England vs Southafrica 3rd Test ; July 27-31,2017 at Oval

[Misty]

South Africa Squad
Faf du Plessis(c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Jean-Paul Duminy, Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Duanne Olivier, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander



England Squad
Joe Root (C), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings,Tom Westley, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, Jimmy Anderson,David Malan

[Boycs]

Bring on a decisive England victory and then all this nattering and naysaying will be back focused on the South African team. Muahahahaha.

Go England! Go root! Go cookie for a century!

[Paddles]

Bring on a decisive England victory and then all this nattering and naysaying will be back focused on the South African team. Muahahahaha.

Go England! Go root! Go cookie for a century!

Go Cook, Go Root is the equivalent to Go Taylor, Go Williamson.

They may well oblige, but It seems like you're relying on too few players.

Fortunately for England, Safrica right now is a bit Go Amla, Go err uhmm hmmm; shall we bat De Kock higher than Faf (cos Elgar, Kuhn, Duminy and Bavuma are not cutting the mustard)?

[Boycs]

True. We've got stokes and Jimmy and bairstow and broad too but each of them can have an off test match or two. It's only really Root who seems to be so consistently golden

[Misty]

So who will most likely to play at Oval? I think MALAN and WESTLEY should play. I think last seasons or so Yunis's 218 sink England at oval after home team posted 325+.

[Boycs]

Westley will play I reckon

[Boycs]

I love test debuts. The tantilising anticipation of what statistical feats may await us! Debut centuries, fifty averages, the unfurling of a new sexy cover drive style

[Going South]

Beginners luck. That's what I see in test cricket. Then they all make a living out of that one off performance.

[Misty]

DUMINY was told to return to southafrica

[Boycs]

DUMINY was told to return to southafrica

Ha really? That sounds like a death knoll.

[Boycs]

Beginners luck. That's what I see in test cricket. Then they all make a living out of that one off performance.

Never! Every debut is a parade! Every pay check a fortune! I love the corps!

[Misty]

DUMINY was told to return to southafrica

Ha really? That sounds like a death knoll.

Really crap performance in his last so many innings

[raja]

England 2-1.

After such a long break, the Saffers would have completely mentally lost the momentum built after the win.

[Misty]

Momentum toward Proteas after England's loss vs Pakistan at oval test not long ago but yes its full of runs plus game Last for 450 overs with great weather.

[Aneesmoha]

Going to be a good test. England with a new #3 and SA have KG back. Lets hope SA can keep some momentum and pull through.

Problem Areas for SA: Openers unable to see off the new ball, Amla doing all the hard work and not Kicking on.

Problem Areas for England: Fragile batting line up. Get Root early and they collapse.

[Misty]

Who is KG? Its a road anyway.whoever win last test will win the series you will see.

[Boycs]

I think both teams are vulnerable to the new ball in anything but perfect batting conditions. Amla and South Africa just applied themselves better in the last test.

Come on England. Let slip the dogs of war!

[Boycs]

At the new ball both teams they do struggle,
Their heads get all of the muddled,
They flip and they flap,
With both ends of the bat,
And they look so hopelessly befuddled.

Yet hope, while quite rare, does exist,
One or two can still make a good fist,
Out of test match batsmanship,
And not nicking off to slip,
Though it is quite a brief and short list

[Misty]

I think both teams are vulnerable to the new ball in anything but perfect batting conditions. Amla and South Africa just applied themselves better in the last test.

Come on England. Let slip the dogs of war!

Wood 1 for 197 in two test.why?


Toby Roland-Jones, the Middlesex seamer, will make his Test debut against South Africa at The Oval after Mark Wood was ruled out with the heel soreness he picked up at Trent Bridge.

Steven Finn has been called into the squad as cover but Joe Root confirmed that Wood's spot would go to Roland-Jones who has been part of the squad throughout the series. Wood had managed just 1 for 197 in the opening two Tests of the series.

Roland-Jones, 29, made his ODI earlier this season, also against South Africa, at Lord's where he made an unbeaten 37 and took 1 for 34.


In the County Championship this season he has taken 22 wickets at 35.63. Last season he took 54 wickets at 28.22 which included a hat-trick to seal the Championship title for Middlesex.

Roland-Jones' call-up means England will have at least debutants with Tom Westley having previously been confirmed as Gary Ballance's replacement. There could be a third, too, with a decision to be made on Thursday morning between Dawid Malan, the Middlesex batsman, and allrounder Liam Dawson after the pitch remained covered during England's training session due to rain.

"I think it's important to look at the surface and decide what's going to be the best side to play South Africa in those conditions," Root said. "So, we'll turn up tomorrow, take a look at the wicket and make a decision."

