South African summer 2009-10 : SA vs England

[Indianfan_Hyd]

There is so much cricket these days... I dont even feel like commenting on this... who cares which team wins

[Feed]

Proteas turn to Gibbs The loss of Jacques Kallis in the ODI series against England has opened a gap of experience and Herschelle, it seems, is the man to fill it. More...

[Feed]

South Africa call up Morne Morkel for remainder of one-day series • Morkel will join up with the squad on Wednesday • Fast bowler has taken 31 wickets in 21 ODIs South Africa have called up the fast bowler Morne Morkel for the rest of their one-day series with England, Cricket South Africa confirmed today. The 25-year-old, who has taken 31 wickets in 21 one-dayers, will join the squad on Wednesday ahead of the third game in the five-match series in Cape Town on Friday. "[Morkel] has shown good form in domestic cricket this season and was also impressive in the 50 overs match for South Africa A against England a week ago," said Mike Procter, South Africa's convener of selectors, in a statement released by CSA. "He will definitely form part of our plans for the test series as well so the sooner we have him involved with the team the better." Morkel last played an ODI for his country when he turned out against Australia in Johannesburg in April this year. England lead the series 1-0 after the first match was abandoned because of rain.

• England in South Africa 2009-2010
• South Africa cricket team
• Cricket

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More...

[jusarrived]

England look a very good ODI side , just wait till some of their youngsters gain some experience ..they are very close to competing with top-3 sides consistently Huge huge fan of Collingwood , hes such an underrated player .

[Feed]

Stuart Broad available to face South Africa in England's third one-day international at Newlands Stuart Broad is expected to be fit to take part in England's third one-day international against South Africa at Newlands. Broad was not available for either of the first two matches against the Proteas. England went 1-0 up in the five-match series at Centurion last weekend.More...

[ESPN]

Strauss hails Broad progress Andrew Strauss believes Stuart Broad has taken significant strides on the road to becoming a "complete cricketer". Broad was expected to be fit again in time for today's pivotal one-day international against South Africa at Newlands, having recovered from a shoulder injury. The hosts have already lapped up suggestions that they may target the seamer in his first match back, but Strauss is convinced Broad will have what it takes to rise to the occasion. Broad himself recently conceded he endured a learning curve when South Africa toured England last year. But he has since hit back with a man-of-the-match haul to help clinch the Ashes at The Oval three months ago, and with three wickets against South Africa in the Champions Trophy this autumn. As England seek to go 2-0 up today, with only two more matches to play, Strauss is confident Broad is a much-improved performer. "He's still a young man and he got thrust into the England team very early in his career," said the captain. "I'm a big believer that everyone needs to go through a tough patch, in order to become a complete cricketer. "He had a little bit of a time there, in the last series against South Africa, where he didn't bowl quite as well as he'd like to. But I think he's revelling in being one of the senior bowlers now." The company 23-year-old Broad has kept can only have helped. "At that stage, we had the likes of (Stephen) Harmison and (Andrew) Flintoff around, and I think that's improved both his performances and his thinking," added Strauss. "I have every confidence he's going to make a real mark on this tour." Strauss' opposite number Graeme Smith senses there may be a chance to target Broad before he becomes reaccustomed to his surroundings - although he clearly has a healthy respect for the Nottinghamshire pace bowler's talents. Asked whether Broad might be vulnerable, the South Africa captain said: "You would always hope so. But he's proved to be a quality player for England over a period of time. "It's great to have England at full strength. We want to play against the best they've got." South Africa are well aware, if they were not already before their opening defeat at Centurion last weekend, that they are up against challenging opponents. Smith disputes the home attack was toothless first up - but accepts swift improvements are required in all departments. "I think when a team puts on 150 it always looks a bit flat and like you don't have many answers," he said, reflecting on a match in which Paul Collingwood and Jonathan Trott shared a stand of 162. "But we know we can improve and have spoken a lot about areas where we want to improve. "A lot of our guys got starts in the top five, top six (at Centurion). It's about them learning from that and making those starts count."

