Well folks, it’s been real. That’s me done. Here’s a placeholder for Ali’s report which should arrive imminently.
Sis days of cricket has seen two teams bowled out twice for two innings victories. Thankfully the series is all square as we head to the Oval in 12 days’ time. It could go either way. England were poor at Lord’s and South Africa were just as poor here in Manchester. Is one team batter than the other? Can one set of batters do enough in the first innings and negate hostile and probing bowling with the new ball?
If you’re asking me I think England are the better equipped to get things working down in south London. South Africa will be without Rassie van der Dussen who has a fractured finger and that is surely that for Aiden Markram.
Ben Stokes, player of the match with a ton and a four wicket match haul, will probably play the same team. Ollie Robinson was superb and should keep his place and Zak Crawley did enough I rate.
Love this gig, love the correspondence, love this silly game that lasts as long as it lasts and keeps us gripped throughout.
I’ll be at The Oval. Can’t wait.
Cheers.
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There’s good news and bad news from our correspondent Daniel Lees:
“As requested, and with great joy, I can reveal after literally seconds of googling (other search engines are etc etc) some GOOD NEWS. Which is that the WONDERFUL ECB are live streaming the One Day Cup on the ECB website and on the ECB app
“The bad news for myself, Romeo and others hoping to get out of gardening tomorrow, is that the next matches (the semis) appear to be on August 30th....pffft, Youtube replays it is then”
“Daniel, love your OBO work,” thanks Alec S. Nice to get a compliemnt, oh, there’s more to your mail…
“But please please please don’t sully test cricket by using ‘set’ instead of ‘over’ - is nothing sacred anymore? All the best!”
I should have guessed by the headline of your mail: ‘Shame on you’. Oh Alec, it’s just a word mate. ‘Over’ gets repetitive. Let’s not let semantics get in the way of our fun.
Now that he’s got a Saturday evening (and an entire Sunday) free, John Starbuck is doing things the right way:
“Hi Dan, I’m attending a first-since-Covid big family party tomorrow afternoon, but right now celebrating with a Scotch, in the case it’s a Glen Moray (song: That’s a Moray!) Can’t wait until Thursday Next (Jasper Fforde fans alert!)“
Enjoy mate.
Player of the match up next. Guess who? Figures of 4-47 and 103 with the bat. It’s Ben Stokes.
“It’s been incredible,” the England skipper says of the Manchester crowd.
“Amazing, to come back after last week’s disappointment to come back this week gives us a lot of confidence.”
There are some nice words for Crawley (Atherton keen to wedge that in).
“To be honest, he should be here receiving this award,” no, not Crawley, Stokes is talking about Foakes who scored 113 and kept beautifully throughout the match. “He took seven dismissals but outside of that, how tidy he is behind the stumps is massive for our team.”
Nice words for Robinson as well: “It’s great. To see him come out and perfom the way he did, it was the best non-for [in the first innings spell]. We know we have a quality bowler in our hands.”
Finally, attention turns to Stokes himself”:
“I adapted to the pitch. Some balls were bouncing and some were skidding. But having that positive mindset makes it easier. Starting an innings against reverse swing is tough,” he says, emphasising the positivity.
As for his bowling, including a 14 over spell. He says he wanted to get to the new ball and make sure Anderson had it in his hand. It worked. He bagged two crucial wickets of Petersen and van der Dussen which really ripped the game apart.
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Rassie likely out of the series. Elgar confirms that Rassie van der Dussen has a fractured finger and will likely miss the final Test.
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Here’s Dean Elgar:
“A crazy game, I guess that’s why Test cricket is called a Test, but ya, England were far better the last three days,” he’s not wrong.
What about the balance of the side and batting first. Any regrets?
“Not at all,” he says with usual defiance. “We had a plan coming here, knowing that it might be a little drier. But first innings runs are important. Knowing that the wicket might just crumble like it started, I don’t regret any decisions. Our first innings let us down.
“There are a lot of learnings out of this. We’ve got quote a few days before the next Test.”
