England had a little wobble after lunch but Bell and KP and going along very nicely, sadly I think the weather will win this test, doesn't look good for the next 2 days at least, about time England passed the 400 mark at home as well, it's been over 12 months soince they hit 400+ in the 1st innings in a home test.

 

Looks like Colly's going to give way for Flintoff pretty soon....

I'm not sure what to think about Ambrose.. his keeping is fine, but he's another one that can't buy a run this season....

Where's Milamber ?

 

Trying to get over Bell's highest test score

So what do we do, cash our chips in now and declare and try to bowl them out or keep going to 600+ and then bowl them out twice, weather will still play a part, it's looked threatening all day but we've only had a couple of showers thankfully.

 

Bat until an hour before close then declare... with 42 overs left and scoring at 4+ per over it would be 600+ and 2 goes with the new ball, tonight and tomorrow morning. Looks a batting wicket, but can't be sure until we've had a go.... it's a different situation looking at 400 for the follow on

Highly impressed with Broad (again).

I think the SA bowlers will be more of a handful at Old Trafford and The Oval.

 

Their bowling has been woeful over the 1st 2 days, they've had the length but nowhere near line and length.

I think we have a chance I expect our bowlers to bowl a hell of a lot better than the South Africans have, I totally agree with your comments about Broad, he gets better with each test, Hamrison will stryggle to get back onto the England scene and I fear for Hoggy also, 4 years ago he ripped them apart in South Africa, where is he now.

If they come back out after tea I expect bell to get to 200 and then declare, that said it's been raining here at Heathrow for the last 30 mins, nothing heavy but it aint stopping and it seems to be moving East towards central London, fingers crossed for a resumption later.

 

199 , gutted for him tbh...

593/8 declared

 

You know those occasions when you don't know whether to laugh or cry.......

 

Very impressed with Broad again today
Collingwood wasn't even close to out, so it's a bit unfair to judge him for it

Gutted for Bell Thought Sidey did a cracking job of standing (sorry, ducking ) in front of Steyn to help him along at the end though

 

Work has kept me busy, nearly broke my long lasting record of never having worked a friday since I joined the company today but managed to leave early

It's been a long time coming but we've finally got more than 400 in the first innings, what's it been 12 matches in a row? When we beat it we really beat it

What possessed SA to put us in first, bet they regret that now

KP back on form, Bell with a career best (wait till the 2nd innnings though) Collingwood a bit unlucky..... getting a good feeling about this one.

What's happened to Essex - We've only started winning games Napier finding his form in a big fashion 16 sixes and 10 fours in an innings - COME ON

 

I know the feeling, MIddx are in the same boat, Malan had a great knock in the 1/4 against Lancs.

Finals day should be good

 

Did anyone hear his interview yesterday evening on Five Live ?

Because they were late out of the dressing room they took some flack from the Lords crowd, with a few witty punters chanting "Are you Pakistan in disguise" towards the SA balcony.

He was not happy and he really did sound like he was about to start crying, grow up mickey it's a bit of banter, surely you were used to worse than that on the pitch !

 

Just caught up with today's play as I was at Goodwood all day

Did well without much more than a hint of help from the pitch, bowled well as a unit. Experience showed in the line, and importantly length.

Fingers crossed for another good day tomorrow

 

a bit of a grim day today

 

The South Africans were at their cheating best yesterday, they didn't complain when Strauss was given out caught when the ball hit the ground but when Vaughan took a blinding catch they sent their batsman back to the middle and he was then unbelievably given not out

 

Considering that Simon Jones has been back to something like his best with Worcs, why hasn't he been drafted back in again, and not an untried?

I would have thought that Headingly would suit him down to the ground.

Alcazar

 

If there one ar$ehole id like to tw@t its that runt Graeme Smith...hate the man

 

I couldn't agree more, unbelieveable

As for Smith, he's the biggest cry baby in Cricket, Freddie looked as fit as I've ever seen him, should be another interesting day at Headingly.

 

we could do with another couple of breakthroughs or its gonna move away from us...

 

Should have played it in Scunny..........it's hardly stopped raining here

Alcazar

 

We sucked big time over the 4 days.

 

and continue in the same fashion today

 

Vaughan has to be dropped. We're playing with 10 men every test.

 

well 9 with Bell in the team
See he rreached his psychological barrier again today, got to a milestone, lost concentration and OUT

 

Vaughan stays, I know the runs have dried up but that was bad luck today and bad luck in the 2nd test.

He's still the best Capt we have, by a distance, I dont understand why Colly was dropped for his poor batting, but back in after only one test out WTF, I know they dropped Broad because they thought he was tired, that hasn't stopped him playing for his county today and the lad has a better run rate than Colly at present.

Dire at the moment ......

 

I agree, I mean, whos gonna replace him if he was dropped, why not bring back Hoggy, Jones and Harmi, get them fast ones flying into the ribs of the boks IMO.

 

I'd love to see Jones given a crack, although I'm seriously biased as I think when fit, which sadly hasn't been too often since 2005, he is the best English fast/swing bowler England have, and he is fit and on form again, it's a no brainer.

Harmy has had his chance's, he hasn't got it upstairs for me, bottled it too many times, whinges for England and not the sharpest tool in the box.

Hoggy got lazy and complacent but seems to have bucked his ideas up on the county scene, he is also worth a punt, not many lbw's in this series, Hoggy is the lbw master.

As for the keeper, what odds Jones gets his old spot back any time soon.

All imo of course

 

Pieterson's got the switch hitting out of the bag again

 

ah c*ck

 

Nice to see Collingwood digging in, I reckon we'll have a torrid time tomorow when they get the new ball though, would be nice to set them 300 to win but its asking a lot., either that or lots of rain....

 

Agreed Harmison is guttless he response to being dropped from the one day side was to retire from one day international cricket !!!