Day two report
Nasser: “England were absolutely superb all day, well led by Joe Root. It’s not a minefield of a pitch but Broad and Anderson got the game by the scruff of its neck and then Sam Curran who was a bit innocuous in the middle session,... got stuck in , well backed up by Dom Bess.”
Sam Curran says it is easier to breathe here than it was at Centurion at altitude. I wasn’t aware it was an issue, so that’s kind of interesting.
A real comeback-kid kind of day for Root’s team, buoyed up by mass England support at Newlands. It leaves the Test in tantalising cloth for tomorrow morning. Thanks for all the emails and tweets - play starts tomorrow at 8.30 GMT - the forecast is slightly cooler, but dry.
I’ll leave the final words to Avitaj Mitra:
Lots of adjectives might describe this England team (some not fit for a newspaper) but boring is not one of them. They really have Out-Pakistaned Pakistan. Day 3 is set to be a cracker, which might accurately describe the state of the pitch as well.
A good night to all fellow OBO lovers!
Close (84.4 overs): South Africa 215-8 (Philander 13) trail by 54
Anderson’s shadow is short and squat, but he remains tall and elegant, not even a strand of grey hair, at least from a few thousand miles away. He also has all his old magic, far too good for Maharaj, who lunges blindly, two balls short of stumps. What a day for England - they fought and fought, they were patient, and after a disappointing post-lunch session, a drop, a wicket off a no ball, they got their teeth into the South African late middle-order.
WICKET! Maharaj c Sibley b Anderson 4
A two-noise wicket: Maharaj nudges ball on to pad, then it loops up in the air to Sibley scampering in at third slip. What sensational bowling there by Anderson with the new ball at the death. How about figures of 3-34 to put your feet up to? And, as yesterday, nine wickets have fallen in the day.
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84th over: South Africa 214-7 ( Philander 12, Maharaj 4) What a ball from Broad. From wide of the the crease, the ball bounces short and inwards, forcing a kind of clockwork jerk from Maharaj. He survives the over, and there is one left in the day.
83rd over: South Africa 214-7 ( Philander 12, Maharaj 4) Anderson has decided to perform a masterclass in bowling with the new ball. His first falls on a perfect length and whistles past Philander’s bat. His sixth nips in and misses the top of off-stump by a quaver’s curl. In between Philander drives deftly for three..
Damian Ainsworth is scratching an itch:
‘Root perseveres with Curran, I might have been tempted to switch to Broad or Anderson straight away now he’s done his job’
Just wondering if anyone on OBO is contractually allowed to give Joe Root credit for anything…just wondering...
Delighted to admit that Joe Root proved me completely wrong! He’s handled his bowlers most adeptly since tea, and they’ve performed for him too. Which is half the battle.
82nd over: South Africa 210-7 ( Philander 9, Maharaj 1) Broad gets his turn with the new nut. Maharaj leans into a drive past cover for a couple and survives the over. This innings is starting to look like a carbon copy of England’s. South Africa still trail by 59.
Patrick Ford has been doing a bit of list-ticking at Newlands:
As there’s very little else to do at Newlands, other than consume Castle later at R35/pint, we decided to spot current Premier League football shirts in attendance. We’re missing only Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, and, surprisingly, Spurs. Please urge any of these people to report to the Railway Stand.
81st over: South Africa 208-7 ( Philander 9, Maharaj 1) Not a bad little over to warm the dying embers of the day. A drop off Anderson’s very first ball with the new ball, redemption four balls later. Ben Stokes - balls of steel.
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WICKET! Pretorius c Stokes b Anderson 4
Three balls after dropping the same batsmen in the same position; Stokes scoops up a mind-blowing catch at second slip with his right hand with a force that knocks him off his feet. And the new ball does its work!
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80th over: South Africa 207-6 ( Philander 9, Pretorius 4) Curran varies his length, and Philander nudges jerkily at him; the ball falls just short of the man with the magnetic hands, Ben Stokes, at second slip. A maiden. And that might spell the end of Curran’s work for the day too. THE NEW BALL IS TAKEN.
79th over: South Africa 207-6 ( Philander 9, Pretorius 4) The final ball of Bess’s spell dips a little short and Pretorius pulls him with gumption, and top-edge, for four. And that’s the end of a very good day’s work for Dom Bess: 27-3-62-1. Vic will be most pleased.
78th over: South Africa 202-6 ( Philander 7, Pretorius 0) Curran’s shadow runs with him, perpendicular to the pitch as he scurries by. Philander steals a single and just two overs left with this old ball, which has done alright for England this afternoon.
Hmmmm, muses Mark Slater on Sam Curran,
Perhaps he wouldn’t be such a partnership breaker if batsman thought he was not a soft touch?
More fool them!
77th over: South Africa 201-6 ( Philander 7, Pretorius 0) Bess wheels into his 26th over as South Africa start their rebuilding scheme.
76th over: South Africa 200-6 ( Philander 6 ) Turns out I definitely shouldn’t be England captain. Curran makes a second breakthrough in three overs and England are nudging on top.
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WICKET! van der Dussen c Stokes b Curran 68
Curran comes from round the wicket, the ball shapes away, VDD tries to glide it down and Stokes takes another stunner, low to the ground, both hands, balletically gorgeous.
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75th over: South Africa 198-5 ( Philander 5, van der Dussen 67) More steadiness from Bess who is doing all that Root asks right now. Just one from it.
And something to throw into the missing no-ball debate. Though wasn’t it ever thus with the hip?
Cos the bowlers hips are covering their front foot... umps are guessing https://t.co/gmxEr2Zn6z
— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) January 4, 2020
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74th over: South Africa 197-5 ( Philander 5, van der Dussen 66) Root perseveres with Curran, I might have been tempted to switch to Broad or Anderson straight away now he’s done his job. Just a couple from the over, South Africa trail by 72 and could do with putting a turbo-boost into their batting before the new ball arrives in six overs.
What did I say about those Phds? Jim Todd writes: At the risk of seeming pedantic, Brian Poole is missing the point. Kim Thonger said “Since I started to watch Test cricket seriously, when Brian Close was captain from 1967 onwards” which indicates that 1967 is the year she (he?) started to watch Test cricket. Brian Close was captain at that time, but he (she?) does not say when he started to be captain. I must admit I came to Test cricket a little later, but Brian Close was still god-like at that time.
73rd over: South Africa 194-5 ( Philander 3, van der Dussen 65) Philander gets off the mark with a drive off Bess.
72nd over: South Africa 192-5 ( Philander 1, van der Dussen 65) Classic Sam Curran, who had a difficult time after lunch. A terrier, he never gives up, his ears ever pricked, his tail always waggy. And, still, despite knowing he’s such an effective partnership breaker, batsmen see him as easy pickings. Now, can England get stuck in for the final charge?
WICKET! de Kock c Anderson b Curran 20
Curran does it again! England’s ultimate throw-him-on-and-watch-him-fizz bowler. With his second ball after coming into the attack, he goes slow and wide and de Kock licks his lips... and sends a leading edge flying to Jimmy Anderson.
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71st over: South Africa 190-4 ( de Kock 20, van der Dussen 65) Whatever was in those drinks, de Kock found something to make him fizz. He two-steps down the pitch and sends Bess flying over long-off. Quite charming.
Brian Poole wants to set the record straight on his namesake, Brian Close: Close was England captain from 1966, not 1967 as one of your correspondents suggests. Obviously they do not have a PhD in ancient cricket history, like wot I have.