Resources
ESPN cricinfo

[Boycs]

The Ovals 100th too, hopefully a match befitting such a momentous landmark

[Misty]

The Ovals 100th too, hopefully a match befitting such a momentous landmark

Is it.
I think Compton scored more runs there
Dhawan in last 3 innings at Galle scored 134,28,190.i wonder why India not selects him in original team till Ravi s.selects him instead Fiaz Fazal

I wish tomorrow Westley debut and Freaking Dawson sits out.i am stealing my relatives user
To watch on ESPN3 koz not showing on tv in USA.my relatives told me I can not let you watch because if I wants to watch at work I can not share with my account with you, What a crap !

I will tell his supervisor as well as going south' supervisor to not allows them live cricket at work.

I think GS work in computer company in Maryland.

[Misty]

July 27-31, 2017
Start time: 11.00am (1000 GMT)

Big Picture

The series sits exactly where we want it at the halfway stage with the sides locked at 1-1. An dominant England at Lord's turned into a dominated England at Trent Bridge, a surprisingly meek South Africa in London became the strong side we have become used to in Nottingham and so it's the visitors who feel they have the advantage going into the next two clashes.

While South Africa fixed their problems from the first to the second Test, England created theirs. In South Africa's case, a change in personnel saw JP Duminy dropped, Quinton de Kock moved up to No.4 and the seventh specialist batsman dispensed with in favour of an allrounder and that seems to be the combination they will stick with.

England, though, discovered Gary Ballance has not sufficiently developed his game to become the No.3 they want, that Liam Dawson is the second spinner as much as they want to convince themselves and Moeen Ali otherwise and that Mark Wood is not as potent as they need the third-prong in the pace pack to be. Changes will be made with Tom Westley and Toby Roland-Jones confirmed for debuts due to injuries to Ballance and Wood, but there's also a mindset change needed by England.

Several former players criticised England's attacking approach and questioned the current crop's Test cricket temperament. The harsh words stung and Ben Stokes said they are desperate to prove them wrong. South Africa have also had a verbal storm brewing, with media at home stewing in response to comments Graeme Pollock made that transformation will condemn South Africa to being a "middle of the road" Test team. So far, they've been either side of that middle and their challenge is to find consistency, especially as the decision on the future of the coach is yet to be made.

Whether Russell Domingo will keep his job if South Africa seal the series is not certain though it would look odd if he doesn't but for now, at least he is back. Domingo returned to the UK at the weekend following the death of his mother so South Africa have been stabilised, England appear less so.

The situation is perfectly poised for a riveting second half of the series and there can be no more fitting a venue to start than The Oval as the ground hosts its 100th Test. Celebrations will include the attendance of several former players who achieved great things at the stadium along with some current ones. Five years ago, Hashim Amla became South Africa's only Test triple-centurion with an unbeaten 311 that set South Africa up for a massive win. He has named The Oval as one of his top three or four grounds in the world.

Form guide

England LWLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa WLDWD

In the spotlight

Tom Westley was preferred over Mark Stoneman to replace Ballance in the XI, ostensibly to break up the number of left-handers in the line-up but his job will extend far beyond batting right-handed. Westley's main task will have to show composure in response to the criticism England received for their brash batting in Nottingham. But this is also a chance for Westley to carve out a career. The No.3 spot is undecided and if he can make it his own, he might be able to hold on to it in an important period for the Test side, which will soon travel to an Ashes series.

He could have used the two weeks to put his feet up in the south of France but Kagiso Rabada used his time in the sin-bin to upskill. He spent every day of the Trent Bridge Test getting in the same workload he would have had if he'd played the match and has been training at full tilt in preparation for The Oval. Rabada felt he let the team down by accumulating demerit points that led to his suspension and wants to make it up by bowling at his best in the rest of the series. Whether he has also been working on his send-offs is yet to be seen.

Team news

England could yet have three debutants with the decision between Dawid Malan and Liam Dawson being left for the morning after rain prevented a close look at the pitch on Wednesday. If Malan does play it would likely mean Jonny Bairstow dropping back down to No. 7

England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Keaton Jennings, 3 Tom Westley, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Toby Roland-Jones, 11 James Anderson

South Africa shook things up at Trent Bridge and so the only change in personnel is to strengthen the attack. Rabada is back in with Duanne Olivier making way.

South Africa (probable) 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Heino Kuhn, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Quinton de Kock (wk), 5 Faf du Plessis (capt), 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Vernon Philander, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Morne Morkel

Pitch and conditions

Cooler conditions are expected throughout the game with rain forecast for the first and fourth days, but the spell of warm weather means the pitch may still offer some turn. There was plenty of grass on the surface two days out but that can often be deceptive. It was covered for much of Wednesday due to rain.


Stats and trivia
▪
This is the 100th Test match at the Oval. Only three other grounds have hosted a century of Tests: Lord's, the MCG and the SCG.

