Second Test. SA v England. Cape Town, Jan 2-6

[pompeymeowth]

England bat.

England win

I left the room for a wee after typing this and look what happened.

[backfootpunch]

run rate plummeting

bayliss wont be happy

[Durhamfootman]

well I think it's disgraceful..... 3 runs off 32 balls. That isn't why people pay for tickets, or subscriptions..... what they deserve is for some mindless throwing of the bat..... 23 off 12 balls is much preferable to a 280 ball hundred...... get on with it Compton, you chancer!

#shakesfist

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good morning for England though. One down at lunch on the first day has to be a good position.

Might turn out to be a road, of course.

Hales not out on 38 has to be a good thing.

[Durhamfootman]

[budgetmeansbudget]

You always want to bat first at CT. Good toss to win.

Stats say that if you bat first at Cape Town you lose 85% of the time.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Good morning for England though. One down at lunch on the first day has to be a good position.

Might turn out to be a road, of course.

Hales not out on 38 has to be a good thing.

For sure, the long term success of this team does depend on our getting a reliable opening pair.

[Arthur Crabtree]

well I think it's disgraceful..... 3 runs off 32 balls. That isn't why people pay for tickets, or subscriptions..... what they deserve is for some mindless throwing of the bat..... 23 off 12 balls is much preferable to a 280 ball hundred...... get on with it Compton, you chancer! :slap

#shakesfist

Get Jason Roy in.

Or Wrighty.

[budgetmeansbudget]

well I think it's disgraceful..... 3 runs off 32 balls. That isn't why people pay for tickets, or subscriptions..... what they deserve is for some mindless throwing of the bat..... 23 off 12 balls is much preferable to a 280 ball hundred...... get on with it Compton, you chancer!

#shakesfist

3 off 32 is fine at this stage of the innings, providing he picks up the rate a bit after lunch, which I am sure he will do.

[Gingerfinch]

Jokes aside, I did think Compton got a bit bogged down when I saw him bat in India. He made Cook look like Warner. Batting at three, especially with Hales doesn't matter so much, and with Root, Taylor, Stokes, and Bairstow to come, he's perfectly suited at three.

[Arthur Crabtree]

First morning of the Test. Dig in.

[mikesiva]

Anderson returns for Woakes.

Rabada, Morris and de Kock come in. Steyn, Duminy and Abbott out.

Probably a good toss to win.

Good changes...Steyn and Abbott injured, Duminy really seems to be in decline....

AB has shown that he can't keep wicket in Tests any more, and DeKock can make runs too.

Rabada with the wicket.

Let's see if Morris can do better in the Test than he did in the A team match. If he doesn't perform, he may be the one to make way when Steyn and/or Abbott recover.

The spotlight should also be on FAF now...he hasn't had anything above 48 in his last 11 innings. It's been about a year since he scored either a half-century or a century.

[m@tt]

Think Compton can hear you all - massive heave to his first ball after lunch. A streaky four from Hales too. A good first session though.

[Arthur Crabtree]

You always want to bat first at CT. Good toss to win.

Stats say that if you bat first at Cape Town you lose 85% of the time.

Peter Moores?

Wonder if England would have bowled first if the statsguru was still coach.

[backfootpunch]

50 for hales

Couple of loose drives though