I reckon there are a few Phds like that on the OBO...
70th over: South Africa 184-4 ( de Kock 15, van der Dussen 63) With ten overs to go until the new ball, this could be a match-changing 40 minutes or so. South Africa trail by 84; and Stokes sends down a pick n mix of short and good length toffees. That’s DRINKS.
69th over: South Africa 183-4 ( de Kock 14, van der Dussen 63) Both batsmen fan a couple towards mid-on and run a couple of singles. Bess carries on squeezing the life out of the SA bats. And here is a telling stat:
Having gone at 3.82 RPO in his first two Tests, Dom Bess has been really good in the holding role - this is only the second time in the post-Swann era that an England spinner has bowled 15+ first-innings overs while conceding <2 RPO
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) January 4, 2020
68th over: South Africa 181-4 ( de Kock 13, van der Dussen 62) Root perseveres with Stokes who is tidier this time round, as the crowd construct a beer snake and hold it up for everyone to see.
Guy Hornsby is feeling reflective.
Afternoon Tanya, happy new year! It’s actually my birthday today..
Happy Birthday!
.. so I was obviously hoping for an unlikely Pope ton and a rattle of early wickets to set up an unexpected victory. What I get, of course, is about as England a present as you could make up. Just need a QdK ton to round it off.
Maybe we could throw in one of the fast bowler’s turning their ankle trying to stop a boundary to make it a vintage day?
67th over: South Africa 180-4 ( de Kock 13, van der Dussen 61) de Kock’s urgency has infected VDD too, and the two of them collect four swift singles off Bess’ over.
66th over: South Africa 176-4 ( de Kock 11, van der Dussen 59) The enforcer proves a bit leaky. VDD pulls then nurdles Stokes for a couple of fours, and the deficit slips below three figures
Avitaj Mitra throws a rival to Stuart Broad into the mix.
“He has no rival in cricket in the animated face stakes.”
I believe Imran Tahir would strongly object to that sentence.
Okay, you might have a point.
65th over: South Africa 168-4 ( de Kock 11, van der Dussen 51) De Kock throws his bat, and front foot, at Bess and edges past slip for four. He repeats it, more stylishly and along the ground, the ball just picked up by Stuart Broad short of the boundary.
Samuel Andrews was waiting for that wicket:
Elgar had no answer to Bess-hovens ninth spin-phony
Sorry.
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64th over: South Africa 162-4 ( de Kock 5, van der Dussen 51) It’s going to be less valiant stonewalling and more froth and bubbles now de Kock’s at the crease. He languidly knocks four runs from Stokes’s first two balls.
Meanwhile, Kim Thonger has been spending his time wisely.
Afternoon Tanya. Happy New Year!
Coming right back at ya!
I’ve been going through the Wikipedia list of England captains. Since I started to watch Test cricket seriously, when Brian Close was captain from 1967 onwards, there haven’t been many captains who I felt did not inspire confidence. They include Tony Lewis, John Emburey, Kevin Pietersen, Allan Lamb, Geoffrey Boycott.
To this list I now add reluctantly, Joe Root, and he’s had a longer chance to shine than most. I really think he needs to consider his position and I can’t see how we improve as a team until he does. His motivational skills and tactical decisions seem woeful. It’s very sad. He should have been one of the greats but the longer he stays now, the worse his reputation is likely to get. Now I’ve written this of course there will be a miraculous change in his fortunes and I’ll eat an article of clothing of your choice accordingly.
I would say a towelled dressing gown, but even the thought of it gives me the shivers. Let’s settle on a pair of slippers.
63rd over: South Africa 157-4 ( de Kock 0, van der Dussen 51) Dom Bess, sunglasses perched on his nose, reaps the benefit of keeping it tight. Utter delight from his teammates and, with Elgar gone, Root turns straight to Ben Stokes.
WICKET! Elgar c Root b Bess 88
From nowhere! Elgar has a moment of madness and lofts the ball high, Root scampers back from mid-off, further, further, further, till it plops into his hands! England’s relief blasts out of every pore.
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62nd over: South Africa 157-3 (Elgar 88, van der Dussen 51) The Barmy Army bellow away as Stuart Broad runs tirelessly in. Unfortunately for England, South Africa prod him tirelessly back. Would it be unfair to say they are showing rather more patience than England did yesterday? A cracking bouncer from Broad’s fifth ball, that VDD goes to pull, but then changes his mind mid-stroke and has to execute a kind of strange dance. The effort, the sun and the suncream are writ large on Broad’s forehead.
61st over: South Africa 156-3 (Elgar 87, van der Dussen 51) Another over is rattled through by Dom Bess, and here is something to mull over with your afternoon thoughts.
Rassie van der Dussen - Today
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 4, 2020
v Anderson/Broad - 16 (69) - 28% false shots
v Others - 35 (77) - 5% false shots#SAvENG
60th over: South Africa 154-3 (Elgar 86, van der Dussen 51) A couple of runs leak from Broad’s over, but he is still posing a constant threat. VDD and Elgar playing him with elbows and jabs, not flowing strokes. The deficit dips to 114 and, good news, the Test is sold out at least until day three.
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59th over: South Africa 153-3 (Elgar 85, van der Dussen 50) Ay-up, another maiden for Dom Bess who now has teetotal party figures of 17-2-34-0. What a strange few months it has been for him, superfluous to requirements at Somerset, yo-yoing to and fro from loan at Yorkshire, and now playing for England again.
Something for Glamorgan/Australia to chew over, now that Australia have found their new run machine.
High praise for our head coach from a run machine 🙌🏼#GoGlam https://t.co/tvn0HSdWsu
— Glamorgan Cricket 🏏 (@GlamCricket) January 4, 2020
58th over: South Africa 153-3 (Elgar 85, van der Dussen 50) Oh! A whisker divides survival from the long walk home. Broad, whose sprinting, not chugging, in, gets one to zip past VDD’s bat and somehow skim but not kiss the top of off-stump. Broad pulls a suitably amazed-rueful face. He has no rival in cricket in the animated-face stakes.
57th over: South Africa 152-3 (Elgar 84, van der Dussen 50) Bess, again, not afraid to toss it high one ball, whirl in tight the next. No real risk for the batsmen, not much for him in the pitch. But just one off the over, which is what he is being asked to do.
56th over: South Africa 151-3 (Elgar 83, van der Dussen 50) Broad slants the ball in at VDD, testing his nerve, who then angles at a rising ball, not without risk, and sends it down through third man for a boundary. That’s his second Test fifty, in only his second match. Bravo. He plays the patience game very well.
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55th over: South Africa 146-3 (Elgar 82, van der Dussen 46) Elgar turns on the pressure tap and lets it drip away with a sweet lofted drive over long on off Dom Bess and to the boundary. And out of the corner of my eye, the Christmas tree is staring at me. Would it be impolite to take it down tomorrow?
54th over: South Africa 141-3 (Elgar 76, van der Dussen 46) VDD gets the pleasure of six balls from Stuart Broad, captain’s choice from the bowlers’ favourite Wynberg end. On Sky, Nasser is talking about the line of cracks in pitch at the Wynberg end, says that he checked them out at the tea interval and they are a fraction outside off, so perhaps going wide of the crease, which Broad is doing, might bring them into play a little more.
Anderson walks back onto the field.
