< 1 minute readWe were going to do a half-arsed box-ticking update today, pointing you towards Cricket Badger and our latest Cricinfo Twitter round-up, but the latter seems in no hurry to appear, so we thought we’d better write summat. Let’s talk about AB de Villiers, who despite being a vehement letter-C denier
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Why a declaration from both teams is rarely a good sign
2 minute readTo have one team declaring indicates dominance. To have two teams declaring generally indicates a poor pitch. Catching the ball helps of course – unless you’re playing a Shane Watson XI and therefore have no need of such frivolities. With nothing to bat for beyond a draw, England did at
Continue readingThey’re playing Hashim Amla’s song
< 1 minute readDuring Sunday’s play, the England and South Africa supporters did a duet, trading verses of their respective Moeen Ali/Hashim Amla songs which both employ the tune of No Limits by 2 Unlimited. It was really rather entertaining – although they persisted for so long that we can still hear it
Continue readingSouth Africa scrabble for paper
2 minute readSouth Africa are currently undergoing vivisection. Their press and fans are twanging stretchy bits and gouging their fingers into squishy bits trying to work out what’s caused a death that has yet to take place. An obvious issue is that they’re currently missing half their first-choice bowling attack and having
Continue readingDean Elgar’s pretty South African isn’t he?
< 1 minute readWith his South African face and his steady South African batting. He also bowls left-arm orthodox in a way that indicates he might believe Roelof Van Der Merwe to be the finest ever exponent of the art. Dean carried his bat today. Well played Dean. We should probably have more
Continue readingHow Jacques Kallis broke Vernon Philander
2 minute readWe’re approaching the fifth anniversary of The Day. It’s just a little reminder that life’s really all about the little things – little Australian innings that don’t last very long, specifically. That seems unlikely this year, what with them being up against Jason Holder and whatever the poor lad can
Continue readingMore rehearsals before England face South Africa
2 minute readA friend of ours once played the finest bum note we’ve ever heard while performing Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight at a wedding. It was the very last note and it only sounded so marvellously hideous because he’d played everything flawlessly up until that point. That’s how to get something wrong.
Continue readingMop-up of the day – runs down south
2 minute readAfter day-night Tests, the latest innovation in the ongoing Australia v New Zealand Test series has been additional opponents. Sri Lanka and the West Indies have been drafted in to keep things fresh, but they couldn’t tip the balance. Australia still had marginally the better day. New Zealand would have
Continue readingHashim Amla practises his forward defensive
< 1 minute readFacing his 46th delivery, Hashim Amla inside-edged the ball past his stumps and into space. Trawling through his memory banks, he happened upon the correct course of action and moved his body up to the other end. With the ball still enjoying a rare moment of liberation, he then jogged
Continue readingSouth Africa batsmen defy both expectations and the Delhi pitch
< 1 minute readThere were many who felt that presented with a flatter pitch, South Africa might actually make a few runs during this Test series against India. In Delhi, they have been presented with precisely such a thing. However, these Saffers are made of stern stuff. They refused to bow to expectation
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