England 2012 Cricket Thread

[DrGonzo]

Finn's playing, Swann for Bresnan.  And "The Beast" Yohan Blake doing fine work with the bell...very posh in a whistle and flute, too.

[PaulWinch again]

Finn should have been opening the bowling.

[PaulWinch again]

That is why Finn has to play, two wickets in very quick succession and puts us in the game. We have to capitalise on this now.

[PaulWinch again]

Finn is running through them Kallis is gone. We really need to rip through them today now. All the bowlers step up.

[Chris Smith]

After the events of this week that's the perfect response from England.

[PaulWinch again]

Critical they finish the job here though and try and restrict South Africa to less than 200.

[PaulWinch again]

Come on England lets get rid of De Villiers, Rudolph and Duminy quickly.

[paul_e]

That is why Finn has to play, two wickets in very quick succession and puts us in the game. We have to capitalise on this now.

Has been a couple of overs highlighting why he hasn't played.  We need to build pressure on these 2 and make them fight for runs (they know they need to put a score on between them). Giving away cheap runs at the wrong time is the issue he's had ever since he broke through, he just needs to tighten up and bowl 'safe' for a few overs.

[paul_e]

Another bad over from Finn, he really lets himself down with these spells.

Edit to add context:

Finn before lunch
7 overs - 3 wickets - 18 runs - avg 2.57

Finn after lunch
5 overs - 0 wickets - 30 runs - avg 6   (25 of those runs in the last 3 overs)

The other bowlers averages (ignore swann as he's only had 2 overs) Broad 1.9 - Jimmy 2.57

Anything over 4 is too high in test cricket.

[PaulWinch again]

Yes but conversely if he wasn't bowling they'd be one wicket down. I'd take some extra runs in exchange for those wickets. We need to get rid of these two now though, not let them build too much.

[paul_e]

Yes but conversely if he wasn't bowling they'd be one wicket down. I'd take some extra runs in exchange for those wickets. We need to get rid of these two now though, not let them build too much.

I don't disagree in the slightest.  At his best Finn is world class and right up there with the best bowlers England have produced, but he needs to improve his game when he's not his best, if he can do that in the next year or 2 we'll have a bowler who could go on to be one of the all time great test bowlers, if he can't we'll have another Harmison, equal parts brilliant and infuriating.

[paul_e]

Big wicket from Jimmy, SA under massive pressure now.

[PaulWinch again]

Huge wicket, pity we haven't got any reviews as well. Knock em over lads, less than 200.

[PaulWinch again]

We need to get wickets here, they're fighting back strongly here. Broad and Swann step it up.

[PaulWinch again]

We need to make something happen after tea. Swann hasn't done it for along time,  it's about time he stepped up.