53rd over: South Africa 141-3 (Elgar 76, van der Dussen 46) Bess starts the post-tea session with a maiden, still floating it up, still doing a job. And James Anderson is spotted on the England balcony, looks like he’s stretching a lower limb.
So... Jonny Bairstow is on the field and we think James Anderson is the man off the field... Dom Bess to bowl the first over.
From the Sky studio, praise for Jimmy Anderson, criticism for Joe Root for bringing on Curran straight after lunch and not keeping the pressure on. Much interest on who Root brings on at the beginning of the next session.
And thank you Marié too, I will read the link asap.
Enjoying The Guardian’s cricket commentary. Regarding your question about drought in SA:Dire drought conditions in a number of provinces in South Africa, including Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and parts of Western Cape province.More information available here:
Thanks for the correspondence about the Southern African drought.
Firstly, Victoria Falls. Dave Manby writes to say, “The vic falls photo is not the whole picture. The one end of the falls dries up every year in the dry season.”
And Andrew Gladwin, too:
@tjaldred yes most club cricket in Cape Town cancelled 2017/8. Vic falls not great but has been exaggerated unfortunately in Guardian please see https://t.co/D9TY0jpcre
— Andrew Gladwin (@surfermoon) January 4, 2020
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52nd over: South Africa 141-3 (Elgar 76, van der Dussen 46) Elgar knocks Curran’s final ball for a single, and that’s tea. So: 81 runs from the session, 30 overs, a partnership of 101 - the South African batsmen walk happily up the stairs and into the shade of the eucalyptus (?) tree that leans over the pavilion. South Africa’s session, patiently waiting and then knocking the loose balls away.
51st over: South Africa 140-3 (Elgar 76, van der Dussen 46) With a nudge off Root, Elgar brings up the 100 partnership with VDD, and that’s the highest partnership of the series. Just a single from the over - and one more, I think, to be bowled before tea.
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50th over: South Africa 139-3 (Elgar 76, van der Dussen 46) Curran replaces Anderson and immediately releases some of the pressure when Elgar tucks into a short ball and pulls it through square leg for a juicy four. Though Curran does seem to have the knack of taking wickets early in his spells, so will/might/could make good the damage in the next over.
Good old John Starbuck, has the lowdown on cricketers and numbers:
I can’t recall the exact protocol for shirt numbers either (over 41), but having them at all stems from the long-standing search for what we used to call Brighter Cricket. The concept was floated in the 1960s but not much got done. I think it was the Australians who introduced individual players’ numbers, based on where they were in the list of representing the country at Test level, and which they displayed on the baggy green. It was a good idea as it strengthened morale, as well as helping to identify players. Later, these numbers appeared on shirts/jumpers. England followed their lead. It seems a pity this wasn’t done world-wide because it solves the problems of allocating numbers, rather than a new set of rules, which cricket authorities appear to be really keen on, perhaps as a means of them leaving a legacy.
49th over: South Africa 134-3 (Elgar 71, van der Dussen 46) Just three easy runs off Joe Root, who hasn’t yet lured Elgar or VDD into the mistakes he might have hoped for.
48th over: South Africa 131-3 (Elgar 70, van der Dussen 44) The deficit is now down to 138, and tight as Anderson is bowling, England could do with a breakthrough before tea.
Thank you to Andrew Gladwin for this:
@tjaldred Hi Tanya Cape Town is ok after almost running out of water two years ago but some parts of South Africa still in serious drought regards Andrew Gladwin
— Andrew Gladwin (@surfermoon) January 4, 2020
I remember the day zero threats in Cape Town, I think they cancelled all youth cricket that year? Terrifying times. This picture from Victoria Falls taken last month is chilling.
This is shocking. I was lucky enough to visit Victoria Falls way back in 2003. They were magnificent. The worst drought in southern Africa for 40 years means having a functioning cricket team is the least of Zimbabwe's problems.
— TheNextTest (@TheNextTest) December 9, 2019
https://t.co/bnEoRpKS4N
47th over: South Africa 129-3 (Elgar 69, van der Dussen 43) Joe Root tries his own hand, delivering from wide of the crease to Elgar, trying to complete the over in record time . Which might not please Anderson that much.
Some very wise words on Virat Kohli appear in my inbox from Abhijato Sensarma. I love the idea of Kohli being the “unlikeliest cricket romantic of this generation.”
Kohli has been the unlikeliest cricket romantic of this generation. Sure, he was always good at batting. But an arrogance was intrinsic to his behaviour, which along with his affinity for the white ball from the outset presented an image of someone who thought he was bigger than the game, especially its modern outlook. However, he has turned out to be a huge cricket geek underneath his tattoo-complemented self. In India, his delivery of statements as skipper about supporting the longest format of the sport has immensely helped in the sale of Test cricket as a concept. His opposition to these new ideas aligns with the feelings of most purists. And we all know that when he speaks, the world listens. Hopefully ICC does too.
46th over: South Africa 129-3 (Elgar 69, van der Dussen 43) Ah, man alive! Van der Dussen fences at Anderson and Stokes dives full to his left at second slip and clings onto a lip-smacker, only for the ball to bounce out of his clasp as his elbow hits the ground. Anderson contains his thoughts; Stokes folds his arms and stares. Another maiden.
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45th over: South Africa 129-3 (Elgar 68, van der Dussen 42) Kevin Pietersen not shy of giving Anderson some stick on TalkSport. Just a couple of singles from Bess’s over as the clock hand ticks towards tea.
44th over: South Africa 127-3 (Elgar 68, van der Dussen 42) What did I say? Better from Anderson, who incidentally has gone heavy on the hair wax today. A maiden, that van der Dussen is forced to prod at more awkwardly that he’d like.
And an email! Hi Tanya, and a very happy new year to you! And you too, Romeo.
It seems rather like Root is banking on a Yes-No-Sorry run out for his next wicket.
It does have that sort of slightly sleepytown feel to the session...
43rd over: South Africa 127-3 (Elgar 68, van der Dussen 42) Bess wears No. 47 on his back. I can’t just now remember what the rule is for shirts. Do players just choose the number they like (eg Root 66) and the new players get the left overs? What happens to a one-Test wonder? Has he bagged the number for life? Bess has now bowled 12 overs for 26.
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41st over: South Africa 124-3 (Elgar 67, van der Dussen 40) Anderson plugs away outside off, not causing any great concern to the South African batsman right now. Famous last words, obvs. Cape Town looking truly glorious, all royal blues and emerald greens. Seems hard to believe the drought that has been hitting much of southern Africa. Read this morning that 25 per cent of Zambians are in need of emergency food aid. If anyone is reading this in South Africa, would love to know if South African too is still suffering from drought conditions. Edgar swaps gloves at the end of the over.
40th over: South Africa 121-3 (Elgar 65, van der Dussen 39) Bess not trying anything too tricksy, just dotting it down on or about off stump. Looks brimful of confidence as he always does. Play is heading towards the attritional, think forcing down that last helping of Christmas pudding just to empty the fridge of Christmas.
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39th over: South Africa 119-3 (Elgar 64, van der Dussen 38) A gasp of excitement when Ben Stokes seems to scoop up a catch off the floor from a van der Dussen poke off Anderson, but replays show it is a bump ball. Van der Dussen somewhat nervously plays out the rest of a maiden.
