England in South Africa

[woodie]

Schedule:
England in South Africa 2004-05

December
5 England Test specialists arrive
6 Remainder of England squad arrives from Zimbabwe
8 v Nicky Oppenheimer XI, Ranjesfontein
11-13 v South Africa A, Potchefstroom
17-21 1st Test, Port Elizabeth
26-30 2nd Test, Durban


January

2-6 3rd Test, Cape Town
13-17 4th Test, Johannesburg
21-25 5th Test, Centurion
27 v South Africa A, Kimberley
30 1st ODI, Johannesburg

February

2 2nd ODI, Bloemfontein D/N
4 3rd ODI, Port Elizabeth D/N
6 4th ODI, Cape Town
9 5th ODI, East London D/N
11 6th ODI, Durban D/N
13 7th ODI, Centurion



England have made it to 2nd in the PWC test ratings after an unbeaten year in the test arena. Andy Flintoff averaged 65 with the bat and 21 with the ball over the summer and has been unbelievably good this year. Strauss has come in and done very well. Vaughan is finding his form again at 4 and in Geraint Jones we have a top keeper who can bat more than adequately well.

Steve Harmison has been the best bowler in the world this year by a long way, and with Flintoff, was rested for the Zimbabwe tour.

Kevin Peitersen is the next big thing in English cricket, having now qualified to play under residency laws, could have a part to play.

South Africa have some unproven players in their squad, along with some top quality players, Smith, Kallis and Ntini in particular. Pollock will be a threat as usual despite his ageing frame.

Personally, if England can pick up where they left off in the summer, they might be unstoppable, however the Proteas are always a very good side, esp. at home and it will be a great series.

England squad: MP Vaughan (Yorkshire, capt) Age 29 Tests 50, ME Trescothick (Somerset) 28 54, AJ Strauss (Middlesex) 27 7, MA Butcher (Surrey) 32 68, RWT Key (Kent) 25 12, GP Thorpe (Surrey) 35 93, A Flintoff (Lancashire) 26 40, GO Jones (Kent, wkt) 28 8, CMW Read (Nottinghamshire, wkt) 26 11, AF Giles (Warwickshire) 31 40, GJ Batty (Worcestershire 26 5, MJ Hoggard (Yorkshire) 27 33, SP Jones (Glamorgan) 25 8, SJ Harmison (Durham) 25 23, JM Anderson (Lancashire) 22 11, PD Collingwood (Durham) 28 2.
SA Squad:Graeme Smith (Capt), Nicky Boje, Hashim Amla, Zander de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Boeta Dippenaar, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Jacques Rudolph, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile (Wkt).

 

[umosay]

That's one long mother of a tour, plus zimbabwae just been they would of been on the road for a good 3 months...

i'll pick england to win the test series 2-1 with 2 draws

 

[An Tarbh]

Definitely looking forward to this one, the last series last Summer was a cracker, just hope this one lives up to it.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

Finally, some REAL England cricket to talk about! Will be a good tour this I am certainly looking forward to it.

 

[woodie]

Wonder what kind of shape the Barmy Army will be in for this tour. Doubt it'll come close to the Windies, I'd have paid more than money to have been there.

 

[esoj]

will be intresting to see how england go agaisnt south africa who aren't a bad side and at home very dangerous. brutal tour as well 5 tests and 7 odis that is alot of cricket.

 

[woodie]

England had the best of the first day. Flintoff and Hoggard with 3 each.

G C Smith c A J Strauss b M J Hoggard 0
A B de Villiers lbw b A Flintoff 28
J A Rudolph c G O Jones b A Flintoff 93
J H Kallis b S J Harmison 0
H H Dippenaar not out 79
Z de Bruyn b A Flintoff 6
S M Pollock c M E Trescothick b M J Hoggard 31
A J Hall b M J Hoggard 6
T L Tsolekile not out 6
Total 273 for 7

 

[An Tarbh]

Hoggard did well at the end of the day with the new ball to pick off the wickets of Pollock and Hall. Good day for England considering they lost the toss.

 

[woodie]

SA 337 all out, Dippenar with 110

 

[woodie]

England 12/0 at lunch

 

[An Tarbh]

The tail certainly wagged a little longer than Vaughan would have liked. Gutsy century from Dippenaar, Tsolekile supported him well this morning.

 

[woodie]

Currently

104-0
Trescothick 32
Strauss 51

 

[An Tarbh]

Cracking afternoon session from England, only losing Trescothick. Great century from Strauss. England only 110 behind on 227-1.

 

[aussie1st]

england really are on fire this year, flintoff going well with ball, Andrew Strauss developing into a good opener definitely they will challenge aus next year.
SA just don't seem to be the side that was the no 2 side in both forms. They really have gone down hill.

 

[woodie]

Good stuff today. Hopefully we can reach 500 tomorrow which will put us well in charge.

 

[umosay]

lol, didn't know strauss was south african, nor jones was papa new guinean

 

[woodie]

Poor session this morning, Strauss, Vaughan and Thorpe all going with out contributing greatly. Butcher on 50* and Freddie on 18*. Jones in next.

 

[All_Blacks_Hurricanes_Lions_Fan]

Originally posted by woodie@Dec 19 2004, 11:52 PM
Poor session this morning, Strauss, Vaughan and Thorpe all going with out contributing greatly. Butcher on 50* and Freddie on 18*. Jones in next.

We aint going to see the great England collapse are we

though saying that it should be the Pakistani collapse.

 

[An Tarbh]

Very interesting today, good comeback from South Africa, collapse from England in the afternoon session, losing 4 wickets in 20 minutes and only getting a lead of 88. Two wickets down in the second innings, shame for England that they couldn't get one of Kallis or Smith out before the close, that certainly would have made their task easier. England probably still slight favourites.

 

[umosay]

Originally posted by An Tarbh@Dec 20 2004, 01:06 PM
Very interesting today, good comeback from South Africa, collapse from England in the afternoon session, losing 4 wickets in 20 minutes and only getting a lead of 88. Two wickets down in the second innings, shame for England that they couldn't get one of Kallis or Smith out before the close, that certainly would have made their task easier. England probably still slight favourites.

I think a draw may be on the cards if SA get a big total