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

[m@tt]

50 for Hales and Compton hits a six!

[backfootpunch]

If Compton scores a hundred I wonder if he will pull out a note saying yeah trev talk nah

[Arthur Crabtree]

Played Halesy. Make it a ton now.

[Arthur Crabtree]

If Compton scores a hundred I wonder if he will pull out a note saying yeah trev talk nah

If Hales makes a ton, he will produce a scroll from his pocket.

Apparently Swann is having a bit of a dig at Compo.

[budgetmeansbudget]

111/1, about as unlucky as you can get in cricket?

[Aidan11]

Decent start so far. Cook not having a good tour with the bat.

[Making_Splinters]

Compton looking like he is trying too hard to make scoring opportunities rather than waiting for the bad ball.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England have had a problem with the top order over the past two years, so this is an improvement, from two new players.

[budgetmeansbudget]

This innings is going like a ballroom dance....slow,slow,quick, quick, slow....

[Making_Splinters]

Good ball but a nothing shot from Hales, still a much better innings from the lad.

[backfootpunch]

Good ball but a nothing shot from Hales, still a much better innings from the lad.

Not sure hales did anything wrong really

Couldn't have left that ball, was just good bowling

[Making_Splinters]

Good ball but a nothing shot from Hales, still a much better innings from the lad.

Not sure hales did anything wrong really

Couldn't have left that ball, was just good bowling

One of those situations where you either need to play hard at the ball to get an edge over the slips or play with soft hands to stop an edge going to the slips. Hales did neither.

South Africa bowling much better all of a sudden.

[backfootpunch]

Good ball but a nothing shot from Hales, still a much better innings from the lad.

Not sure hales did anything wrong really

Couldn't have left that ball, was just good bowling

One of those situations where you either need to play hard at the ball to get an edge over the slips or play with soft hands to stop an edge going to the slips. Hales did neither.

South Africa bowling much better all of a sudden.

On this pitch all edges will carry from that length off Morkel no matter how softly you play at it

And I'm not sure going hard at a good length ball on off stump is a good idea, straight bat edges rarely go high enough to get over the slips and it was to straight to play anything other than defensively

[budgetmeansbudget]

Millimetre behind the line.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Compton goes for another middling score.

England don't have Rabada's pace, so this tactic isn't going to be an option, though Finn might be tricky. SA back in the game, at least 50-50.