I always relish series involving South Africa, even though I have an entirely unreasonable dislike of their team. It is always painful losing to Australia, but it’s no less galling to be beaten by South Africa.
And look what’s happened! Rumours abound that Graeme Smith, the most unmellowable of characters, might have mellowed. How boring. He’s now friends with Shane Warne when once he wouldn’t have leant him a sheet of bog roll, though I’m happy to report the rift between him and Kevin Pietersen still appears to be impressively wide. It will be fun watching them both toss if KP again captains in place of Collingwood for the Twenty20 and first ODI.
They’ve begun ominously, South Africa, with Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis (what a dynamic duo that pair are) both filling their leather boots with monstrous hundreds. Somerset managed a feeble 249 in response to their 515 for 3 declared.
After watching New Zealand for what has felt like a decade, it’s actually bloody exciting to think we have a brand new series coming up against a side I am itching watch. To steal a mate’s phrase, however, England could get “thoroughly shat upon”. Then again, the Boks are nothing but bottlers, so it seems only fair to stir the pot at this early stage and get the bok-bottling-ball rolling once more.
It should be a cracker! There is something utterly charmless about the South African’s (think Andrew Hall), until recently they have always played such negative cricket. These days though, despite the turgid middle order of Amla, Kallis & Prince they have such a thrilling pace attack they should be great to watch. Bowlers series are always the most interesting and these two sides have similarly gifted attacks (if you add Fred), I suspect the series will be decided on how England’s top order handle Steyn. And how much KP can piss off Graeme Smith.
There’s no love lost between the two teams in general, partly because they have been evenly matched Test teams in recent years.
I actually think South Africa’s strength is their batting. Ntini, Nel and Kallis are past their best and this is the first England tour for Morkel and Steyn.
Is Flintoff going to be fit for this series then? I really think that England will need a 5 man bowling attack against SA. That’s why I think that SA are the slight favorites for the series.
The Flintoff issue is a problem for England. He is clearly fit (15 first innings overs against Sussex and 19 so far in the second) but he still shouldn’t be over-burdened in a four man attack…
….but he still seems short of form with the bat and considering the middle order’s problems against New Zealand, can we really have Flintoff at six and Ambrose at seven?
Flintoff may be fit, but bowling 34 overs isn’t enough. He hasn’t taken one wicket yet in this match, and honestly, if he’s going to be selected it should be for more than just not breaking down.
I agree with you on the four-man attack issue, Phillip. I think in general, four-man attacks aren’t a good idea unless you have four exceptional bowlers (which England don’t have). It looks like England are going to play four, but I think that won’t be enough against a team as strong as the Proteas.
(Nick’s right, BTW. Proteas for cricket, Boks for Rugby.)
Flintoff should not be selected for the test series… if he’s going to make a comeback it should be in the ODI series to give him a bit more time and little more indication of whether he’s back to international standard.
Either way… I think England are really going to struggle. Losing the ODI series to NZ has definitely taken the wind out of their sails, especially with Pietersen’s insipid performances of late. (Although, we really should get out of the habits of thinking that England is just Pietersen and Flintoff!)
Well , Philip Oliver my friend.England won’t be facing nel,ntini & kallis.Think steyn,morkel & ntini in the bowling forms of their lives.
They ran through the mighty indian batting lineup(albeit on a greentop sans tendulkar) on their india tour after getting hammered in the first test.
I’ve observed enland for the last 10 years & I can say firmly that the proteas should win.
I cite the dukes ball used in england & the english batting
frailties against full swinging deliveries.
I agree Jatt- Steyn and Morkel are two of the three fastest bowlers in the world. Ntini’s always an awkward bowler, with good pace and a troubling angle, and Kallis is excellent pace-bowling support. Harris is often criticised as being the weak link in this attack, but his figures so far in Tests are very respectable- in fact, better than Panesar’s were at the same stage. Add in the determination that makes up their batting lineup, and I think they should win this series 2-1. Certainly Cook, Bell and Collingwood are vulnerable, and they’ll need to play out of their skins to withstand the pace barrage.
Jatt, I wasn’t doubting the threat of Morkel and Steyn (especially the latter) but just noting that they haven’t played Tests in England before. They wouldn’t be the first tearaway quicks to misfire at Lord’s and Headingly.
Steyn is a class act but will need to bowl better than he did in his spells in county cricket to maintain his amazing Test stats.
PS. Shaun Udal ran through India’s batting line-up in India, so it isn’t always the best measure.
Phil Oli, I was of the opinion that you weren’t aware of the current SA side.The last test series that they played was agianst india, hence I thought I’d update your GK.
Shaun Udal ran through india, Udal who??
Is there a bit of contempt there phil??
England haven’t won against India for ages now, 12 years to be precise.So lets not go down that road.
Its more your batting lineup,than the SA bowlers that lead me to raise doubts on your chances.
PS. I won’t be watching but will definitely catch up on a good hostile spell of fast bowling on the highlights as soon as I hear about it.
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