England in South Africa

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Caesar

Caesar

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England in South Africa

A massive tour, as you can see. All the bells and whistles: 2 T20Is, 5 ODIs and a 4 Test series. It's actually nice to see sides playing a few tour matches before they get into the Tests for a change - kind of a throwback to the old days.

I'm going to be quite interested to see South Africa A in action - given the quality young guys the Test side has been blooding in recent seasons there should be some exciting talent on show.

This is a big opportunity for Andrew Strauss's side to consolidate and prove that they can match it with the big boys outside of England. I don't expect them to win the series, but if they're competitive it will give them a lot of confidence.


Fri Nov 6
Eagles v England XI
OUTsurance Oval, Bloemfontein

Sun Nov 8
Warriors v England XI
De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley

Tue Nov 10
South Africa A v England XI
OUTsurance Oval, Bloemfontein

Fri Nov 13
1st T20I - South Africa v England
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Sun Nov 15
2nd T20I - South Africa v England
SuperSport Park, Centurion

Tue Nov 17
South Africa A v England XI
Senwes Park, Potchefstroom

Fri Nov 20
1st ODI - South Africa v England
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Sun Nov 22
2nd ODI - South Africa v England
SuperSport Park, Centurion

Fri Nov 27
3rd ODI - South Africa v England
Newlands, Cape Town

Sun Nov 29
4th ODI - South Africa v England
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

Fri Dec 4
5th ODI - South Africa v England
Kingsmead, Durban

Wed Dec 9 - Thu Dec 10
South African Airways Challenge XI v England XI
Buffalo Park, East London

Fri Dec 11 - Sat Dec 12
South African Airways Challenge XI v England XI
Buffalo Park, East London

Wed Dec 16 - Sun Dec 20
1st Test - South Africa v England
SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sat Dec 26 - Wed Dec 30
2nd Test - South Africa v England
Kingsmead, Durban

Sun Jan 3 - Thu Jan 7
3rd Test - South Africa v England
Newlands, Cape Town

Thu Jan 14 - Mon Jan 18
4th Test - South Africa v England
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
 
Re: England in South Africa

I think it's safe to say that South Africa will win the tests and probably the shorter formats as well. However, I don't think it will be a complete disaster for England and the series will be closer than some predict.

South Africa have a lot of strength and on paper are the better team (man for man). England can compete with them though, I just don't think they'll do it consistently. It'll be a case them of them winning sessions and days as much as matches.
 
Re: England in South Africa

I really don't care for series that have the ODI's and T20's scheduled before the tests. Play the real stuff and then the junk cricket I say.

Can't see England winning a test at all to be honest. They don't stack up favourably in any areas against the Saffers, except possibly spin bowling, but that's of limited use of the South African decks anyway. It will be interesting to see how the English go without Flintoff, and who they choose to replace him. Prior looks good at 6, and you wouldn't really play a specialist batsman at 7, so they could either push Broad to 7 and play an extra bowler, or try out another all-rounder, such as Bresnan or Wright (personally I don't think either are up to test cricket).

Will be a very interesting series, regardless of the result.
 
Re: England in South Africa

England won the first Twenty20 match thanks to another stuff-up by the South Africans on the Duckworth-Lewis method. South Africa had the chance to win the game before the rain fell but an inability to score one more run before the rain fell cost them the match.

They have more than made up for that though in the second game. The Proteas finish on 6/241 off their 20 overs, better than two runs per ball (12 runs per over) which is fairly remarkable effort. Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman went ballistic early on, smashing just about everything in sight. They were helped by some poor bowling from England, Sajid Mahmood went for 60 from his four overs, Bresnan went for 48 off four, Wright 40 off 4 and Adil Rashid's only over cost 25 runs.

Smith scored 88 from only 44 balls with Bosman making 94 from 45. From there it was fairly easy for South Africa and they rammed home the advantage.

An almost impossible chase this for England. Hopefully they can come out and be competitive otherwise they could be in for a long summer.
 
Re: England in South Africa

Side fell apart completely without Paul Collingwoods sensational leadership

A pretty poor effort by England A though and their chase is a joke so far
 
Re: England in South Africa

eddiesmith;375556 said:
Side fell apart completely without Paul Collingwoods sensational leadership

A pretty poor effort by England A though and their chase is a joke so far
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I doubt Collingwood's captaincy and his bowling would have kept South Africa below 200.
 
Re: England in South Africa

England have now conceded three of the top four scores in International Twenty20 games, that's a worrying statistic.
 
Re: England in South Africa

mas cambios;375562 said:
One of those games. Small ground coupled with woeful bowling and they got what they deserved.
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Are you serious? Supersport Park is not a small ground I think it was merely a case of certain players dominating (Smith and Bosman) and the Bowling being swatted to all parts. Why Cook is captain ? - I thought he looked real planless and why give Rashid only one over - that wicket is where Imran Tahir does all the damage for the Titans.

Let me for the record state that I think this series is going to be closer than what everyone is saying. I think Trott will want to prove how much he has improved since leaving the country and I still cannot see South Africa being able to take 20 wickets.. Dale Steyn is out of form, Kallis is bowling less by the day and the English is a better Test side than ODI and T20s.
 
Re: England in South Africa

That bowling the other night was the most disgraceful exhibition of so called international standard bowling I have ever seen.

Guys banging it in halfway down and gettng dispatched into the stands, then looking on with a look of bemusement. Utterly disgraceful bowling.
 
Re: England in South Africa

I must admit that I am beginning to wonder if South Africa are giving caps away in the ODI series against England. Kallis gets injured, Gibbs comes in and today Morne Morkel is added to the squad.

Does this show that the "achievements" are being seen as nothing as they have done little to impress against England. Trott looks in form and wanting to make a point over his decision to play for England.

I think I would like others to tell me their observations over the growing team size of the South African team for this Series. Maybe the extreme rain at Johannesburg was a saviour :) , they might have been 2 - 0 down going to Cape Town ..
 
Re: England in South Africa

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;377203 said:
England are an ordinary team, I wouldn't worry, South Africa to win 3-1.
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From my memory England have looked like a pretty ordinary team for the past ten years, but somehow they keep notching up some good wins.

I think South Africa will have a struggle.
 
Re: England in South Africa

@Boris @LtD Guys they have won 7 straight against South Africa (In the UK and in South Africa) - this might be 3-1 in Englands favor ..
 
Re: England in South Africa

hattrick;377222 said:
@Boris @LtD Guys they have won 7 straight against South Africa (In the UK and in South Africa) - this might be 3-1 in Englands favor ..
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Thats rubbish, England cant win outside of England and are rubbish at limited overs, no way they could ever win a series!
 
Re: England in South Africa

@EddieSmith - The English won the last Natwest Competition, knocked the stuffing out of the Proteas in the Champions Trophy and have won the 2nd ODI (the first was washed out)..

The truth is that the English have done it recently without much words being sai about it comparing that to South Africa "World Number One" PR that we have been fed.
 
Re: England in South Africa

Australia have started doing it as well, maximise crowds by not having mid week games, remember when the tri series was around it was usually the 2 visiting countries playing on a Tuesday as they didnt expect anyone to go anyway
 
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