Atherton is grilling Elgar on Sky’s feed. He wants to know why Nortje didn’t bowl to Stokes and Foakes after lunch yesterday.
“The spinners were getting something out of the wicket. The bowlers had already been stretched quite a bit. Maybe I could have done it sooner. But a lot of learnings out of this. I’m not perfect.”
Fair play Dean. On to The Oval.
Bat second, finish first?
“Is it just a coincidence England under Stokes always win when batting
second?” good question Peter Gartner. I think it’s a moot point though when South Africa fail to reach 200 in either innings.
”If South Africa win the next toss, no matter what the conditions, if
they want to win, they must put England in to bat first.”
I agree. Win the toss and bowl. Both top orders are vulnerable.
Here comes Ben Stokes.
Daniel Lees is back with some correspondence:
“Daniel again here wishing I was Romeo from the 83rd over . I was counting on day 4 to get me out of a huge post-summer tidy of the garden tomorrow, so I am biting my tongue with each wicket, lest the boss realises the game might be drawing to a close. I’m now researching to see if your aforementioned One Day Cup is on the telly so that I can pretend it’s the same, yet-to-be concluded game. Thanks for the heads up Romeo!”
Now that this game has concluded, Dan, do let the rest of us now.
“Treasure every moment that you watch this man bowl,” says Iann Mott.
“Whether you have seen him recently or his whole career, treasure it, commit it to memory. We will never see the likes again. You can boast in years to come, ‘I saw Jimmy Anderson bowl’.”
Right you are. He’s outstanding isn’t he? 40-years-old and still capable of doing that. Outrageous.
Mopping up the tail. John Burton makes a good point: “It doesn’t feel, today, as if this is counting chickens too early, etc:. I can’t help but wonder how much better England’s (& Wales’) results would have been across the years, IF it was more usual for the opposition tail to be demolished so quickly and efficiently!”
England’s definitely tweaked their approach from Lord’s. They pitched it up to the South African lower order but they did have a new ball to work with. Still, ruthless from the hosts.
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Six days of cricket for two innings results, brilliant or boring?
“What is it with modern international teams being so wildly inconsistent?” asks Tom v d Gucht.
“England losing by an innings only to return the favour within a week to the same team who’d thrashed them. New Zealnd playing like a Yo-yo in the rugby, losing to the boks, beating them then losing to Argentina who seem to be on a similar zig-zagging trajectory. Is it down to too many matches? More evenly matched teams? Under-prepared players fluctuating within their own performances? No matter the reason, it’s bloody entertaining...”
I agree. Though would be nice to see the final match reach a fifth day crescendo. Just for a change of pace.
What are you up to tomorrow?
Damian Clarke has got his Sunday sorted:
“Plan B is good for me. No Test on the radio means Mrs C. will be obliged to help me with the new shed base. Down side is she’ll probably insist on her Ed Sheeran playlist instead.”
England win by an innings and 85 runs: Ngidi b Robinson 0 (South all-out 179)
That is that! Robinson knocks over Ngidi with the first ball of his over after Anderson went wicketless in the last. It’s a delicious delivery from Robinson who ends with five scalps on his return. England rampant with the new ball claiming the final five wickets in little more than five overs with the shiny new orb. Better from start to finish. More reaction to come.
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“Good afternoon from not-so-sunny Sweden to you and the OBOers.”
Hi Julien Menz, you’re just in time!
”A question to any South Africans who might be reading this: Given SA has eleven official languages, which language is spoken in the dressing room? I assume it’s English, but there have been a lot more Afrikaans names in the Proteas’ team since readmission.”
As a Saffa myself I feel qualified to answer this. Would be English in team meetings – Elgar and Boucher are both English speakers – but otherwise would depend on who is doing the talking and who is doing the listening. Nortje to van der Dussen = Afrikaans. Ngidi to Bavuma, perhaps isiXhosa.
84th over: South Africa 179-9 (Verreynne 17, Ngidi 0) Robinson, after so long out of the side, has underlined his value. He was brilliant in the first innings and has snared two wickets in the Manchester gloom for a match haul of four. Verreynne collects a single with a chop towards deep third, exposing Nortje to three balls. Robinson only needs two, sending the South African fast bowler back for a duck.
