South Africa squads announced

[Uncle Leo]

Prediction - me to be in attendance for the 3rd Test at Newlands. Woo-hoo!

I have no idea whether the pitches will be decent or not, I reckon Saffers 2-1.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

The problem with an all-pace attack, it seems to me, is that right now we appear to be utterly clueless with the old ball. Once it's got to about 55+ overs, our "plan A" appears to be to chuck it to the spinner and grind through the overs until we're entitled to the new ball again. It makes me all wistful for Simon Jones.

That being so, I can't see how we go into the game without a spinner. Besides, it appears that South African wickets do take a bit of spin - or at least one is capable of tying down an end with a spinner. In his 12 Tests at home, Harris has picked up 33 at 28.3, which isn't too shabby at all. To compare: Swann's 7 tests at home have reaped 21 at 32.66, which makes Harris on paper the more potent.

I'd like Prior in at 7 - but I think we need four pacemen plus Swann, otherwise we're simply not going to get the wickets (Exhibit A: our performances this year at Cardiff, Headingley and Egbaston).

Matt

Agree entirely with your analysis of England with the old ball, except that chucking it to Swann doesn't really achieve anything, except taking overs out of the game. He may grind out a wicket here or there but I don't see him as a wicket-taking threat, merely an overs eater who, although he may flight the ball impressively, at the international level takes wickets as much through attrition as anything.

Harris doesn't really turn it (Geoff Boycott's refusal to call him a spinner, only a slow bowler was the highlight of when we last played SA) so I don't think you can read too much into wickets based on Harris' returns. More telling for me is that he has only one 5 wicket haul in that time and had to bowl over 40 overs to get it.

I'd borrow the Convicts' successful formula and go for an all-pace attack and use Collingwood (and maybe Trott and Bell) in the Swann role of eating up overs until the new ball and hoping that a change in the bowling might bring about a lapse in concentration.

The only way I can see England winning a test is if Broad or Anderson skittles the Saffers. It's a shame as I think this Saffer team is beatable.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

I dont think Ntini is a great threat

...other than at Lord's...

;)

Seriously, I think Ntini has a bit of a hex over some of the England batsmen. He probably moves it a bit more than (say) a Nel or a Steyn, and so the likes of Bell tend to chase him and chop him to the slip cordon.

Matt

 

[canveyshrimper]

The key is that their pace bowling attack is a good deal stronger than ours - with Morkel, Nel, Ntini, Steyn and Hall to pick from - and Kallis there as well - they can chop and change depending on form, fitness and venue. I still have my doubts about Paul Harris, but then he's no worse than (say) a Swann or Rashid.

3-1 Saffers, I reckon. Thoughts?

Matt

I think that both Hall & Nel are ruled out as they are Kolpak players with Northants & Surrey respectively, and I think they have settled for the security of county contracts rather than make themselves available for the Saffers.

Steyn is top class, it's possible that Ntini may now be over the hill, Morkel is good from what I remember from 2008 and Kallis is still formidable it just depends if he still has the heart for bowling. Harris is a trundler, and quite possibly the worst international "spinner" I've ever seen.

South Africa are strong in batting and Boucher coming in at 8 is dangerous. Apart from the convicts England are the only side to win there since readmission. Sadly I think the Saffers will win the series 2-1.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I think that both Hall & Nel are ruled out as they are Kolpak players with Northants & Surrey respectively, and I think they have settled for the security of county contracts rather than make themselves available for the Saffers.

Steyn is top class, it's possible that Ntini may now be over the hill, Morkel is good from what I remember from 2008 and Kallis is still formidable it just depends if he still has the heart for bowling. Harris is a trundler, and quite possibly the worst international "spinner" I've ever seen.

South Africa are strong in batting and Boucher coming in at 8 is dangerous. Apart from the convicts England are the only side to win there since readmission. Sadly I think the Saffers will win the series 2-1.

Don't forget Parnell.

He's a real talent, although at his age he is still inconsistent.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Don't forget Parnell.

He's a real talent, although at his age he is still inconsistent.

Good point, and he is good, although largely he's been used in ODI's & T20 matches.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Can't see past a Seth Efrican win to be fair... They're a cracking side on their home turf.

I was a little surprised to see Harmison omitted from the squad though. By his own admission he probably won't make much more Test Cricket and he showed his use in the Ashes... People talk about Flintoff, but the Aussies fear an in-form and hostile Harmison just as much, and quite rightfully to.

That said, I understand his reluctance to take a trip to the other hemisphere to serve drinks for a month, and the ECB's stance that they need to look at the future just as much as they need to honour the past is a reasonable one to take.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Can't see past a Seth Efrican win to be fair... They're a cracking side on their home turf.

South Africa lost at home earlier this year to the same Australian team that England just beat in the Ashes.

England also won last time they were out there.

 

[EastStandBlue]

South Africa lost at home earlier this year to the same Australian team that England just beat in the Ashes.

I try not to read too much into this Ashes series just past... I have a feeling that if Lee was fit for it's entireity, we wouldn't have been celebrating at all.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I try not to read too much into this Ashes series just past... I have a feeling that if Lee was fit for it's entireity, we wouldn't have been celebrating at all.

Maybe not, but Lee wasn't fit in South Africa and South Africa still lost to them.

South Africa aren't a bad side - whilst they've lost at home to Australia and England they've beaten both away - but they aren't invincible at home. I still expect them to be too strong for a very ordinary England side.