Quote from: paul_e on July 30, 2017, 03:33:03 PMI think they've decided to bat until tea now. I'm not that upset, I think staying in for 120+ overs on this pitch will be tough. The target is, in my opinion, already too big to be chased down, it would be one of the greatest 4th innings of all time and this SA team don't have a good enough batting line-up to do that.Surely not as tough as staying in for 130 overs? We should have been having a go before tea then another straight after. Effectively two new attacks at the openers.
I think they've decided to bat until tea now. I'm not that upset, I think staying in for 120+ overs on this pitch will be tough. The target is, in my opinion, already too big to be chased down, it would be one of the greatest 4th innings of all time and this SA team don't have a good enough batting line-up to do that.
Hopefully we'll make quick work of finishing the South Africans off today. I watched quite a bit of the test over the weekend and something struck me about Westley and Malan. It was highlighted that both players have pretty major deficiencies in their technique and this was pointed out in the analysis. Neither are young players, so surely it is a damning indictment of the county system that players can prosper at that level despite having such flaws. Surely by the time they reach international level, flaws such as Malan's backlift making him very susceptible to inswingers should have been ironed out or recognised as a reason not to be selected? One of the main reasons identified by the SKY commentators was the weakness and lack of pace in bowling attacks in the County Championship. Maybe time for a rethink of the system?
Quote from: tomd2103 on July 31, 2017, 11:37:22 AMHopefully we'll make quick work of finishing the South Africans off today. I watched quite a bit of the test over the weekend and something struck me about Westley and Malan. It was highlighted that both players have pretty major deficiencies in their technique and this was pointed out in the analysis. Neither are young players, so surely it is a damning indictment of the county system that players can prosper at that level despite having such flaws. Surely by the time they reach international level, flaws such as Malan's backlift making him very susceptible to inswingers should have been ironed out or recognised as a reason not to be selected? One of the main reasons identified by the SKY commentators was the weakness and lack of pace in bowling attacks in the County Championship. Maybe time for a rethink of the system? The gulf between the county game and test cricket is wider than ever. Some players like Cook and Root make the step up effortlessly whereas others struggle. I like the look of Westley, I think he has the makings of a solid test batsman. Malan is in the "also rans" for me. Too good for county cricket but not quite good enough for test cricket.We've lost alot of experience from our batting over the last few seasons. Strauss, Trott, Bell, Pietersen etc and they've not been replaced. Arguably only Root is an improvement on what went before.How would you improve the county game Tom?
I don't think that the counties will vote for that kind of revolution. There was enough resistance from certain counties to the new T20 format so I can't see them going for a similar set up in red ball domestic cricket.For me the game is poorer for the lack of established International cricketers playing for a county. At one time every county except Yorkshire had a couple of overseas test players. County players were testing themselves against quality players. Now the best players chase the T20 dollar all over the world.I think that an enhanced Lions system would be a better choice. Invest in the coaching of the next generation and they should be better equipped to make the step up. The talent is there but we need to develop it better.
Mo with a hat trick to finish the game