Day 5, 4th Test - SA Vs Eng - Johannesburg

[Richard Jenkins]

well, it's nearly tea and SA are 98/5
Batsmen: R B 4s 6s S/R
HH Gibbs (RHB) 65 91 12 0 71.43 Striker
N Boje (LHB) 6 13 1 0 46.15 Non-striker

Bowlers: O M R W Econ
A Flintoff (RFM) 7.4 0 21 0 2.74 (3nb, 0w) Golf Course End
MJ Hoggard (RFM) 11 4 30 5 2.73 (0nb, 0w) Corlett Drive End

[Occasional Fan]

I've got a BBC ticker in operation now, FF. Slightly slower than Cricinfo, and less information in terms of ball by ball stuff, but at least it's somewhat current. Can't open any Cricinfo pages at the moment.

[Mike_Hock]

Have you tried skysports OF? Informative and funny at the same time. www.skysports.com and follow the links

[Occasional Fan]

I'll have a look there as well, Mike. Unfortunately, I get the impression from general performance of my computer at the moment that I may also have problems closer to home. Cricinfo is still a non-starter for me, I'm having no problems here and with the BBC, but Skysports also doesn't want to know at the moment. Will be upgrading my internet link in the next few days from whatever it presently is (128kb/s, I think) to 512kb/s, which may help me a bit.

[Maranello]

OF you are not the only one. Cricinfo is still stuck on over 10.5 for me, and most other sites are a trifle slow today. WAT is by far the worst, slower than molasses. Anyone know why?

[flanflinger]

Smith will bat, if required, against Medical advice, is the latest.

[Maranello]

Given the general problems with bad light throughout the series, we probably would not get all the remaining 2.5 hours after Tea today. MPV knew that obviously, as well as the fact that apparently, the highest 4th innings winning total here has not crossed 150. Should he have declared earlier, eg, when Giles got out, and the lead was over 260? Would be a travesty if this one is drawn too, with SA 8 or 9 down...!

[flanflinger]

M,

Don't think MPV wanted togive them a sniff of victory. Plus with so many runs it give him the opportunity to set very attacking fields...

Light fairly good... they have gone off on average at about 5.30 local time (according to Bumble) so they have just less than two hours to get 5 wickets. In the last two hours they have done exacly that,

Game on!!

[Occasional Fan]

Well, I said this morning (honest: you can find it on page one) that MV should declare if we got a lead of 280 to 300. He waited until we were 324 ahead, so I suppose I would have to agree, Maranello, that he could have declared half an hour or so earlier. But we have to be fair to him: we are commenting just after tea on a decision he made just before lunch, and I am sure that Vaughan did not expect to have five down by now any more than we did. All we - and the England team - can do now is look forwards, hope that the rain and the clouds stay away, and hope that we can get another five wickets.

And to respond to Flanflinger, I'm not surprised that Smith has indicated he will bat if needed. Frankly, he has little option. Without in any way wishing him harm, he knows that this is a tough game and, if nine wickets go down and he has to choose between forfeiting the game and coming out and giving it his best, well - what would any of us do, assuming we could put one foot in front of the other?

[flanflinger]

OF,

Your right Smith may have no choice, but with Harmison bowling at 88 MPH, and Hoggard Swinging the ball, I wouldn't want to be batting with mild concussion!!