Wicket! Nortje c Foakes b Anderson 0 (South Africa 179-9)
Four overs with the new ball, four wickets. This time it’s Nortje who feathers a catch behind from a Robinson ball that lifts off the hard surface and kisses the edge. Hope you’ve got a Plan B for tomorrow because we ain’t coming back.
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83rd over: South Africa 178-8 (Verreynne 16, Nortje 0) Anderson running through ‘em here. Verreynne taking a single off the first ball shows that he doesn’t thinks of his teams hopes (though Rabada proved his batting credentials, to be fair). Anyway, Rabada is out off the last ball as Anderson celebrates the prospect of two days off.
“Hi Daniel,” hey Romeo.
”I’m so glad the five-day match for which I paid quite a lot of money (in
my terms) to watch is ending in three.”
It means I can watch the semi-finals of the One-Day Cup tomorrow for
nothing!”
Silver linings. Good on you mate.
Wrong about Anderson
Thomas Atkins has come round to Jimmy’s brilliance:
“Back when Jimmy Anderson was little more than an inconsistent kid with those silly blond highlights we nicknamed one of the bosses “Jimmy Anderson”, because we felt he’d been overpromoted and couldn’t cut it with the big boys. Said boss has gone on to have a happy and successful career and Jimmy has done ok himself. Not for the first time I realise that my younger self was a bit of a berk.”
I’ll admit Thomas, I didn’t think much of him at first. Shows what we know, eh?
Wicket! Rabada c Root b Anderson 2 (South Africa 178-8)
That’s 100 wickets for Jimmy Anderson against South Africa. It’s not exactly his biggest prize but this is textbook Anderson. Full, inviting the drive, just enough seam movement away from the batter and a thick edge carries to Root at first slip. It’s a sharp catch and there will be no rearguard heroics from Rabada this time. Anderson too good. England too good. You can hear the violins from the Proteas balcony. The end is nigh.
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82nd over: South Africa 177-7 (Verreynne 15, Rabada 2) Just like Anderson, Robinson bags a wicket with his first set with the new ball. His first ball was steered down to deep third off Verreynne’s angled bat but Maharaj could only manage to steer one to Pope at fourth slip. Rabada, the new man and South Africa’s top scorer in the first innings, gets a couple from his first ball with a neat clip towards long leg, but that is immaterial. South Africa trail by 89 runs. England need three more to finish the job.
Wicket! Maharaj c Pope b Robinson 2 (South Africa 175-7)
They’re falling quick and fast now. Robinson in on the act as he gets one to hold it’s line to Maharaj from back of a length and the usually punchy batter can’t help but waft at it but can only steer a sharp catch to Ollie Pope at fourth slip. England rampant. They smell blood. The sharks are circling. South Africa dead in the water.
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“Hi Daniel, Thanks for the OBO”
Hi Daniel Lees, no worries at all, love this gig, and good to hear from a fellow member of the Tribe of Dan.
“Jimmy’s wicket of Harmer was a great bal but was at least partially attributable to Stokes mammoth session, seeing us through to the new ball. What a team player!”
Right you are Dan. Sensational from Stokes!
“Likewise, our spotless kitchen , recently tidied up by my darling wife, is also at least 50% thanks to me, for having made a mess while cooking. Without ME, she’d not have tidied it up. And no, she doesn’t read the OBO!”
Good thing too.
“Bon apres midi”
Aller bien! (if that’s not correct, take it up with Google translate)
81st over: South Africa 174-6 (Verreynne 14, Maharaj 2) Was there any doubt that Anderson would nab a wicket with his first over with the new ball? I doubt it. A wonderful in-ducker off the deck clipped Harmer’s off peg and sent him packing. Maharaj, who fell to a first-baller off Anderson in the first dig, manages to squeeze two behind square on the off side. The crowd is frothing in Manchester. They can sense a crescendo coming.