38th over: South Africa 118-3 (Elgar 64, van der Dussen 37) Dom Bess, bowling arm whirling straight over his head, think man trying reach the very top of his height rather than sideways for a box of cornflakes, speeds through another accurate over. They potter through for a couple of singles.
37th over: South Africa 117-3 (Elgar 63, van der Dussen 37) Joe Root feels around for the runes and brings on Anderson to a heavily-weighted off-side field. To his fourth ball in the over, Anderson tumbles into his follow-through, actually more into his landing foot. And he continues to scuff away at the footmarks discontentedly throughout the rest of the over, like a rabbit digging a scrape. Elgar leaves his final ball, riskily/skillfully.
Something to throw into the four-five-day Test mix:
Virat Kohli, the most influential player on the planet, is against The Hundred and has now said the same about four-day Tests...
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) January 4, 2020
36th over: South Africa 116-3 (Elgar 62, van der Dussen 37) Thanks Adam, great stuff as always, and Happy New Year OBO readers! Sky show-off a fish-eye (?) camera view of Cape Town which shows idyllic blue sky but has all the houses falling away at the side in a slightly queasy way. Which is a bit how England must be feeling right now, what with no-balls and Elgar inching and nugetting towards his Adam-predicted century. Anyway, Dom Bess whizzes through his ninth over without incident.
36th over: South Africa 115-3 (Elgar 61, van der Dussen 37) Stokes with the final over of the hour and we get a look at some further no-balls from Stokes. It’s an absolute joke. It’s a productive over for the hosts with six runs collected around the sweepers without risk, this partnership now moving to 75. Drinks! And with that, it’s time for me to say goodbye. It was great to hang out, let’s to it again tonight from Sydney and then tomorrow when I’ll be back for the afternoon at Newlands. Now to Tanya Aldred who will take you through to the close. Bye!
Oh, and Tim Cutler on specialist TV umps - makes a very good point as I depart. “A Dubai-based ‘bunker’ with feeds going to a specialised team of trained pros in a controlled environment is the only way forward for mine. No need to fly them around the world. Save on cost, emissions, easily to drive/change policy.”
50 minutes into the session and no Anderson. What's wrong with this picture?
— Rory Dollard (@thervd) January 4, 2020
35th over: South Africa 109-3 (Elgar 60, van der Dussen 33) Bess skips through another frugal over, Elgar right over the splice in defence time and again. I’m not far from handing over to Tanya, but I’ll declare him a lock for a century here.
34th over: South Africa 108-3 (Elgar 60, van der Dussen 32) Elgar races through for a quick single and seems to have hurt his back in the process? At the end of the Stokes over, they call for the physio. Along the way, we see another delivery where he has overstepped. “The on-field umpires aren’t looking for it,” says Nasser. “But doesn’t somebody have to?” They don’t listen to me but they might listen to Nas.
33rd over: South Africa 104-3 (Elgar 58, van der Dussen 30) A confidence-building drive for van der Dussen, getting a big stride in at Bess before stroking him through cover for four. The spinner draws his length back just a tad to finish. He has bowled seven overs now for 17 runs. Doing his job well, not leaking many runs.
32nd over: South Africa 100-3 (Elgar 58, van der Dussen 26) Ooi! Stokes gets one to take off from around the wicket at Elgar, happy to let it crash into his gloves. Earlier in the over he flicked him for a couple but the main job for England here is wickets not runs. Although that’ll change in an hour or so if they can’t break this.
“Afternoon Adam, and Happy New Year to you too.” Likewise, Simon McMahon! If last year taught us anything, surely it was the benefits of compromise, as opposed to certainty. Why not four and a half day Tests?”
They’re more likely to go with three and a half days so the TV commentators can get back to their home city in time for dinner (and/or nightclubs) by night four.
31st over: South Africa 97-3 (Elgar 56, van der Dussen 25) Dom Bess is doing his reputation the world of good here, bringing Elgar forward with ample dip. He finds van der Dussen’s inside edge later in the set with one that really bites. Good areas.
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30th over: South Africa 95-3 (Elgar 55, van der Dussen 24) Oh dear, Ben Stokes is even further over the line with the first delivery they show up on the screen into his new spell. This is ridiculous on multiple levels. One of those is that the central ump cops a bruising when they don’t call them but they are ultimately skewered when calling them incorrectly. Let’s not forget the Richard Illingworth/Adam Voges debacle from Wellington in 2016. Anyway, it’s a good over with the all-rounder generating plenty of shape back towards van der Dussen.
29th over: South Africa 91-3 (Elgar 55, van der Dussen 20) Bess is back in place of Curran, straight back on the line and length he found before lunch. As Mike Haysman says on the TV, there’s a puff of dust where the final delivery pitches.
28th over: South Africa 90-3 (Elgar 55, van der Dussen 19) KP was all over this on the telly, explaining how the technology was used in a T20 series he was recently covering to deal with the front foot no-ball line. I’ve been banging away about this for nearly four years now. WE HAD A TRIAL in 2016, where the TV umpire watched the front line in an ODI series between England and Pakistan, and it WORKED A TREAT! The ICC told me then that it would be rolled out everywhere. But, nothing happened. In 2018, they told me it was... too expensive. Too expensive to use cameras that are already there? Odd. The good news is that they have realised the error in this and are going to roll out some more trials in the first half of this year. My conspiracy theory is that the TV umpire isn’t interested in watching the front line on a TV screen all day (toggling back and forth, alerting the central umpire when there is an overstep). It further bolsters the case for specialist TV umpires, if you ask me. Take the job away entirely from the elite panel officials and develop a new generation of umpires who understand the technology intimately. Rant over!
NO BALL! OH DEAR! Broad has won van der Dussen’s edge with a brute of a ball but the technology shows he is a long, long way over the line. He’s called back!
27th over: South Africa 86-3 (Elgar 55, van der Dussen 16) Too short from Curran at his pace, punished from the man in form Elgar with his compact pull shot. No issues here. They’ve made the most of the 23 minutes since lunch, adding 26 runs.
Elgar to 50!
26th over: South Africa 80-3 (Elgar 50, van der Dussen 15) Excellent hand this from Elgar, keeping the show on the road after those three quick wickets. He earns the chance to raise his bat with a couple down to fine leg - another poor delivery from Broad in that region - then a quick single in front of the wicket. That’s his 26th score above 50 in Test cricket, 12 of those converted into three figures.
Pete Salmon for a second bite of the cherry. “Punishing tems by deducting World Ranking points doesn’t work I think. First, how excited is everyone about the Test Championship. A little bit, but that’s it, even amongst us tragics. And I suspect the players even less so - how keen are they on an extra match on test fees rather than silly IPL type money. Second, even if we were all excited, players included, the only reward is playing in the final, which means only 2-4 teams each cycle will give a toss about losing points. Has to be cash I think, and proper amounts.”
We’ll have to agree to disagree here. The players are very into the WTC - those I’ve talked to about it, anyway. They’ve wanted this league for a long time. The problem with the WTC is the weird points allocation but they will surely fix that for the next cycle with some sort of balancing mechanism. It’s fairly ridiculous that Pakistan are third on the table with one win from four Tests. If I was King? I’d draw from the Women’s championship where three matches from each series count and they ensure a minimum of three Tests are played in each. No more two-Test flings! Then we put our heads together on how to keep the other Tests in four/five match series relevant to the WTC. I haven’t worked that bit out yet.