[ESPN]

James Anderson: I have bowled better James Anderson: I have bowled better James Anderson's maiden five-wicket haul put England on course for an easy victory over South Africa - yet he admits it is far from the best he has bowled for his country. Anderson's five for 23 helped to hustle the hosts out for only 119, and - with an unbeaten 52 from Jonathan Trott - England then sauntered to victory with more than 18 overs to spare to go 2-1 up in the one-day international series. With only one more match to play - and that in Durban, where a welter of rain is forecast this week - England have an obvious chance of a second successive series victory over these high-profile opponents in this format. Anderson's personal achievement came in his 120th ODI, against a country who rarely lose at home - and as he recovers from both an ongoing right knee injury and a stubbed toe on his left foot. But he said: "I think I've bowled better and got less rewards. "It was just one of those days where catches went to hand. "It was nice today to get a wicket that was a little bit conducive to seam bowling - and thankfully, I made the most of it. "I bowled a few wicket-taking balls. But it was more the pressure we built up as a unit. "Tim Bresnan's spell was fantastic from the bottom end, and Stuart (Broad) got an early breakthrough as well - which was a huge help." In fact, it was a day when most things fell for England - including a coin that presented home captain Graeme Smith with the decision of whether to bat or bowl. He acknowledged afterwards only a slight doubt before choosing the former. But it was a move that backfired. England captain Andrew Strauss benefited from losing the toss. "I did um and aah about it a bit, and we were going to bat first," he confirmed. "I think we all thought it was going to play a lot better than it did. "But the important thing is that you react well to the conditions and you exploit them - and I thought our bowlers did that fantastically well. "They bowled in partnerships and were very accurate. "Jimmy in particular was able to combine that accuracy, building pressure, with wicket-taking deliveries - which is absolutely invaluable. "It was a great performance from our bowling unit - and when you bowl a team out for 120 you are going to win more times than not." For Smith, the opposite was the case - and despite a battling 51 from Alviro Petersen, the match was long lost by the time it was South Africa's turn to bowl. "It was a hugely disappointing performance today," said the South Africa captain. "It's always terrible to lose. But it's not so much the outcome of the game; it's the fact we didn't assess conditions well enough and post a total that would have been defendable on this wicket. "We came out all guns blazing and lost a few key wickets up front - and then no-one really hung around with Alviro, who played really well again. "If we could have posted anything over 200, it would have given us a chance."

[Feed]

Kallis named in first Test squad South Africa include injury doubt Jacques Kallis and four uncapped players in their 15-man squad for the first Test against England. More... Injured all-rounder Jacques Kallis in SA Test squad First Test, Centurion: South Africa v England Date: 16-20 December Start time: 0830 GMT Coverage: Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, Radio 4 LW and BBC Sport website; live text commentary online and on mobile phones; also live on Sky Sports South Africa have have included injury doubt Jacques Kallis and four uncapped players in a 15-man squad for the first Test against England on 16 December. All-rounder Kallis, whose fractured rib ruled him out of the current one-day international series, is likely to play as a specialist batsman at Centurion. Pacemen Wayne Parnell and Friedel de Wet, Ryan McLaren and Alviro Petersen are the four Test newcomers. Captain Graeme Smith returns after missing the Proteas' previous Test. Pace bowler Dale Steyn is in the squad, although he is likely to be rested for the fifth and final one-day international on Friday to ensure his participation in the first Test. Seamer Morne Morkel also returns but his brother, all-rounder Albie, is not required for the opening Test, which starts on 16 December. Also omitted from the squad from the Proteas' last Test, against Australia in March, is opener Imraan Khan who had stood in for the injured Smith. Left-armer Parnell, who burst onto the one-day scene earlier this year, had been 12th man in that game. Although Parnell, McLaren and Petersen have played one-day international cricket, De Wet is the big surprise in the squad as he has yet to represent his country. But selection convener Mike Procter said the Proteas wanted to give the promising Lions fast bowler experience in the international set-up. Petersen has impressed during the current one-day series against England and, with three half-centuries in three innings, is South Africa's leading run-scorer in the competition. Former Kent all-rounder McLaren has also made an impact in the 50-over format against the tourists. Jacques Kallis is obviously a very big number in our Test side and providing cover for him requires more than one player "We have chosen an enlarged squad to cover all our options," said Procter. "Jacques Kallis is obviously a very big number in our Test side and providing cover for him requires more than one player. "Alviro Petersen deserves his call-up for for the impressive way he has returned to international cricket and the weight of runs he has made in domestic cricket. He is able to cover all of the top six batting positions. "Ryan McLaren provides us with an all-rounder if we want to go down that route and we want both Wayne Parnell and Friedel de Wet to work in the national squad set-up." Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini will become the fifth South African to play 100 Tests, following Kallis (130), wicketkeeper Mark Boucher (125) and two retired players - Shaun Pollock (108) and Gary Kirsten (101). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Africa squad: GC Smith (captain), HM Amla, MV Boucher (wk), AB de Villiers, F de Wet, JP Duminy, PL Harris, JH Kallis, R McLaren, M Morkel, M Ntini, WD Parnell, AN Petersen, AG Prince, DW Steyn.

