Second day and no thread, what's wrong with you cricket fans? SA all out 313, and it appears to be very difficult to assess whether this is a decent score on this pitch or not. Would be nice for our openers to get a ton on the board before one of them falls for a change, then we would be looking good I think.
Think this Test rather slipped the mind given the week or so since the last one..... Anyway that is only the 2nd time in the last 9 tests at The Wanderers that the side batting first have made 300.........nobody has mentioned the scores for the side batting 2nd.......hope it's 400+...
I would have thought that 313 was a bit below par - SA gave away several of their wickets. I had a small wager on England overnight at 2/1 and remain confident.
75-3 now, Compton's luck runs out. 313 looking stronger by the over now, it will be tough batting last on this pitch...
Stokes and Root taking it to SA now - partnership 42 off five overs. We need these two to stay together for a good while.
Beginning to look respectable all of a sudden, bar a last minute collapse which I can't remember happening to anyone recently!
Always get a touch concerned when the lads are smacking it about freely, maybe the QPR supporter in me, but I'm convinced they are going to give their wicket away far too cheaply. Root is just pure quality though!
Think this match is going to hang on the SA second innings. We need to get them out fairly cheaply, because batting last won't be so much fun by the look of it.
The way Root and Stokes have played has changed the game. England are favourites now, but still need to get a bit of a lead on first innings. We get about 375, bowl them out for 250, then knock off the 190 needed for 4 or 5 down. Job done.
Just depends on England's tail, if we can avoid a collapse we should be able to put them under the cosh. Root and Stokes have put us in a great position but the first session tomorrow is vital, a nicely balanced match...
Root out early and Ali sends one through the slips. 245-6. Vital that England get somewhere near parity. This will be a very close match. Batting last could be England's downfall. If every test match pitch was prepared like this one, the crowds would return imo. Matches are nearly always a good watch when teams score around 300 each in their first innings.
A perfect yorker from Rabada to get Broad - he's going to get a lot of test wickets. I'd like to see Bairstow have a bit of thrash now.
Broad's on fire!!! Three wickets and De Villiers gone for a duck. 30/3 England sensing a real opportunity here.