Updated
25th over: South Africa 77-3 (Elgar 47, van der Dussen 15) Elgar keeps scoring and it is helping transfer the pressure back onto the visitors. van der Dussen takes advantage later in the over, crushing a half-volley away to the cover boundary. Shot. I’m surprised it took him this long to get a chance at Test level.
“I understand the ECB are developing a concept to be deemed ‘The Thousand’ where both sides have a maximum of 1000 deliveries each to fashion a result in the long form of the game,” emails David Lewis. Droll. The ‘exciting, modern simplicity of the concept will be sure to bring a new audience to the long form game and invigorate what is potentially becoming a little stale’ the press release concludes.”
Very good. I know it’s tough, and the link is probably there, but let’s try and avoid this removing into Hundred Bashing territory. We had all summer for that, yeah?
24th over: South Africa 72-3 (Elgar 46, van der Dussen 11) Disco Stu Broad to take up the attack from the pavilion end, where he caused all sorts of bother before lunch. He’ll want to get a good look at van der Dussen early in this spell but the right-hander does well, pushing the first ball past point to get off strike. Elgar keeps ticking the board over in his direction, taking a misdirected short ball of his hip down to the boundary at fine leg. To finish, one to cover to keep the strike.
“Apparently people on the Western Terrace have a song about Dom Bess to the tune of the Divinyls I Touch Myself,” reports Iain Noble. They do??? “As I don’t attend Headingley other than when there’s a good chance of Lancs thrashing the Tykes (which hasn’t been on the cards for a while now) I haven’t heard it. Perhaps you could publish the words in the OBO? Even if it’s rude. Especially if it’s rude.”
Well, if that is the case and someone has the words for me, I’ll consider it!
23rd over: South Africa 66-3 (Elgar 41, van der Dussen 10) Elgar presents a nice, broad blade to begin and nearly beats mid-off. He does score from the next ball, getting a couple off his hip. Seeing them beautifully, he backs that up with the shot of the day, an on-drive for four. Outstanding timing; he’s into the 40s.
“My tongue-in-cheek suggestion regarding over rates from a few years ago was to get the players to make the short overs up on the day immediately following the match,” suggests Graeme Thorn. “jJst like in any other profession where if you hadn’t finished your work, you had to come in on your weekend or on a day off to get it done.”
The players are back on the field. Sammy Curran gets the first chance with the ball, replacing Dom Bess. He has a couple of slips. Elgar is on strike. PLAY!
“‘Morning.” And to you, John Starbuck. “If you want to penalise a side for slow over rates, in a 4-day or 5-day game, don’t bother with fining the captain because it doesn’t work. Instead, in an age when Test matches have a points system for world ranking, simply deduct one point for every session’s over rate failure with umpires allowing some discretion for slow play owing to bad weather and unforeseen events. If this means some sides end up with a minus figure, so what? It ought to mean more spin bowling, which is a Good Thing.”
Yep, that’s definitely the way to do it. Use the points, not the cash.
Ian Forth has an alternative view: “I don’t really get the furore concerning over rates,” he says. “There seems moral outrage that spectators are being ‘short changed’. But how many spectators actually watch an entire day’s test cricket anyway? At most matches I’ve been to the ground’s half empty at the start of play, two thirds empty at the start of the other sessions and often half empty at stumps. Compared to problems like four day tests, uneven contests, match fixing and so on, over rates only become a real problem in matches such as Port of Spain in 1990 or Karachi in 2000 where a team deliberately slows the game right down to avoid defeat.”
I’d spin that to why shouldn’t they get the correct number of overs in? They do in county cricket. They do in Sheffield Shield cricket. The women always hit their targets when playing Test cricket. Why do the men get a leave pass?
Back to scrapping the fifth day. “Alternatively, is there something to be said for having the ultimately disappointing result come after just 4 days of futile hope, rather than 5?” asks Matt Dony. I feel like we don’t get many bore draws these days, though? If a Test is going the distance, usually at least one team can win it late. But I’m going on gut feel there, which is always a bit dicey.
“Where do you stand on the pitch (as t’were)?” asks my man Gary Naylor. “This time yesterday, most pundits were telling us that it was a belter, when it clearly wasn’t - have they changed their tune? Looks a good advert for four day Tests to me.”
I’ll take the second half of that as a comment! It still looks a very good batting track with one very big crack running down that fourth stump line? It could be one of those Test pitches where it is very different from one end to the other. Good fun!
“Morning Adam.” Hello, Brian Withington! We’re all here this morning. “Wrote this before seeing Kim Thonger’s query. I am finding it difficult to shake the (unoriginal) feeling that debating between four and five day tests feels a bit like Nero fiddling in the current context of swathes of Aus literally burning (to the backdrop of unspeakable political leadership the world over). So is our beloved game a welcome distraction or soothing balm during these troubled times? As a child I was rather troubled by the prospect of the earth being engulfed by a solar fireball within four or five billion years - my hasn’t the time flown by. I’d love to hear what Nasser thinks about it all - why don’t people like him end up running things?”
Good shout: if Nasser ran for something, I’d happily run his campaign. But why would they bother? I saw a prominent Australian footballer post Richard Flanagan’s powerful piece on the New York Times about the Australian fires and then had a look at the replies to his tweet. Why subject yourself to that if you already have a fairly big megaphone as a celebrity sportsperson? Not to say I wish more wouldn’t consider it. I have my eye on one former Australian Test player who I want to run for parliament one day. We’ll see if I’m persuasive enough!
More on four-day Tests. “I think it is pretty much the end of society as we know it,” declares Adrian Goldman. Gotta love a strong opening. “It may be, however, the only way that the current England side would ever be able to bat out a draw. And I am not even certain of that.”
As for Frank Bradley, he’s also firmly in the anti-camp. “The question remains, WHY? None of the reasons/excuses cut the mustard. Unless of course the players (As celebrities of course), will put on singing, dancing and comic impersonations on the now free day to attract a different audience.”
Why? They say to free up many, many days of scheduled time that doesn’t get used. With that, they can play more cricket. I mean, yeah? That’s not unreasonable as a starting point. But at what cost? Too high, for mine. Let’s have four-day Tests from time to time, when it is that or nothing. As I said earlier, New Zealand are in that boat a lot of the time and they want to play more often. As my colleague Tim Wigmore has argued, two four-day Tests gets a series done in two weeks. But the WTC suggestion is that it would be compulsory - meaning Ashes, the lot.
Jofra Archer update
News in from Chris Stocks, who is covering the Test for the paper at Newlands. He reports that Archer is “in line to be fit” for the Third Test at Port Elizabeth next week. The 24-year-old has been cleared of major damage to his right elbow after being ruled out in Cape Town. We’ll have the full story with you shortly.
“Morning Adam.” Hello, Kim Thonger. “We awake to find England bowling well and taking wickets but are concerned that actually we are just in heaven following an overnight nuclear conflagration caused by the orange lunatic whose name shall not pass our lips. Please confirm we are still alive and reading about reality?”
I promise, despite what the twitter trends say, WWIII has not broken out. Let’s just enjoy the comforting distraction that is Test Match cricket, I say.
“Hi Adam.” Peter Salmon, great to hear from you too. “Right, four days tests. Hate the idea like all good people. Seems to me that any time one side gets a good first innings lead (say 100+) the team batting third will play for a draw, probably from the start of day 3, sometimes from the end of day 2. But... they are going to happen aren’t they, like wifi and pop music. Seems to me that rather than having this endless, pointless debate about whether its good, we need to loom at how to make it work. The main problem will be over rates. Let’s keep it simple. Each session a certain number. Every over short the captain loses 25% of their match fee. Third umpire has a stop watch to check for added time (5 mins an over) so the captain can appeal at the end of the match, but only then. If captains want to play for free, they are welcome.”