[Feed]

England bowlers need to forget the squat jumps and get fit by bowling We haven't tossed up for the first Test and England's bowlers are disappearing quicker than supplies of Stellenbosch wine. More...

[Feed]

England pace attack is Fred-bare without Andrew Flintoff, reckons Shaun Pollock Shaun Pollock fired a shot across England's bows by claiming they will not be able to take 20 wickets in a Test without Andrew Flintoff. More... England pace attack is Fred-bare without Andrew Flintoff, reckons Shaun Pollock By Dean Wilson 8/12/2009 Shaun Pollock fired a shot across England's bows by claiming they will not be able to take 20 wickets in a Test without Andrew Flintoff. The former South Africa captain and all-rounder has run the rule over both sides' attack and believes England come up just short without a bowler of genuine pace and hostility. Despite working with Graham Onions and Liam Plunkett at Durham as an overseas player a couple of years ago, he thinks England are lagging behind without Flintoff - who has quit Test cricket - or Steve Harmison. "South Africa will still be favourites especially with Flintoff no longer a Test player," said Pollock. "He's a big loss to England. I think 20 wickets may be a problem for England. They used to bank on Flintoff for some and have not brought Harmison so it will be interesting to see what make-up they go with. "That will be the key to who wins. Both sides have established batting line-ups but it will be the side that takes the wickets who will win. "I spent some time with Liam when he came to Natal. I also played a few games with him and Graham Onions when I was at Durham. "I know them well but I'm not sure how they have done in the last two years. I just think without Flintoff it will be hard for England's bowlers to dominate." Yet that is just the problem Pollock's one-time bowling buddy Allan Donald believes will hinder South Africa. Donald was particularly scathing of Makhaya Ntini, who will certainly play his 100th Test at Centurion, but who has lost his pace and could be a weak link if the England batsmen get into him. Pollock will have none of it and backed his old team-mate to prove he still has something in the tank. He also tipped left-arm spinner Paul Harris to come of age this series. Pollock added: "I have heard those comments about Makhaya, there's no doubt he's lost a few yards and maybe he's not as effective these days but he will be very motivated. "He's been out of the one-day side and is playing his 100th Test and is the kind of guy who rises to such occasions. I'm sure he will be determined to prove a point and raring to go. "I'm waiting to see what team they go with, but they know the conditions and I'm sure South Africa have the ability to take 20 wickets. "Paul Harris is starting to come into his own. If there's been an area where we've failed to get teams out it's been in the second innings but he's started to perform really well and I think he will play a big part." Pollock finished his career with 421 Test wickets and over 3,700 runs and offered a tip for the player most like him in the England team, Stuart Broad. Without Flintoff or Harmison, Broad might be tempted to try and crank it up a notch and be more aggressive than usual. But Pollock has warned him not to. He said: "Broad seems to have gone from strength to strength in the bowling department. But he should bowl whatever he's comfortable with. It's difficult to be someone you're not. "I'd have thought he would be a guy who keeps hitting an area with a bit of bounce he should get being tall. I'd go for that option on this trip." Shaun Pollock is commentating for Sky Sports during their exclusively live and HD coverage of South Africa v England

[S.Bond]

flintoff= england chances to win a big test series...

