Did we all imagine that? What Ben Stokes did today was insane. It was both destructive and majestic. Innings like that are endangering T20 cricket. What impressed me most is that it wasn’t just adrenaline fuelled slogging; it was calculated brutality. Stokes picked the right balls to hit, and hit them he did … right into next week. Here’s a summary of the landmarks Stokes reached today: Most sixes in a test innings for England Highest test score by an England batsman against South Africa...
Stokes Blinder Batters Boks – Day One at Newlands
When Cricket South Africa tweeted England’s team news this morning, they reckoned that Stokes had been dropped for Anderson. Hard luck lads. You should be so lucky. Stokes might sound like Woakes but they’re very different cricketers. The Warwickshire man is typically orthodox (one might say stereotypically English) in style and approach. Stokes, on the other hand, just whacks it. He’s all swagger and aggression. And I love it. Before Stokes seized the nettle this afternoon, England weren’t in...
England’s Questions Answered – 1st Test Review
It’s hard to think of a more satisfying win. The Ashes were sweet but they came with a caveat: England played in conditions made to order and we won crucial tosses. We were also overly reliant one two batsmen: Root and the skipper. Let’s face it, we were lucky. This time it was different. Cook lost the toss and scored no runs whatsoever. Neither did Root in the first innings. Yet England prevailed thanks to a monumental team effort. Just about everyone contributed. All those supposed weaknesses...
Big Things From the Big Man – Day 4 at Durban
It’s hard not to like Steve Finn. He’s got the body of a giant but the soul of a puppy dog. He’s probably too nice to be a mean, hard-as-nails, fast bowling nasty. But who needs verbal aggression, and a vicious snarl, when you can bowl with decent pace and good accuracy from 6ft 7 inches? Finn has always let his bowling do the talking. And talk it does. Every time South Africa’s batsmen started to look a little more comfortable today, Finn duly delivered a devastating breakthrough. First he...
Steyn in Pain as England Rub Salt Into Wound – Day 3 at Durban
England are in control. The Cricket Boks look beaten. Their champion has pulled up lame. It’s only a matter of time now … Excuse my premature confidence but I really expect England to win this game now. The lead is already 260 and there’s two full day’s play to come. Root, Taylor and Co should extend our advantage to approximately 450 sometime between lunch and tea tomorrow, and then we’ll have four and a half sessions to bowl them out. It’s a simple game eh! The reason for my buoyant mood is...
Wickets and Controversy – Day Two at Durban
Unlike the farce going on in Melbourne, this is turning into a spicy meatball of a test match. England probably have their noses in front, especially as the Cricket Boks will have to bat last. The locals reckon this pitch is drying out and could get a little uneven on days four and five. We might even see some turn for Mo. It was a day of mixed emotions for England supporters: relief, frustration, joy and anger. Relief because 303 was a good total after being reduced to 49-3; frustration...