▪
South Africa have played 13 Tests at the Oval and only won one, in 2012.

▪
Joe Root needs 125 more runs to complete 5000 runs in Test cricket; Ben Stokes is 23 away from 2000.

Quotes

"I think it's important to look at the surface and decide what's going to be the best side to play South Africa in those conditions. So, we'll turn up tomorrow, take a look at the wicket and make a decision. We're a better side than we showed last week."
Joe Root

"I am excited to see what KG is going to bring to this game. With the time off, always as a player it makes you a little bit hungry again and the fact that we have done well in the previous game will add as motivation. The conditions, if the weather is like this, will be a bit bowling friendly so I assume he will be raring to get that ball in his hand."
Faf


Resources
ESPN cricinfo

[Misty]

I do not know about BS but Root can see ball just like Football.BS need 23 for 2000 while Root need 125 for 5000 test runs

SCG
MCG
Lords

Also 100 plus test Ground.Ricky Ponting is the only player who scored 100 in his 100th test twice (each innings).i wish someone from England scores 100 from each innings of Oval's 100th test

[Boycs]

The Ovals 100th too, hopefully a match befitting such a momentous landmark

Is it.
I think Compton scored more runs there
Dhawan in last 3 innings at Galle scored 134,28,190.i wonder why India not selects him in original team till Ravi s.selects him instead Fiaz Fazal

I wish tomorrow Westley debut and Freaking Dawson sits out.i am stealing my relatives user
To watch on ESPN3 koz not showing on tv in USA.my relatives told me I can not let you watch because if I wants to watch at work I can not share with my account with you, What a crap !

I will tell his supervisor as well as going south' supervisor to not allows them live cricket at work.

I think GS work in computer company in Maryland.

I think the scoop is that Westley and Toby R-L will debut, with Wood and Balance injured and ineffective.

[Misty]

INdian cricket Guru predicts Westley vs Dawson.we can see tomotrrow at 5.31 am USA time zone

[Boycs]

Two hours to go. The world comes slowly to a halt as every man woman and child turn their eyes to Test cricket! T20 pyjama cricket leagues crumble into ashes! Retired test cricketers rock back and fourth in the foetal position!

[Misty]

England bats first.all 3
MALAN
WESTLEY
Roland Jones

Debut so Dawson sits out but could be bad for England because spinner will take good impact in last innings of southafrica, day 5 at oval for spinner.SA has to bats last.OVAL TEST WILL LAST TILL 450 overs.

[Misty]

We beat England in 1971 Oval test.A.Knott scored highest of the innings 90 from either side, spinner took 25 wickets.Illingworth,underwood from England.M.O.M Chandra,bedi and venkat from India shared wickets.

[Misty]

Two hours to go. The world comes slowly to a halt as every man woman and child turn their eyes to Test cricket! T20 pyjama cricket leagues crumble into ashes! Retired test cricketers rock back and fourth in the foetal position!

I learn new words so I always read your posting

[Boycs]

Haha I was just about to say that Jennings needs to make an ugly 30 or 40 and he's been snaffled at slip.

12/1. Another nail in the career coffin of yet another Strauss replacement.

The debutant westley is next in!

Cook meanwhile looks okay. Edged boundary then his typically fragile looking cover drive and then a neat tuck off the hips for two consecutive boundaries to score all of England's runs so far.

Need a cook century today. Conditions are good for bowling.

Westley averages 37 in FC cricket. I can't get past the idea that we're picking for England people who can't average over 40 in domestic cricket.

[Boycs]

Westley being a team mate of cooks at Essex will probably be at an advantage having that calming presence at the other end

[Boycs]

South Africa have a great pace attack and heir batting is better in good bowling conditions. That's where they are better than England. Conditions are good for bowling here and England are just so frustratingly brittle.

[Paddles]

Malan averages sub 40 in domestic as well.

But Westley and Malan provide useful spin options with Ali. So no shortage of bowling options.

Good to see Stokes back down at 6 as England try to beef up the batting. Roland Jones averages over 20 with the bat at FC so he's no mug.

Not long ago the England batting was v strong with Prior, KP, Strauss, Trott, Cook, Bell and Root. Now its time to rebuild.

[Paddles]

South Africa have a great pace attack and heir batting is better in good bowling conditions. That's where they are better than England. Conditions are good for bowling here and England are just so frustratingly brittle.

Safrican batting is brittle with no ABDV and no settled/established opening partner for the sub established Elgar. Its 3 wickets; Amla, de Kock and Faf. Though arguable England is Root and Cook - but Bairstow is better than that and Ali and Stokes have great fan clubs.

[Boycs]

But pickings are slim. No one seems to average over 45 in county cricket apart from perhaps bell and trott who have both had their careers already.

