Posts tagged ‘south africa cricket’
South Africa All Out, Referrals Not Convincing
England dismissed South Africa for 418 in their first innings of the first Test at Centurion, in what is warming into a nicely balanced contest.
The tourists will be fairly happy with their display. The bowlers worked hard for their ten wickets, Graeme Swann the pick of the bunch with 5 for 110.
For the hosts, Jacques Kallis stroked a chanceless hundred and there were decent contributions from Ashwell Prince, JP Duminy and Mark Boucher – but none made enough runs to take the game away from England.
The one contentious issue has been the new referral system. On day one it worked splendidly, giving reprieve to Prince and AB De Villiers.
But, on day two, Graeme Swann trapped Morne Morkel on the crease and everyone – umpire Steve Davies included – thought it was a straight forward decision.
Hawkeye, however, disagreed and Morkel was given another life. From every angle I saw, it looked as plum as an lbw can be.
If the system is there to make Test cricket better – and it needs something given the terrible crowd at Supersport Park – I’m not sure this system is it.
Watching Morkel, a hulk of a man, prod around for an extra half hour, blocking and nudging, is not going to turn anyone’s eye from Twenty20.
As if batsmen need any more help in this day and age; bigger bats and smaller boundries, now coupled with some extra lives, spells a dark era for the world’s bowlers.
Plenty to Ponder for Selectors After Loots Goes Ballistic
England escaped with a 1-1 draw in the Twenty20 series and more questions may have asked than answered.
Let’s start with the positives. In Eoin Morgan, England have unearthed a real gem from the Emerald Isle. The young Irishman gave another expert example in finishing a limited-overs innings with a blistering, unbeaten 85 in the first match. Morgan whacked 7 fours and 5 sixes – including a towering heave out of the ground over square leg, off Dale Steyn, which left the South Africa quick scratching his head.
Similarly, Jonathan Trott seems to be a man with unnerving temperament and bags of talent to boot. Trott picked up where he left off in the Ashes, hitting 84 in his two innings at a decent rate.
Paul Collingwood and James Anderson also looked in good nick and Kevin Pietersen’s breezy 29 at Centurion suggested three months away from cricket has not dented his confidence.
The story elsewhere looks rather more glum.
Joe Denly was out first ball at the Wanderers, making it two in a row, and managed only 14 in the second game today.
Whoever decided picking Alaistar Cook in this form of the game needs to take a serious look at themselves. England, for the large part, played positive cricket in both games, but what kind of message is it sending about the side’s commitment to Twenty20 when they select someone with such a lack of purpose to bat in the powerplay.
The bowling was, at times, even worse. Sajid Mahmood has learnt nothing from his couple of years out of the national set-up. After disappearing for more than 10-an-over in the first game, he was smacked to all parts by the brilliant Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman this afternoon, conceding 61 from his four overs – the second worst figures in internatonal T20. He will hope his chance has not come and gone.
Equally, Tim Bresnan bowled far too many four-balls and Adil Rashid was drilled for 21 in his only over today.
England will need to improve before the one-day series begins on Friday if they are to return with anything other than an overwhelming defeat.
The Opening Fatsman 