GLuvsMtb

I actually feel for the selectors as well. They followed a process with the likes of Parnell and McLaren, which did not work out, Duminy used all his chances and both Dale and Vern are injured. I think we need to re-look our domestic structure as the gap is simply too big between test and Sunfoil cricket. Perhaps instead of giving visitors a SA A game why not give our boys at least 2 Sunfoil games to try and get sone form back and give young and upcoming talent the opportunity to play against senior players in the national side.

It was lambs to the slaughter with no opportunity to rotate experience with inexperience. Felt sorry for Piedt, Morris and Rabada in particular.

The difference so far has been much tighter bowling from England. Our attack got rattled by the onslaught with the new ball. Lets hope we can find another combination for the Wanderers test that can take 20 wickets in the match. At the end of day 2 only 2 results seem likely, i.e a win for England or a draw. It puts into context how England has dominated this game.

The best we can do is bat out the rest of the match and keep the England bowlers in the field for as long as possible... and get someone to substitute their sunscreen with bum cream and then watch them roast to a lovely crayfish complexion.

Now that was a jolly good rogering we got from the Poms and that Ginger kid in particular.

3 out of 3 sessions for England. Bar a monumental collapse we're due to chase leather most of tomorrow. There are going to be a busy physio and 4 tired bowlers at the Proteas' hotel tonight.

To win tests you need 20 wickets. It seems like we are just hell bent on not losing this one opposed to looking to level the series. A mistake imo.

I probably would have liked to see Viljoen today in Faf's place. We are one specialist bowler short.

Its a scorcher in CT, so I suspect that bowlers will be rotated every 4 overs or so. I'm sure we'll see him soon.

I fully agree, but the question is: who to replace him with? Adams have a good stint at the Cobras, admittedly with a very talented player pool. Toyana has done wonders with the Lions with ageing players and young talent leaving (such as De Kock). Walters also seems to have a good setup at the Titans. The first two meets the colour criteria and would be the conventional choice. I would lean towards a more unconventional route like perhaps a Jacques Kallis or Sean Pollock as head coach. While they have limited coaching experience, they are both brilliant cricketers. Kallis could work well with Amla as both are soft spoken individuals that go about their business quietly, where Pollock seems to have a more engaging personality. Another option could be Jonty. I unfortunalely do not know the coaches in other domestic series in Aus / England / India to comment on their credentials for a possible stint as head coach for the Proteas. Perhaps a home series loss against England is the catalyst required to have a major clean-out.

With Abbott being doubtful I'd probably go for Morris at 8. I'm also hoping Viljoen gets a game somewhere. He's been bowling well in the Sunfoil games to date.

Ok. All out. Now to try and knock over England cheaply and bat better than what we've batted in the last 2 months.

BBL, IPL and the Caribbean League means one can make a good living and only play 20 overs a side.

If Piedt and Morne can hang around for a few deliveries, Elgar can try to get as close to England as possible.

If only Duminy and Abbot set themselves to do what Steyn is doing now... 190/ 5 is just so much better than 190/7.

One should be for general Vitality comments and this one for events that attracts a discount. Problem is forum members just pick the first thread they find and comment there.

In my books we had a reasonable day. Van Zyl looks a bit out of his depth and Hash and Faf both are not balancing well or timing it at all. AB is doing the right thing in playing positive. I suspect that Faf and van Zyl have only the second innings left to nail down a place in the side. If these 2 are to be dropped, I'd like to see a specialist opener like Puttick get the nod, and QdK in at 6, coming off a good 100 in the current Sunfoil match. Elgar is probably playing a definitive knock for a more permanent tenure as opener. Morkel and Steyn bowled better than Broad and co. Hopefully we can make the most of day 3 and try and get a good 70 or 80 lead. The first session tomorrow is going to be crucial.

I am all for tradition, but with shortened test series these days extended rain interruptions does not do the encounter justice. Why not start at 9am and give yourself potentially 90extra minutes if required?

I also think QdK did enough to get another crack at it.

Awesome vibe and an even better result.

This tour again illustrated what huge void was left by Jacques Kallis. He is the one player that would have grinded it out in every innings. During his career he got criticised for batting too slowly. I just think that he valued his wicket like no other player has done. Ideally we would have liked to have had at least 2 or 3 Sunfoil 4 day games by now to see how players that have been knocking on the door or are moving up the food chain are performing. I would particularly be interested in the openers and the likes of de Kock and Miller has to offer. What would also be nice is at least some coverage of the local 4 day games. We have very little insight in how our fringe players are doing, and when they get selected we often scratch our heads and wonder.

Abysmal by the Proteas... Can't blame the wicket in this test.

and I jinxed him

Ever played a poker game with a loaded deck of cards? The test series was always going to be loaded in India's favour. I hope that we now wake up and stop being so nice to our foreign visitors. Play some games in the sticks with no facilities, make sure the aircon in their change room is not working and prepare pitches for our bowlers. Historically we have been very gentlemanly about the whole thing.