nearly up.
Cook did play a heroic innings because he can. Malik played a good innings in that test too.

England were out played in the 2nd test and were in the box seat for the third when Hafeez scored a ton in Pakistans 2nd innings to take the game away from England. The series scoreline could have been different had England been luckier, dug in for their 2nd innings in the test and not collapsed instead. Pakistan deserve to win the series but the result was closer than a 3 nil the thrashing you are proposing.

Anderson has always been a swing bowler, roads are not helpful to him.
Yet he averaged 26 out here in 2010. I acknowledge the pitches out here since then are less helpful to him. Yes he is getting older and picking up a few injuries bowlers do that. But he is not past it.
The next Ashes are just under 2 years away. I don't care about them or whether Anderson plays or not.

Anyone that is not totally biased can see Stokes is talented. Not many 24 year olds that play test cricket and can win games in there own right for their team. He is a special player and entertaining.