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bewlay

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They've been dug meat for a while now. 
The 1st test simply disguised how poor a side they are. 
In their defence, there can't be many countries to have lost as many top quality players in the last 5 or 6 years. Since Smith retired in 2014 they have also lost the likes of de Villiers, Amla, Duminy, Morkel and Steyn, while also trying to meet their racial quotas, although the current management don't appear to give two fucks about those rules.
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In their defence, there can't be many countries to have lost as many top quality players in the last 5 or 6 years. Since Smith retired in 2014 they have also lost the likes of de Villiers, Amla, Duminy, Morkel and Steyn, while also trying to meet their racial quotas, although the current management don't appear to give two fucks about those rules.


Lost the likes of Tahir, Abbott, Olivier, Roussouw and Viljoen recently too. Soon to lose Philander and du Plessis also.
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In Australia in 2021, England need Archer and Wood to be fit. You can’t be going there with typical swingy 80mph seamers again, it just doesn’t work. Having a decent spinner would be nice too, hopefully Bess can kick on.

The top 6 in the batting order has looked the best it has in a long time, hopefully Burns can make a quick recovery.
Exactly my thoughts. Unfortunately it probably means there's no spot for Curran who has looked good on this tour. An up and down bowler like finn is a better option imo. Assuming they're fit Archer, Wood, Broad and Stokes as seamers is the current ashes line up I'd say.
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In their defence, there can't be many countries to have lost as many top quality players in the last 5 or 6 years. Since Smith retired in 2014 they have also lost the likes of de Villiers, Amla, Duminy, Morkel and Steyn, while also trying to meet their racial quotas, although the current management don't appear to give two fucks about those rules.
Nasser said exactly that during the rain delay yesterday. Hard to argue against. Huge amount of talent going out the team there.
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Nasser said exactly that during the rain delay yesterday. Hard to argue against. Huge amount of talent going out the team there.
The criticism I read was solely about this morning. Basically saying that yesterday they dug in well, giving nothing away - but this morning going for ridiculous shots and letting England get momentum.
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Nasser said exactly that during the rain delay yesterday. Hard to argue against. Huge amount of talent going out the team there.


They’re in the same position England were in a couple of years back. Hard to criticise teams in clear transition periods.

I really wish Mark Wood wasn’t made of chocolate.
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They’re in the same position England were in a couple of years back. Hard to criticise teams in clear transition periods.

I really wish Mark Wood wasn’t made of chocolate.
Yep, he had Hamza terrified yesterday with shortish deliveries that were reaching the batsman at ribcage height which he had no idea how to play.
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Root gets Malan lbw to send them off for tea. 44-3. Looked like the might have been an edge involved but certainly not conclusive enough to overturn the original decision.
I thought it hit pad then bat tbh, there looked to be daylight between bat and ball when the initial spike comes up.
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Game just fallen into a little bit of a lull, it's a big if, but if these two can stay until the close there's a chance for SA with the probability of rain tomorrow. Get one of these two and de kock tonight/early tomorrow and the tail will probably collapse

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Game just fallen into a little bit of a lull, it's a big if, but if these two can stay until the close there's a chance for SA with the probability of rain tomorrow. Get one of these two and de kock tonight/early tomorrow and the tail will probably collapse
4 down. Van der Dussen no idea how to play against spin, superb catch by Pope at short leg high to his left.
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SA are heading towards Zimbabwe* status with their 2019-20 record. Sri Lanka came to South Africa and whitewashed them in Tests, including Kusal Perera playing the best Test innings in 2019. Then the dreadful World Cup followed by India absolutely piping them 3-0 with back-to-back innings wins. England should comfortably win this Test series, and even to lose the First Test was a bit of an embarrassment.

*I note Zimbabwe are doing well in a Test as we speak, vs Sri Lanka

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New Test Best for Joe Root, once again frustrates me how rarely he backs himself as a spin option.



Steve Smith was once Australia’s frontline spinner, but he completely dismissed that element of his game. I’m glad Root hasn’t done that.
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Guest Moomintroll



Steve Smith was once Australia’s frontline spinner, but he completely dismissed that element of his game. I’m glad Root hasn’t done that.
Smith, especially in the Sub Continent, would have still been a handy option but he discarded it all to concentrate on his batting. Can't really argue with the result tbf, Root does give England an option to have a long batting line up if he steps up as a frontline option when they get to Sri Lanka.
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Smith, especially in the Sub Continent, would have still been a handy option but he discarded it all to concentrate on his batting. Can't really argue with the result tbf, Root does give England an option to have a long batting line up if he steps up as a frontline option when they get to Sri Lanka.


Moeen isn’t coming so rather than have a 3-pronged attack of Bess, Leach and Parkinson, you could drop one out and use Denly and Root. No point packing with seamers in Sri Lanka though so the replacements will have to be batting ones.
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