The Cricket Thread 2016

[Villafirst]

Incredible from Stokes and wonderfully poignant from Jonny.

Still, it's a flat track against reserve bowlers to put things into perspective; swinging through the line is easy when you know the ball's doing nothing.

Showed up Compton's stodgy play, as well. Fair enough on a pudding at Durban, not good enough on this surface.

Erm.....Morkel 2nd string?

[Chris Jameson]

Compton had the same strike rate as Hales this innings.

[PaulWinch again]

It looks like this is going to be a massive struggle, Amla and De-Villiers look set now.

[PaulWinch again]

Both Amla and AB have been dropped now, not good enough.

[OzVilla]

The Villa gets an unhonourable mention by Robin Jackman and HD Ackerman on the South African feed we're getting in Oz.

They mentioned the PL and Jackman mused that we were gone and said if SA can get out of this it might even give Aston Villa some hope. I know they're behind in the Test but it's no where near that bad surely!

Jackman confessed to be a Spurs fan.

[tomd2103]

Both Amla and AB have been dropped now, not good enough.

Root dropping De Villiers yesterday could be a massive turning point.

[PaulWinch again]

Yep and Amla has now gone on to 100. I can see him getting a massive score.

[PaulWinch again]

Nothing happening for us at all now.

[OzVilla]

Another chance goes down, this time its Compton off Amla. Very catchable. We've been very poor in the field and it's costing us dearly.

[PaulWinch again]

Not good enough this. You can't keep dropping players of this class.

[PaulWinch again]

Finally a wicket, Finn has earned that.

[PaulWinch again]

Good to hear Finn's pace is back up to what it used to be. Sadly it's not going to matter in this match.

[PaulWinch again]

Amla is going to get 300 here.

[Villan For Life]

It really is lousy pitch. We've not helped ourselves by dropping chances, but here we are about 10 minutes before stumps on day 3 and the aggregate score is just under 1,000 for 9 wickets. That is not a good advert for test cricket.

[paul_e]

It really is lousy pitch. We've not helped ourselves by dropping chances, but here we are about 10 minutes before stumps on day 3 and the aggregate score is just under 1,000 for 9 wickets. That is not a good advert for test cricket.

I agree, the drops can't be downplayed though, drops on a pitch like this are the difference between a win and a draw.

The other important thing today is that it shows the real value of having a few players who are willing and able to get the scoreboard moving, they've faced more deliveries than us but they're still 70 short of a follow on (which we'd never enforce anyway).  By putting a huge score on quickly we gave ourselves a sniff of winning but forced them to go into their first innings fighting to save a draw.