[jusarrived]

^ not really , England normally do well without their big stars KP & Flintoff ..Ashes05 was more of an aberration

[Feed]

Alastair Cook storms back to form for England in South Africa but Kevin Pietersen fails again Half-centuries against youthful local sides are not generally cherished by Test batsmen but Alastair Cook's undefeated 66 in rainy East London yesterday could not have come at a better time.More...

[Feed]

Cricket: England draw tour opener Off-spinner Graeme Swann took six wickets before England's two-day tour match against a South African Invitation 11 ended in a draw at Buffalo Park last night.After a rain-hit opening day, the tourists batted until mid-afternoon... More... Cricket: England draw tour opener 7:50 AM Friday Dec 11, 2009 Facebook Off-spinner Graeme Swann took six wickets before England's two-day tour match against a South African Invitation 11 ended in a draw at Buffalo Park last night. After a rain-hit opening day, the tourists batted until mid-afternoon before declaring on 8-329. The Invitation team made 7-167 in reply as Swann took 6-55. Opening batsman Alastair Cook added 15 runs to his overnight score before he was out for 81. The best England batting on the day came from Ian Bell and Matt Prior, who made 48 and 44 respectively in a sixth wicket stand of 83 before they both retired at the lunch break. Swann hit an aggressive 39 not out off 31 balls before the declaration. Graeme Onions claimed an early wicket for England in what was the only success for a depleted England pace attack. After a second wicket stand of 42, Swann took the first of six wickets in a row for the tourists, including a burst of three wickets in four balls, starting with top-scorer Sammy-Joe Avontuur for 68. James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom, who missed the match because of knee and side injuries respectively, are expected to play in a second two-day match against the same opponents starting tonight in an effort to prove their fitness ahead of the first Test against South Africa starting in Centurion on Wednesday.

[Feed]

Kallis Faces In-tents Rehab Jacques Kallis has turned to an oxygen chamber in a bid to get himself fit for the first Test at Centurion next week. More...

[Feed]

South Africa skipper Smith warns KP to expect hostile first Test South Africa captain Graeme Smith has warned Kevin Pietersen he faces a hostile reception when the first Test begins on Wednesday. But Smith insisted there was no tension between the England batsman and the South African players.More... South Africa captain Graeme Smith cranks up the heat on Kevin Pietersen ahead of England's first winter Test By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 10:17 AM on 13th December 2009 South Africa captain Graeme Smith has warned Kevin Pietersen he faces a hostile reception when the first Test begins on Wednesday. But Smith insisted there was no tension between the England batsman and the South African players. Pietersen, who was born in Pietermaritzburg and made his first-class debut for Natal in 1997 before moving to England after voicing his displeasure at the racial quota system in place in South Africa, was given a tough time on his last tour in 2005. Smith said of the reception Pietersen could expect: 'He obviously gets a hostile reception from South African fans because he's made a lot of remarks about the country that I don't think he's ever apologised for. 'It's hard for people just to wash away those things and I think that's why people still give him a hard time. 'It creates a little bit of tension towards him. Our job is to play the game. From my perspective there's certainly no tension going into the game. 'It's up to the players to get on with it. You want the game of cricket to be remembered for some fantastic cricket. That's how I want cricket to be viewed by the fans and by the media. 'We've all moved on and got on with our lives. He (Pietersen) has really performed well in his international career. There's a cricket respect there.' Smith also maintained on BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme that there was no tension between himself and England captain Andrew Strauss despite the one-day confrontation. Smith requested a runner towards the end of his 141 in a losing cause at Centurion when he was struck down by cramp. But Strauss, intent on putting down a marker ahead of the Tests, refused. Smith said: 'There's always going to be differences of opinion between two captains of opposite nations, but there's very much a mutual respect. 'I've always said Andrew comes across as an intelligent guy, obviously captaincy is bringing out a different side to him. 'He's performed well and he seems to be managing the side well. There's no bad blood whatsoever.'

[Feed]

Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson prove fitness Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson gave their side a huge boost by proving their fitness for the first Test yesterday. More...

[Feed]

Steyn, Kallis must prove their fitness soon Fitness concerns over two key players have forced South Africa to put on their thinking caps as they seek to finalise their starting line-up for the first Test against England. More...

