3rd Test South Africa vs England

[Zainub]

I think he looks nice/alright in his beard. I really do. From what I have seen the guys looks like he's struggling with self confidence or something like that...as if Ray Jenning or Smith have just blasted him telling him how poor his technique is and what not. I really don't think he's as bad as he is unfortunately making him self look right now, that guys has some stats at first class level, he skippered Western Province, can't be a mug, this has to be a phycological thing, surely.

Does have an unorthodox type of stance but lots and lots of player have had techniques like that where they've exposed their stumps...nothing new.

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by Zainub Razvi

I think he looks nice/alright in his beard. I really do.

I have to agree. It is a high quality peice of beardage.

I once heard a story that the reason why Dr. Grace was so effective was because he hid his pet ferret in his beard. Normally, no-one could tell and when the beard was inspected by match officials the ferret was never found, so abundant was the growth*. But every now and again, the little feller would poke his nose out just as the Doctor was about to bowl, or as a bowler he was facing entered his delivery stride. Obviously, distracted by the appearance of the ferret, many abowler dragged it short and was hit for 6, and many a batsman played the wrong line and lost his bails. Maybe Mr. Amla should follow the Doctors lead and find himself a tame meercat or mongoose......

He was caught once - in an attempt to win a drunken bet Dr. Grace hid an untamed badger in his beard. The unfortunate creature was dislodged when the Doctor ran a quick single and bit the umpire.

[Chuck Palumbo]

Decent session that was for England- Although the pitch has got a touch quicker today it is still very good for batting so to get the Saffers 7 down for 330 is a very good effort. You have to feel that Kallis is now the difference between SA getting 360-370 and getting 400+ so we need to get him out quickly.

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by Chuck Palumbo

Decent session that was for England- Although the pitch has got a touch quicker today it is still very good for batting so to get the Saffers 7 down for 330 is a very good effort. You have to feel that Kallis is now the difference between SA getting 360-370 and getting 400+ so we need to get him out quickly.

Its frustrating this. Having not 1 but 2 world class allrounders makes this SA team very hard to beat. They may only have 1 or 2 top flight bowlers, and 3 (2 at the mo' - Gibbs is in no kind of form, and hasn't been for a while...) class batsmen but when you get one of thier second rate middle order bats out, another one comes in, then another, then another....one is bound to get in... and Boje is a damn good bat for a no. 9!

And Kallis has been beaten again - SA have really rode thier luck in this match so far. Amla weren't out - but 2 equally clear decisions have gone against ENG, and they've offered more edges that have gone into space than I've had hot dinners!

Still, the pitch will slowly be losing that bounce we saw in the morning, so hopefully our boys will rack some up when they finally get in......

[Ernest]

South Africa are not doing England that much damage, scoring at less than 3 an over.

However I think the England bowling have failed to work out Kallis, they are trying nothing special to get him out, just orthadox bowling.

I suppose South Africa will make a score 400+, and so will England, a draw looks on the cards, even at this early stage.

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by Ernest

South Africa are not doing England that much damage, scoring at less than 3 an over. I suppose South Africa will make a score 400+, and so will England, a draw looks on the cards, even at this early stage.

Probably right. However, most teams to not boast a no. 9 with an average of 22! Much more often than not, SA woudl have been gone for 350ish and ENG would be in bat now. Boje and Kallis is countering a potentially winning position for ENG, and doing it very well.....

Kallis averaged over 80 last year Ern! If ENG have not worked him out, no one else has either! Maybe when you have a oplayer of that calibre, in that kind of form you can't work him out.

[Moss]

Re Amla - there's a nice little article on him in January's Wisden Cricketer - is quite glowing. That's why I was surprised to see him playing relatively poorly yesterday.
Probably nerves....
He asked for Castle Lager to leave his shirt blank, free from their logo, and they obliged as he's a strict Muslim.

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by Moss

Re Amla - there's a nice little article on him in January's Wisden Cricketer - is quite glowing. That's why I was surprised to see him playing relatively poorly yesterday.
Probably nerves....
He asked for Castle Lager to leave his shirt blank, free from their logo, and they obliged as he's a strict Muslim.

Very decent of them, that. And quite right too.

I've heard his name a bit, always as a great prospect. Make mountains of runs as an U19 international apparently. I'd still rather it was him at the crease than Boje right nowhough!

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Goatman

Kallis averaged over 80 last year Ern! If ENG have not worked him out, no one else has either! Maybe when you have a oplayer of that calibre, in that kind of form you can't work him out.

Yes Goatman, but they should have a plan, maybe bowling down the leg side to a leg field, and frustrating him, he I would think sooner rather than later, would hit out.maybe, probably, or they can just keep feeding him short deliveries.

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by Goatman

Very decent of them, that. And quite right too.

I've heard his name a bit, always as a great prospect. Make mountains of runs as an U19 international apparently. I'd still rather it was him at the crease than Boje right nowhough!

That's really nice to know. I hope he scores some runs in 2nd innings.