Maybe they figure with the WTC giving such a high reward for wins (especially in two/three match series) that we won’t see teams play for draws? The guts of this is that they see a chance to make more cash by scrapping day five. The rest is noise.
I have a film clip recommendation in from Abhijato Sensarma. Let’s take a look.
The old firm do it again. After conceding 17 runs in two overs to start, England hearts were quickly in mouths. But Broad then Anderson found their mark soon enough and ran through the Proteas’ top order before they won the opportunity to cash in on a great day for batting. Malan, Hamza and du Plessis all gave catches to the cordon - the middle of those a brilliant take by Stokes - to quickly get the visitors back on track after such a disappointing opening day. Importantly, Bess also did his job to keep it tight up the other end in his first spell back at the top table. Elgar, meanwhile, is batting beautifully for the home side. Good stuff.
LUNCH: South Africa 60-3
22nd over: South Africa 60-3 (Elgar 35, van der Dussen 10) Stokes gets the final over before lunch, replacing Anderson after his fine spell. Three slips are in place as he charges in at van der Dussen, the right-hander leaving whenever he can but he can’t let the ball go on the fourth-stump crack, pushing and missing at a ball that moves appreciably off the seam. That’s going to be a real bother for batsmen throughout the rest of this match. He keeps his cool though, picking up a couple through midwicket before leaving the last couple to get to LUNCH. The end of a big session for England. They needed early wickets and snagged three of them.
21st over: South Africa 58-3 (Elgar 35, van der Dussen 8) There was criticism of Dom Bess when he debuted at age 20 (the youngest England off-spinner ever!) at Lord’s last year that he didn’t contain well enough. His ropey figures supported that view. He’s certainly doing that job here though, backing his skills and giving the ball a chance to spin by giving it plenty of flight rather than pushing it through. A lot to like about his return to the bowling crease at the top level so far.
20th over: South Africa 56-3 (Elgar 34, van der Dussen 7) It might have been not out but what a superb inswinger it was from Anderson to win the decision in the first place. He’s been hitting the deck and shaping away shaping away shaping away... then that. It’s been said time and again, but he’s the most skilful bowler of his generation and surely one of the most capable seamers to ever play. It’s a different game when Elgar is on strike here, the left-hander timing a couple past point before keeping the strike with a tuck. There are five minutes left until lunch.
HAS ANDERSON TRAPPED VAN DER DUSSEN? He’s given out on the field but has sent it straight upstairs for review. And he’s right to do so, there’s a big inside edge so Umpire Reiffel has to change his decision to NOT OUT! That’s why we have DRS.
Updated
19th over: South Africa 52-3 (Elgar 31, van der Dussen 6) Elgar eases Bess down the ground for one - he’s in great shape. Of course, he saluted for a ton at Newlands against Australia before all hell broke loose in March 2018. van der Dussen does the same, out to cover, to keep the strike. Another tidy over.
18th over: South Africa 50-3 (Elgar 30, van der Dussen 5) Anderson once again at van der Dussen, beating from another delivery that seams away early in the set. As the TV tells me, this is the end where Philander was able to generate plenty of movement off the track yesterday. There’s no respite for the new man. Maiden.
“Usually I can bet on being on some beautiful foreign beach while following your OBO,” writes Andy Wilson, who I am very pleased to hear from. “This morning it is from a surprisingly sunny Yorkshire.Anyway onto business... I think that the Aussie development of Marnus Labuschagne is borderline cheating. You should be allowed one of him or Smith but not both. So I reckon you should get your pick of England’s top order as a swap. Except Burns. If you had both you would need 6 or 7 day tests just to get their batting in. So swap for someone who can dash to 20 or 30 and the world is a far better and harmonious place. Hope all is well with you and you and family are safe from the fires.”
Just think, Marnus probably wouldn’t have played in the Ashes if not for Archer knocking Smith out. Now they are - as they kids say - BFFs. And it shows. And thanks fot the kind words. My family’s farm is on the other side of Victoria, so they’re all set for now. But, yes, it’s a terribly sad and grim time for everyone.
17th over: South Africa 50-3 (Elgar 30, van der Dussen 5) Really good loop from Bess from around the wicket to Elgar, getting himself in the game. He has a slip and a silly point in operation, Elgar pushing past that man through the air to get off strike. When he’s back down the business end, they take that man out to a catching cover, hoping he’ll repeat the error but he’s happily forward in defence.
“Touches of Graeme Swann in Dom Bess’ action wouldn’t you say Adam?” tweets @Martin_Laidler. “Loopy windmill action (technical term).” Yep, a good comparison. Now, if only he can take 250-odd Test wickets in the next five years!
16th over: South Africa 48-3 (Elgar 29, van der Dussen 4) Edge, four! Through third slip. Root has three catchers back there but not in that very spot. Jimmy has a word about it to van der Dussen, as is the custom when such a thing happens. This is a much better spell from the man with 578 Test scalps to his name.
15th over: South Africa 44-3 (Elgar 29, van der Dussen 0) Bess is on for his first over in Test cricket since Headingley last June. Since then, he’s seen plenty of Second XI cricket, a loan to Yorkshire and remains Somerset’s second spinner. But he’s coming on at a great time with his side well on top. Elgar tries to get on top of him first ball and gets four for it, but not without risk driving on the up past cover. Encouraged by that, he lands the rest of his over right on the spot. Good start.
14th over: South Africa 40-3 (Elgar 25, van der Dussen 0) A lot of work to do for Rassie van der Dussen in this his second Test. He defends the one ball he has to see off from Anderson here, the champion quick completing a wicket maiden.
ANDERSON STRIKES!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 4, 2020
England on a roll! Jimmy Anderson is in on the act and the South Africa skipper is gone, Faf du Plessis edges to Stokes. SA 40-3.
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WICKET! du Plessis c Stokes b Anderson 1 (South Africa 40-3)
Jimmy! Swung around to follow Broad he’s into the book straight away. It’s a lovely delivery, nipping away just enough off the seam to find the captain’s edge. Classic Anderson. Stokes does the rest, a staightforward snaffle this time.
13th over: South Africa 40-2 (Elgar 25, du Plessis 1) Curran is really holding up his end of the bargain here, building the pressure at Elgar to help Broad do what he needs to at the other end. du Plessis is off the mark with one around the corner.
12th over: South Africa 38-2 (Elgar 24, du Plessis 0) Right in that channel at du Plessis outside the off-stump then attacking the stumps with a yorker-length delivery. I don’t think it is overstating it to say that Broad is bowling as well as he ever has at the moment. This is a fantastic spell. Well handled by home skipper.
If you’ve been watching the dreadful fires in my country and want to do something to help the criical relief effort, consider getting involved with the fantastic auction being held by Russell Jackson, who many OBO readers would know as a former Guardian sports writer and editor. As a kid, he collected the autographs of ten Test captains on a lovely blank bat. To do his bit, he’s giving it away to the highest bidder with the money going to where it is needed most.
