England Vs South Africa.1st Test 17 december.

[Ernest]

Please post here your comments on the England Vs South Africa starting Friday 17th Dec.

Comments and chat about England Vs South Africa, can be posted here any time before or during the Test Match.

[vosser]

LETS GET THIS THREAD MOVING.

A little news From the South African perspective going into Fridays game...

GSMITH - Struggling with a stomach bug - expected to be fit
ABdeVILIIERS - All but been handed his debut by RJ, Likened to an immature Sehwag or Gibbs in todays Press Conference
JKALLIS - Struggling to overcome ankle injury, 20% chance of not playing, 50/50 on whether he will bowl or not.
BDIPPENAAR - Struggling with Food Poisoning - doubtful
ZdeBRUYN - Struggling with a stomach bug - expected to be fit
AHALL - Struggling with a stomach bug - expected to be fit, recently RJ likened him to a gladiator (fight to the death)
NBOJE - Has just undergone operation to remove cyst from neck, bowled 40 min today, will make final decision on Fri am
DSTEYN - All but been handed his debut from RJ, has been told to bowl with pace and freedom
TTSOLEKILE - is struggling with a spate of Tonsillitis - 50/50 chance of playing

As time winds it's way down and the fingernails are getting shorter as the warmup game has only served to intensify the battle and alter the mental approach of the SA side, I'm looking forward to a series filled with experienced contenders and rookies with a lot riding on their yet to be proven skills. There are a few players in both sides who will have to take big strides in order for their teams to be successful - can't wait till Friday

[Ernest]

Bet you one Rand they are all fit by Friday!

[vosser]

Thats a mighty step of faith considering you have bet me around 8p, I do think they might seriosly have a problem with NBOJE. It may be a case of batting first to give the likes of the upset stomachs a couple of extra hours, and there is no doubt that Kallis will play even if he is riding on pain killers and wont bowl. I hope they play AB de Villiers as a keeper as well although there doesn't seem to be any news showing that thinking so I reckon Tsolekile will play and Amla and Boje will miss out.

[Ernest]

Well I hope as many as possible will be fit, quite often a lot can happen in the night before a Test Match starts, I would hope unwell players and the like, don't mar what seams will be a great series.

[Zainub]

Boycott is as skeptical as ever (writes for BBC here), he thinks England will be "lucky" to get a draw out of the first test...I disagree with Boycoss strongly, how much ground could have England lost losing a practice match, certainly not enough to suggest they have lost the initiative.

England still favorites for this I reckon. By far.

[Beny]

Right, I'm off to the South African Embassy to see if I can become a temporary SA citizen.... I wonder If I get a free flag?

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Beny

Right, I'm off to the South African Embassy to see if I can become a temporary SA citizen.... I wonder If I get a free flag?

What size sir

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Zainub Razvi

England still favorites for this I reckon. By far.

I'm with Boycott on this one. I just feel we could be under-cooked and that will mean that despite being the "Best Team" (Boycott's view) then we could lose to a team who are well drilled and prepared..

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Zainub Razvi

England still favorites for this I reckon. By far.

Hi Zainub,
Boycott has a point, but he don't half talk some twaddle.
I think England thought they could just stroll that opener, lessons I think will have been learned.

If you look at the batting of England, some of it was a run a ball, then out, can't see them playing like that in a Test Match.