Cricket...'as you were'...

[swee'pea99]

There was always something a bit Twilight Zone at the idea that England were 'the best cricket team in the world'. All my life, it seems, I've watched the middle order collapsing before the other lot go out and whack it about with cheerful abandon. Almost a relief, then, to see the natural order re-established. But God, they don't do things by halves, do they? What a mauling. Boys against men. Just like the old days...

 

[Maz]

I'm still wondering if Amla was fasting during the game as its Ramadhan. That would make his 300+ runs even more impressive.

 

[Chromatic]

I'm still wondering if Amla was fasting during the game as its Ramadhan. That would make his 300+ runs even more impressive.

I remember reading somewhere that he was.

 

[Durian]

I'm still wondering if Amla was fasting during the game as its Ramadhan. That would make his 300+ runs even more impressive.

Firstly I heard he was and then they said he definitely was not, (according to the BBC).

 

[Maz]

I remember reading somewhere that he was.

It's a long fast, too. Approx 3am to 9.15pm.
That's why I've given up cycle commuting until Ramadhan is over. I'd get a bit too hungry and thirsty.

 

[rich p]

Nothing to do with Ramadhan, he just got the runs

Spot on swee'pea though. If we lose this series then the Aussies take over as no.2 and England back in 3rd, which sounds about right to me. The rankings are spurious anyway. We're usually able to beat India and Pakistan over here but it's a different story on the sub-continent. Pakistan beat us 3-0 in the middle east recently for instance.

 

[Chromatic]

It's a long fast, too. Approx 3am to 9.15pm.
That's why I've given up cycle commuting until Ramadhan is over. I'd get a bit too hungry and thirsty.

He'd have been better off by getting out after a few balls and spending the day in the pavillion with his feet up (and so would we, maybe).
But seriously, it was quite an exceptional performance by him.

 

[Noodley]

Scotland wil be over-taking you in the rankings soon....

 

[User482]

Let's not get carried away - we've won series before now after we were thrashed in the first test.

 

[Nihal]

Scotland wil be over-taking you in the rankings soon....

<cough><cough><cough><cough><cough><cough><cough>.............oh,sorry,wrong thread

 

[Dayvo]

Let's not get carried away - we've won series before now after we were thrashed in the first test.

That may be true, but can you see a weakness in the South African team?

They have a very good fast bowling attack, which cleaned up the England batsmen without too much of a problem,backed up by capable spin bowling.

We don't even know how good their middle/late order batsmen are as they didn't get a chance to show their worth.

In our favour, though, we now know that Alviro Petersen is crap: an 8-ball duck!

 

[User482]

That may be true, but can you see a weakness in the South African team?

They have a very good fast bowling attack, which cleaned up the England batsmen without too much of a problem,backed up by capable spin bowling.

We don't even know how good their middle/late order batsmen are as they didn't get a chance to show their worth.

In our favour, though, we now know that Alviro Petersen is crap: an 8-ball duck!

I agree, but England were well below their best.

 

[Maz]

He'd have been better off by getting out after a few balls and spending the day in the pavillion with his feet up

I wonder if Alastair Cook was fasting in the 2nd Innings.

 

[roadrash]

ive just had a look at the rules for cricket, it seems all you need to do is stand on a field and wait for some rain then you can have your tea

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

England seem to be rubbish if the bowlers do not perform as the batting line up is very unreliable. The way Peterson got out in the second innings was terrible. The guy just cannot try and bat-out for a draw. The bowlers just knew if they bowled short and the ball went high he could not help but play the pull shot. It was embarrassing to watch I am sure that he got 2 top edges before they got him out with it. He is just not a team player in my eyes it's all about watching him perform, and most of the time he fails. As crap as the others were, he wins for outright stupidity in my book, time and time again.