At the end of day two, bidding is at $2000. Auction finishes 8pm the night the SCG Test ends. Thanks to all the generous bidders so far. Cricket people are good people. 👍🏏 https://t.co/C3y0kIsYap
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) January 4, 2020
11th over: South Africa 38-2 (Elgar 24, du Plessis 0) Curran does his job, sending down an accurate maiden at Elgar. Broad now gets another go at the new man.
“Good morning Adam.” And to you, Steve Ditchburn. “Someone really needs to teach Jimmy Anderson to play balls on their length. There was absolutely no point in playing a shot to that last ball - it was going way over the stumps - and he got out similarly when England were trying to save the game a few years ago and there were only a few overs left in the day. I know he’s not there as a batsman but a little coaching would be beneficial.” I think he gets a leave pass there? They did add 35!
10th over: South Africa 38-2 (Elgar 24, du Plessis 0) After the drinks break, he gets one look at du Plessis to complete the successful over, defended from the crease. They exchange a couple of words. “He’s got his knees up,” says KP on telly. “He’s bowling really, really well.” He then hints at saying something not very nice about Anderson, which we’re going to have to get used to with him on commentary. But forget that for now, Big Bad Stuart Broad might be on one. And whaddacatch!
BRILLIANT CATCH FROM STOKES!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 4, 2020
Broad has his second as Hamza edges to second slip where Stokes takes a fantastic low catch diving to his right! SA 38-2.
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WICKET! Hamza b Stokes b Broad 5 (South Africa 38-2)
What a good catch that is! Stokes to his right at second slip, diving low to the ground and getting both hands to it. Fantastic work in there. Broad wasn’t put off after being driven for four from the first ball of this over, keeping the ball full and getting this reward for it. Thanks to Broad, the visitors are up and about.
9th over: South Africa 34-1 (Elgar 24, Hamza 1) Slammin’ Sammy Curran gets his first chance of the morning, replacing Anderson. Elgar is happy enough with that decision, flicking his first delivery away to the boundary then repeating the very same shot next ball, albeit for three this time. Hamza now, off the mark with a push behind point. By the end of the over, Curran finds his line and length.
“Keep tests five-day, cut the working week to four,” suggests ChipShopChop to me on twitter. “Start tests on a Friday to well-rested full houses. New golden age ensues.” Another proposition that’ll have a lot of support in these parts!
8th over: South Africa 26-1 (Elgar 17, Hamza 0) Broad is stump to stump to Hamza straight away, clearly working to a plan. With his third ball to him he finds the outside edge, bouncing before it reaches gully but another good sign. We all know what a confidence bowler he is. Oooi, he finishes his wicket maiden with a beauty, pitching middle and off before seaming away gorgeously and evading the edge.
WICKET!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 4, 2020
Broad strikes to grab England's first, getting South African debutant Malan edging to a relieved Root at slip! 🇿🇦🏴
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WICKET! Malan c Root b Broad 5 (South Africa 26-1)
This edge goes to hand! First ball of his new over, Broad has Malan steering the easiest of catches to Root at first slip. That looked a good matchup for England and it has paid off. Needless to say, they really needed that early breakthrough.
Updated
7th over: South Africa 26-0 (Elgar 17, Malan 5) Edge, four! Anderson is doing the yards against Elgar and has won the edge with the final ball of another handy over but it lands in front of the cordon before skipping away to the rope. Frustrating.
6th over: South Africa 20-0 (Elgar 11, Malan 5) Broad to Malan and he’s beating him with a lovely delivery moving away from the blade with his second offering. He’s a touch wide of the off-stump by the end of the set but I’m sure he’ll back himself against a man on debut if he can get a few consistent overs in at him.
“Good morning Adam from a hot, sunny Cape Town.” Sounds fantastic coming from where I am in chilly North London, Trevor Tutu. “Yesterday your colleague, Tim, suggested that my son, who was going to Newlands’ to barrack the Barmy Army, would not have a very good time of it. He was right, but not in the way Tim meant. My son reports that while Stokes and Root were still in, they were all having a really good time, and that banter and repartee were exchanged in good humour. But, that as soon as the England collapse began, it put a pall over the proceedings. He says banter, which would have drawn a swift retort, before went unanswered.” Sports fans - we are fickle. I don’t think that’s a nationality thing.
5th over: South Africa 20-0 (Elgar 11, Malan 5) Anderson is giving the ball a chance in terms of where he is pitching it but there isn’t a lot going on here in terms of lateral movement. Elgar has played a lot of cricket and will know that if he can get through the first hour here, it is going to be a dream to bat on later. In turn, he’s taking no risks, picking up a couple with soft hands past gully to finish.
Updated
4th over: South Africa 17-0 (Elgar 9, Malan 4) Better from Broad too, keeping Elgar in defence from around the wicket. Nasser notes that he no longer has a third slip, that catcher redeployed to extra cover after those two boundaries. “Anderson and Broad hate going for runs,” he says, noting that Root has been integral in getting the tall quick to pitch the baller fuller over the last couple of years. He’s very close to finish his maiden, jagging back at the left-hander and finding his inside egde.
3rd over: South Africa 17-0 (Elgar 9, Malan 4) Anderson settles well, giving Malan nothing in and around that off-stump line. He plays out the maiden watchfully.
“Good afternoon.” Hello, Amod Paranjape. “Will this be the last series of Joe Root as Captain to preserve Joe Root the batsman?” It’s getting easier to buil that case, I’m afraid. He’s smart enough to know that. But we have a long way to go here.
2nd over: South Africa 17-0 (Elgar 9, Malan 4) Elgar gets his first boundary early on too, timing a full Broad delivery wide of mid-off for four. There’s no batswing required there - all timing. Those feel really good. Broad, around the wicket, immediately drags his length back and has the left-hander leaving close to his off-stump. The over gets very expensive at the end though, Broad’s angle cutting Elgar in half and also beating Buttler, running away for four byes. Unlucky. But to finish he’s again too full, as he was to begin the over, so the left-hander takes full advantage through the cover region on this occasion. They’re off to a flyer.
“We’re a bit self selecting here, enthusiasts who follow OBO at any and all hours but reducing the days makes no sense to me in that... at 5, it’s a very different game,” is the very reasonable assessment of Peter Gibbs. “4 days promotes more sloggery and perhaps a narrower range of abilities and we have plenty of that in its’ purest form at the other end of the scale. 5 days is a different game, not better or worse. 4 days is reductive.”
To quote Derek Pringle on twitter yesterday on that same line: “Over the centuries Test cricket has evolved into the highest form of the game to be played over five days. Lopping a day off to secure its survival is like removing one horn from a black rhino to make it less attractive to poachers... barmy.”
Sunset at the SCG. Totally cool, totally normal. pic.twitter.com/wT3LHxbQd6
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) January 4, 2020
1st over: South Africa 5-0 (Elgar 1, Malan 4) Anderson is right where he needs to be at Elgar, who gets off the mark with a compact push to cover. Pieter Malan’s turn, the 30-year-old playing his debut Test innings here. The Newlands crowd know their cricket and give him a solid round of applause when the new right-hander defends the first ball from the middle of his bat. They’re even happier when he gets off the mark from the final ball of the over with a lovely cut shot, putting it away past the vacant point region. A classy way to get out of the blocks.