I appreciate that a four day game format with batting points to target can affect your averages a little, and also I realise that one of England's best circa-millennium batsmen had a sub-40 averages (Vaughan) but thinking of England's two periods of power since 2000 they had a top five with ~45 averages in test cricket. Strauss trescothick Vaughan Thorpe/KP and cool Strauss trott bell KP prior all had very healthy 40s averages.

[Boycs]

South Africa have a great pace attack and heir batting is better in good bowling conditions. That's where they are better than England. Conditions are good for bowling here and England are just so frustratingly brittle.

Safrican batting is brittle with no ABDV and no settled/established opening partner for the sub established Elgar. Its 3 wickets; Amla, de Kock and Faf. Though arguable England is Root and Cook - but Bairstow is better than that and Ali and Stokes have great fan clubs.

Cook and Root are the only two who can grind out ugly runs (well, cook makes attractive runs in ugly conditions) whereas amla seems to make lovely runs in tough conditions and the others. At around him because England bowling doesn't seem quite as sharp

[Paddles]

Wheres boy wonder Hameed? I see he's sub 40 at domestic but was the next big thing in the tour of India.

[Paddles]

Noones told Warnie that Malan is a sub40 leggie at FC, and Westley is mid40s off spin.

Warnie's joined team Kohli #beards4cricket and grown a lovely full beard. Very distinguished. Top effort. Not sure if its implants or natural.

[Misty]

Wheres boy wonder Hameed? I see he's sub 40 at domestic but was the next big thing in the tour of India.

He is out of everything.bad health.bad form.As soon he came out to bats he got out in single digit, he had couple of operation recently so he is out of cricket.

England's opening issue continued as Jennings departs for 0 off Who else?
12 for 1.i think Bell Drummond should give chance as Duckett too not successful or wait for Hales.
WESTLEY just hits two lovely 4's. GAME NOT SHOWING LIVE IN USA ON TV,not because Indian game on but contract expired.

[Boycs]

Wheres boy wonder Hameed? I see he's sub 40 at domestic but was the next big thing in the tour of India.

He was injured and then hasn't gotten back into form yet

Meanwhile, cook and Westley have weathered the storm and South Africa have just slightly taken their foot off the gas by a nanometre. But a wicket will change all that.

Westley has a nice extravagant backlift of confidence that causes the heart to thrombylise

[Boycs]

Cook is going what England failed to do last test. Put back in the locker shots that are risk free until batting becomes easier.

Much much better by England.

My waters are stirring in patriotism

[Boycs]

Morris is bowling so wayward it makes me chortle given how brash loud and angry looking he was last test.

[Boycs]

Noones told Warnie that Malan is a sub40 leggie at FC, and Westley is mid40s off spin.

Warnie's joined team Kohli #beards4cricket and grown a lovely full beard. Very distinguished. Top effort. Not sure if its implants or natural.

The umpire Ali has grown one too. And speaking of umpires, a review for lbw! Heart in mouth!

[Boycs]

Oh shit looks close! No no no

YES!!! Inside edge!!!!

[Boycs]

Not that the edge was why it wasn't given out. Umpire had no idea he just thought it was going down. In reality it was hitting leg stump so I was right to be nervous.

[Boycs]

Oh Westley!
You're so sexy,
The Saffers find,
You perplexing!
Your cunning mind,
And your flexing,
Arms as the ball,
You are caressing.
To the boundary.

[Boycs]

Early lunch,
As the rain,
Proceeds to punch,
Down on the plain.

The covers on,
The players off,
Cook and Tom
Have drinks to quaff

England take,
The session here,
They've runs to make,
While Saffers fear!

[Misty]

Not that the edge was why it wasn't given out. Umpire had no idea he just thought it was going down. In reality it was hitting leg stump so I was right to be nervous.

Waste of time in international cricket, with clear eye, that was Not out.Yesterday with naked eye anyone can say VK out but third umpire afraid to given so BIG SCREEN not say out or not out after good 9 minutes.

[Misty]

62 for 1
I already like this new Kid,westley playing so beautifully, As far as I remember John Crowley debut for England at number 3 in England way back in 1999 tests.

Crowley scored 9 and 7 at Lords on debut bats at 3,england lost by 356 runs vs Southafrica.

[Boycs]

Not that the edge was why it wasn't given out. Umpire had no idea he just thought it was going down. In reality it was hitting leg stump so I was right to be nervous.

Waste of time in international cricket, with clear eye, that was Not out.Yesterday with naked eye anyone can say VK out but third umpire afraid to given so BIG SCREEN not say out or not out after good 9 minutes.

You're completely wrong. The only thing you can assess with a "clear eye" was line and length and on line and length it was OUT. The only reason it was given not out was that it was reviewed and an inside edge was discovered that the on field umpire hadn't even seen.