The ODIs at the end of test series are a bit like doing your tax return. You watch them out of a sense of duty more than anything else. They’re dull as dishwater and there’s usually some bad news at the end. A heavy series defeat is much like receiving a huge bill from HMRC. Both feel like a blow to the Jatz Crackers. However, things are finally beginning to change. England’s ODI side is actually pretty competitive these days, and watching them take on South Africa in their own backyard will be...
End of Term Reports
This time yesterday there was doom in the air. We’d won the series but been slapped in the face. It was like going back to a different era – a time when McCague and Ilott opened the bowling and our batting had less backbone than a raspberry blancmange. There were far too many schoolboy errors. Apparently we’ve now lost the last test of a series seven times out of eight. That’s quite an interesting stat. Is it fatigue, as England seem to play more test matches than anyone else, or is it...
A Bad Taste In The Mouth? Day 5 at Centurion
Let me start by saying that England have done tremendously well this year. There have been ups and downs, of course, but overall we’re going in the right direction. To win the Ashes at home and then beat South Africa away is a fine achievement. Hats off to the boys. However – and here’s the big ‘but’ – today’s performance was unacceptable. It was half-arsed and unprofessional. Anyone can get out to good bowling (there’s no crime in that) but England threw their wickets away casually...
Hanging On – Day Four At Centurion
I don’t particularly like this. It’s the bad old days all over again. The South African juggernaut has its boot on our throat and refuses to let up. We’re still alive … but only just. Unless Joe Root turns out to be a miracle worker, or Ben Stokes does something utterly ridiculous, we’re going to lose. Sad face. During the first hour today, it briefly looked like things might turn out differently. Maybe, just maybe, something special was afoot. Jimmy Anderson made...
Up Against It – Day Three at Centurion
Yesterday I asked the question whether England had the gumption to dig in and save this game. The answer was ‘sort of’. We didn’t exactly surrender meekly but South Africa have tightened their grip on this contest nevertheless. I can’t really blame our batsmen though (generally speaking). South Africa bowled very well. Rabada in particular was immense. He’s really mature for one so young. His approach is actually quite innocuous but the pace he generates is...
It’s Flat Folks – Day Two At Centurion
Once again that old cliche was ringing in my ears today: only judge a pitch when both sides have batted. So let’s do that. Conclusion? It’s flat. Not quite Newlands flat but flat enough. Although Nick Compton might beg to differ. Ahem. I missed the last hour of play but I’m assuming that shooter was an aberration. Only five wickets fell on the first day and only seven fell today – the majority of which were tailenders or batsmen totally out of form. Quentin De Kock...
