Philandophilia: England in South Africa 2019-20

[Antepli Ejderha]

Match result: SA win

Chosen batter (first innings): Denley

Chosen bowler (first innings): Philander

South Africa first innings score: 300-349

England first innings score: 250-299

[Kevin S]

Match result: England win

Chosen batter (first innings): Elgar

Chosen bowler (first innings): Broad

South Africa first innings score: 250-299

England first innings score: 250-299

[Kevin S]

I should have bumped this yesterday. Never mind.

Anyway, England win the toss and bat first. Mark Wood replaces James Anderson.

[Sporting]

I should have bumped this yesterday. Never mind.

Next test?

[Kevin S]

Yeah, why not.

[ad hoc]

Ah damn, I meant to do this, but forgot. Now we're underway so not fair to do it now.

[ad hoc]

I would have picked SA for the win, but as the reports so far suggest that the pitch is very slow and rain is forecast every day, it sounds like a pre-ordained draw to be honest

[Etienne]

This is very old school.

[Antepli Ejderha]

61/0 at lunch with the pitch and conditions favouring the batsmen. It seems an age that the England opening partnership has reached lunch intact.

[Kevin S]

Apparently it really is an age.

Cook and Strauss, England v India, Fourth Test, 18 August 2011
8 years 4 months 29 days ago

[Nocturnal Submission]

Apparently it really is an age.

Cook and Strauss, England v India, Fourth Test, 18 August 2011
8 years 4 months 29 days ago

Astonishing!

[Sporting]

Getting in and then out when set again.

[Kevin S]

The collapse is on, and that was a close escape for Stokes.

[Etienne]

I guess a lot depends on whether you focus on the pitch (not much in it for seamers) or the series (300+ is a big score) to judge how well England are doing. Not bad, but could do with a partnership here is my feeling.

[Gangster Octopus]

Cricinfo appears to have died...

[ad hoc]

Cricinfo appears to have died...

Yes i just came to the exact same conclusion

[E10 Rifle]

Follow it on the OBO

[Gangster Octopus]

The advantage of cricinfo is that you can have a tab on a browser which keeps showing the score without having to have the whole thing visible. Important when you're working...

[Sporting]

Seems ok now.

[Kevin S]

Is it ok to refer to this fifth wicket partnership as 'Pokes'?

[Satchmo Distel]

I'm reaching a view that England are just a better side than South Africa right now, though it helps that they've won all three tosses. Must feel like deja vu for the hosts.

[ad hoc]

Raining in Port Elizabeth, which rather goes against the "Port Elizabeth, weather fine" earworm that i get whenever I hear or see the words Port Elizabeth

[Antepli Ejderha]

Play started at 8.45 GMT. That was despite another short shower delaying the start. It's meant to be hot and humid today so good for some swing, possibly an advantage to England.

[Antepli Ejderha]

South Africa bowler Kagiso Rabada has been banned for the fourth Test after picking up a demerit point for his celebration of the wicket of Joe Root yesterday.

Rabada out of the final test. Was it that extreme of a celebration?

[Kevin S]

Well, perhaps it wasn't really acceptable to get as close to Root while yelling as he did?


I thought the sanction seemed over the top compared, for example, with Buttler's 15% fine, but I think Rabada might have had warnings or fines about this before, which always increases sanctions from the ICC.

Puts a dampener on the series too, a shame all round.