[Feed]

Kallis injury blunts South Africa attack Experienced South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis will not be able to bowl in the first Test against England, captain Graeme Smith said on Tuesday. More...

[Feed]

We're On Our Knees CRICKET FIRST TEST, DAY ONE.. ENGLAND ARE FINDING IT TOUGH ON TOUR More... England bowlers feel heat after Andrew Strauss gamble fails and Jacques Kallis takes advantage By Dean Wilson 17/12/2009 A dodgy first day's Test cricket this winter from England has left them already playing catch up. From winning the toss and the late withdrawal of South African strike bowler Dale Steyn, England were in a pickle by the close with Graham Onions struggling with a calf injury and Jacques Kallis with yet another century to his name. Andrew Strauss, so assured for most of his captaincy, took a wild punt by bowling first under a blistering sun, despite having picked just four bowlers. To justify such a decision, you have to make serious inroads and limit the opposition to around 280. South Africa finished on 262-4 and a total of 400-plus looks like the least they will want today. England wilted in the heat and to cap their misery they also wasted both referrals for the innings to leave themselves exposed as Kallis goes on his merry way. After claiming two of the four wickets to fall, Graeme Swann said: "Ideally seven or eight wickets would have been the order of the day having bowled first, but we've stuck to our guns. "We were within our rights to bowl first, but it hasn't turned out as well as we would have hoped. "As the last session wore on we lost a bit of the initiative, but they haven't really got away from us. "It was bloody hot so we'll regroup and come out fighting on day two." Kallis was recently described by Kevin Pietersen as "the greatest cricketer of all time" and although that is stretching things, yesterday's innings of 112 not out was a perfect knock in the circumstances. He loves grinding down teams by batting for as many overs as possible, so with the onus on England to take wickets rather than him to score runs that is exactly what he did. It was his 32nd Test 100, his sixth against England and his second successive ton following his last effort against Australia in March. With it, he has put South Africa in the box seat when the story could and should have been so different. He and JP Duminy, who finished on 38 not out, added an unbroken 103 to put the decision to bowl first here in the same league as Nasser Hussain's in Brisbane in 2002 when Matthew Hayden took the bowlers apart and Simon Jones' knee was horribly injured. This time around it was a calf strain that restricted Onions to just 14 overs when he was England's most threatening bowler, while the other pacemen bowled nowhere near their best. Stuart Broad appeared to be suffering a niggle too. England had to take early wickets to make their gamble pay and Broad happily obliged, although the strangle down the leg side of Graeme Smith for a duck was not exactly the sort of dismissal to get excited about. From there though, Hashim Amla and Ashwell Prince hardly looked in any bother and when England thought they had the breakthrough with an lbw decision going their way, the review system thwarted them and rightly overturned it. Onions was the man denied but he soon made up for it when Amla drove loosely outside off to be caught low down by Paul Collingwood at second slip. Alastair Cook spilled a golden chance at square leg to get rid of Prince, but the introduction of Swann found his edge and got England going again with just his second ball, but from 93-3 the day took a nosedive for England on and off the field. First, Kallis was given not out from an lbw shout that was not only proved right because it arguably hit him outside the line - but also because he hit the ball with his bat too! Then AB de Villiers was also given not out after an appeal for an under edge to the keeper. The England players might have heard a noise, but they should have known it would have been tough to prove on the replay. Swann and Matt Prior were convinced and called for the review immediately, but having been warned of the problems with these decisions due to a lack of a snickometer or hotspot technology, Strauss should have overruled them. The man in charge of the review system, David Richardson, said: "I feel sorry for England because there might have been a thin edge there. "But we did warn them in advance that these thin edges are always going to be the tricky ones." Swann added: "We could have used the review system differently - we messed it up again. "It was one of those things, we thought the lbw was out and it wasn't and then the caught behind we all knew was out but the system said it wasn't. "We knew these would be the tricky ones and that is why we said we wouldn't call for a caught behind unless everyone was certain - and everyone round the bat was. "But the system as it is without snicko and the hotspot proved inconclusive, so we have wasted our referrals."