******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (th over: England – 1 (Sibley
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, Denly) Another over, another nudge for a single. Nortje seems to be pronounced Norkia, is that right? Like the Queen telling you her preferred brand of phone.
On Twitter, Paul Speller isn’t happy. “Treatment of Matt Parkinson is shocking, esp as Eng camp, in traditional style, have been leaking plan for days. Selecting a not yet fit quick for tour not v clever, either. ”Fair point about Wood, and yes some sympathy for Parkinson, but with Woakes unwell and the tail flopping at Centurion, Bess’s batting is clearly needed.
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** th over: England – 1 (Sibley********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, Denly 13)
du Plessis turns to spin, in the shape of Keshav Maharaj, probably because Sibley gave him that return catch in the first Test. Denly strokes a single past the bowler and Sibley gets a gift on his pads, which he duly flicks for four. That’sdrinks, with honors evenish but England doing not too badly, all things considered.
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* (am) ********** (EST): 28
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (th over: England (1) Sibley , Denly 13) A rest for Philander as Nortje comes on. He is quicker but less threatening, and Sibley picks up two more with a push into the covers. He’s getting a taste for the off side now.
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************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (th over: England – 1 (Sibley 18, Denly 13
“It occurs to me,” says Sandy Fyfe, “If Philander is an artist, as you suggest in the 7th over, he would be an elegant impressionist whose quality and skills stand the test of time and are obvious for all to see. A Monet perhaps? Or Degas?
“Jonny Bairstow on the other hand would be Martin Creed, unashamedly trying to pass off crumpled up pieces of paper as art. A bit like he has tried to pass off his batting technique as Test standard for some time now! ”Know what you mean, but Bairstow’s technique was good enough to make him a successful Test player for a few years. Then he started missing straight balls in Tests – while lording it in one-day cricket and the County Championship. You’d think that a good batting coach would be itching to work with him.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (th over: England) *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (1) Sibley 17, Denly 12)Denly decides to stand outside his crease to cut down on Philander’s movement away from the bat. Philander tries a bouncer to push him back, but Denly is ready for it and hooks, authoritatively, for four. Good contest.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (th over: England) ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** – 1 Sibley (******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, Denly 7)
“Good morning,” says Damian Ainsworth. “Just tuned in, noticed Bairstow’s absence and am left wondering how the Guardian’s OBO warriors will occupy their time without him to discuss (criticise). Root’s captaincy perhaps? Yours, a cussed Yorkshireman. ”Ha. So do you believe Root is a good captain?
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9th over: England************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** – 1 (Sibley
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, Denly 6)In his first Test innings at Mount Maunganui, Sibley made without troubling the scorers once on the off side. But now he manages to hit a cover drive for four, off Philander of all people. Maybe he’s less limited than he looked in New Zealand. He’s certainly been positive today, making his (off only) balls.(********************************** 4). (amEST(****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:
8th over: England**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (1) Sibley. , Denly 6)
“I’ve just woken up to see the line-up,” says Adma Levine, “and with all these callow batsmen and medium pacers, it feels like I’ve had a bump on the head and come to in some sort of 94 s cricketing equivalent of Life on Mars, with Chris Silverwood in the attack rather than the dressing room. I’m half expecting to see Jason Gallian opening and Mark Lathwell and Hugh Morris jog to the crease at some point. Hoping to see Martin McCague come into the attack and also hoping that the ‘new Botham’, Ronnie Irani, lives up to the hype. All soundtracked by Supergrass and the Fugees natch. Have fun OBO’ing this impending train wreck of a Test match. ”
(************************************ 4) (am EST):
7th over: England********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (1) Sibley
6th over: England****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Sibley (1) , Denly 0)Joe Denly, a spectator so far, faces a full over from Rabada, and it’s a good contest. Rabada is more accurate and Denly, as is his wont at the start of a Test innings, is obdurate. He does produce one elegant square drive, but it goes straight to the man at cover point.
5th over: England****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Sibley (1) , Denly 0)
Sibley plays out a maiden from Philander, who has picked up precisely where he left off at Centurion. His figures are 3-2-1-1, while Rabada has 2-0 – – 0.
4th over: England************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Sibley (1) , Denly 0)
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