“The question to ask here is - will the four-day format benefit cricket?” asks Abhijato Sensarma on our topic of four-day Tests. “There will be more aggressive batting from the batsmen, and lesser importance or time given to defence. This may lead to an erosion of technique as well as the spirit of the purest form of the game we hold so dear. Excessively defensive bowling is likely become a feature too. Of course, one cannot deny this will increase the format’s commercial viability at a time the format is being neglected financially. The players will benefit if the ‘trickle down effect’ is to be believed. It is not. Also, another argument put forward about giving players breathing space in their workload is not convincing - more LOIs will probably be fitted in during this period of vacancy by the ever-greedy administrators. Frankly, I do not mind four-day cricket. But it should be an option for sides to opt for, not compulsory.”
The players are back on the field. Jimmy has the ball in his hand and Dean Elgar is taking strike for the Proteas. PLAY!
I’m looking forward to watching Dom Bess bowl. I spoke to his Somerset coach about the offspinner’s 18 months in the wilderness after his two Tests in 2018.
“What say I?” asks Jane Evans of four-day Tests. “Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
This is a view consistent across my inbox. I’m fairly sure I know what administrators would say to that: you all love Test cricket anyway and this isn’t about you. They know we’re hooked and will keep coming back regardless. Hmm.
It appears as though an incorrect email address was popped in the top of the OBO, so some of your emails might not have reached me. That’s fixed now. Apologies.
Some more on four-day Tests during the change. “I say I’m really looking forward to contemplating sunny skies on the non-existent fifth day of a Test that’s been given up as a draw because of rain earlier in the match,” tweets @ejhchess.
Indeed. Andrew Samson, the TMS stats guru (currently working for SEN radio in Australia) noted in their coverage overnight that through the last decade, the average overs bowled per day is 79. Of course, weather and shocking over rates contrbute to that figure. His/my point: it’s a waste of time using 98 overs per day as the benchmark when building the case that fifth days aren’t required anymore.
“Hi Adam.” Hi, Tim Maitland. “Given the availability of floodlights and the fact that the DRS-era game is significantly different to the ‘good old days’ when you could take a big stride, hide your bat behind your pad and be given not out all day, you could argue that a review of whether 5 days is better than 4 has never made more sense. I can’t help feeling they’re fiddling while Rome burns. The far more obvious answer to test cricket’s problems in attracting crowds is switching to the day-night test, isn’t it?”
I’m with you on the second point. We now have a dependable pink ball, so let’s use it more often if that’s what it takes. I’m also in favour of throwing a pink ball out there to stop players coming off for bad light if floodlights are available. Just until the close, that is. Then back to the red one when they resume the next day.
Here’s that final wicket.
ENGLAND 2⃣6⃣9⃣ ALL OUT!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 4, 2020
Jimmy Anderson the last man to fall, edging Rabada to slip, as England add seven to their overnight score 🇿🇦🏴
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ENGLAND ALL-OUT 269! WICKET! Anderson c van der Dussen b Rabada 4.
Anderson steers Rabada into the hands of van der Dussen at first slip, ending this tenth wicket stand at 35. He was down there after a misjudgment from Pope from the first ball of the over, digging a yorker out to midwicket and calling two but there was never two there. But he did really well, walking off unbeaten on 61.
91st over: England 268-9 (Pope 60, Anderson 4) Nortje has the pace to keep Pope quiet as they continue the strike-milking game. He doesn’t take the singles to cover and can’t make contact with the short stuff when it eventually arrives at the tail end of the over. He does get a run for the tally, via a bouncer that is called as a wide by Paul Reiffel for leaping too high. The touring supporters are loving that. He rebowls the final ball and the Surrey man makes room to bunt a length delivery over mid-off for the single they crave to keep him on strike. That’s the way.
“I agree that I think it is a done deal to make 4 day test cricket,” says Damian Horton. “I expect the main reason is it makes financial sense to drop day 5 (nothing to do with players!!). Day 5 often has the full expense of staff, food, security etc but often doesn’t have the revenue due to refunds for no play or discounted/free tickets and tickets only sold on the day (hard to plan for). 4 day tests would be more profitable in Aus and England but more critically the only way to make financial sense in other countries.”
My short response is that four-day Tests probably have their place. But to mandate them for the World Test Championship is a whole other thing. I get why New Zealand are keen on them, for example, given how infrequently they get to play. Indeed, take Bangladesh too who have been showed so little respect from Cricket Australia - not hosted for a Test since 2003 - maybe a pair of four-day fixtrues would get that over the line. Not that such bad behaviour should be rewarded.
90th over: England 266-9 (Pope 59, Anderson 4) Very good from Jimmy, getting the first ball of the day safely down to third man to give the strike to Pope. The young man makes solid contact with a drive to the man at cover to begin before flicking two confident runs through midwicket. Rabada goes short to Pope in response, who gets underneath it. To finish, he gets resourceful with a snuffle outside the leg stump to open up the offside, eventually hacking a quick single to square leg to keep the strike for the next over. They’ve managed that really well.
The players are on the field at Newlands. Right, how long can this final England pair drag it out? Jimmy Anderson is down at the business end to begin, facing Kagiso Rabaga. Never an easy task. He has a couple of slips and a gully. PLAY!
Speaking of that Test in Sydney... look away now if you are triggered by news that Australia have found an out-and-out superstar number three batsman. Marnus Labuschagne took his overnight ton and made it a double. That’s the fourth time in six Tests this home summer that’s he has reached three figures. What a ride he has had since coming in for Steve Smith as a concussion sub at Lord’s in August. Would you believe, now in his 22nd Test innings, he has the second highest average ever with only Bradman ahead of him. Yep - he’s overtaken Steve Smith.
In favour of four-day Test cricket? If so, you’ll be happy to hear that Kevin Roberts, the Cricket Australia boss, was talking them up again on radio during the Australia v New Zealand Test overnight. To me, I regret to say, this is starting to feel like a done deal for the next World Test Championship cycle. What say you?
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It looks a stuning morning at Cape Town on the telly. Another great day to bat. Mark Ramprakash, who has been a revelation as a TV pundit on Sky since giving up the batting coaching gig - so measured, so soothing - is talking up Ollie Pope and I’m all for that. Ben Stokes is now being interviewed pitchside. “I’m not sure what to put my finger on,” he says when expressing his frustration at England giving up their starts. He adds that he is fully fit for bowling duty today.
Preamble
Welcome to day two at Newlands. Just typing that venue name still gives me a mild cast of PTSD: the last time I was there I was commentating when Cam Bancroft shoved a square of sandpaper down his pants. But I digress.
In Cape Town, you get one of the hardest and best tracks in the world to bat on. It’s why Vic Marks said last night that the opening day was the type to make England’s bowlers very cross. With the exception of Zak Crawley, all of England’s specialist batsmen got into the game and reached at least 29, yet none made it beyond 47 with the exception of Ollie Pope, who resumes today on 56 with the visitors 262-9.
It was a familiar tale, those wasted starts. The look on Ben Stokes’ face said it all when he gave catching practice to cover after batting like a dream until three runs short of a half-century. They’re now well behind the game and relying on the old firm of Anderson and Broad - along with a supporting cast of Curran, Stokes and Dom Bess (much more on him later) to get them out of jail on this second day.
Before that, the hosts, excellent with the ball again yesterday - aren’t they always? - have to end this frustrating tenth wicket stand, currently worth 28 between Pope and Jimmy Anderson. The former took to ramping by the close last night, such was his confidence. What they would give for even half an hour of additional, productive resistance this morning. We’ll find out soon. Good morning to you all.
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