Wicket! Harmer b Anderson 16 (South Africa 172-6)
Two balls is all Anderson needed with the new nut. His first was a loosener but his second was perfect and would have got better batters than Harmer out. A teasingly full length around a fourth stump line angles in off the seam and takes the top of off. Too good. England four away.
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80th over: South Africa (Verreynne 14, Harmer 16) Stokes is done. Sensational effort that ripped this game open. There’s a half appeal for caught behind down the leg side but it’s clipped Verreynne’s backside, rather than his glove. Brilliant from the captain.
The new ball is out. Should be James Anderson from the James Anderson end. Here we go!
79th over: South Africa (Verreynne 14, Harmer 16) Leach is over the wicket to start, searching for those foot marks outside Harmer’s leg stump, but the South African is happy to stick his pad out without any trouble, kicking it away. Leach then goes back around the wicket and forces Harmer to use his bat, which he does. Good work from Harmer who is proving he can do his part when required. No runs, but no drama either.
78th over: South Africa 172-5 (Verreynne 14, Harmer 16) Ben Stokes bowls his 13th consecutive over (albeit with a tea break in middle) but that really should be his las with the new ball due imminently. This over is as uncontrolled and unthreatening as he’s been, but fair play, he’s climbed a mountain and looked for another hill to ascend. One ball dribbles down the leg side and is neatly gathered by Foakes (who is also having a remarkable match). Harmer is behind everything else, bunting the ball away as if holding a church door. The final delivery drifts onto his pads and he collects a single to deep midwicket.
Just heard on the Sky feed that Stokes has only bowled one longer spell in his career. Guess which one…
77th over: South Africa 171-5 (Verreynne 14, Harmer 15) Here’s Jack Leach again. I reckon he’s on to hasten the arrival of the new ball rather than take a wicket with a set plan. Leach hasn’t looked threatening despite the variable bounce in the surface. He’s bowled at least one loose ball an over and Harmer rocks back to this one and cuts it for three behind point. South Africa 93 runs behind forcing England to bat again.
76th over: South Africa 168-5 (Verreynne 14, Harmer 12) Stokes looks intent on bowling himself until the new ball arrives. Not sure if that’s wise as he finishes the over holding his knee. Harmer looks assured with the willow, steering two towards deep cover and then collecting a single in the same region. Verreynne watches one go past a sixth stump line and bunts another with control for no run. Take a rest skip. You’ve earned it.
75th over: South Africa 165-5 (Verreynne 14, Harmer 9) A couple more for Verreynne who clips Broad through the on side. At the start of the over Broad had some harsh words for the South African ‘keeper who took his time to take guard. Broad, every the dramatist, made a bigger deal of it than necessary. That’s not a criticism. More of that please! He beats the bat as he gets one to hold its line from a full length. Five overs to the new ball.
74th over: South Africa 163-5 (Verreynne 12, Harmer 9) Just a single to Verreynne as the Proteas ‘keeper nudges the England captain through the on side, negating the attacking line on his stumps. Harmer is solid in defence and watchful outside the off stump. Stokes toiling but maybe he’s running low on fuel. Just a six overs to the new ball. He’ll want to get there to keep Robinson and Anderson fresh.
73rd over: South Africa 162-5 (Verreynne 11, Harmer 9) Broad continues with a maiden and Harmer is getting into his work. There’s a solid back foot block and a couple more from the front foot that meet the ball with the full face of the bat. He’s no mug with the bat. He’s probably not going to take his team to a draw or score enough runs for a win, but he’ll resist and make life difficult for England. Broad is tight but might have to produce something special to uproot Harmer.
72nd over: South Africa 162-5 (Verreynne 11, Harmer 9) Harmer squeezes an edge down to deep third for four and also snatches a single to a vacant point with a confident looking block. Mike Atherton on Sky has revealed that Stokes takes leadership inspiration from the movie Fury. I haven’t seen the documentary yet (any good) but that is revealing. Stokes bowls – and delivers - when no other bowler fancies it. What more could you want from your skipper?
He’s blockbuster, isn’t he?
Ben Stokes at it again. At least now there's a film about him we have the answer to the eternal question of who writes his scripts
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) August 27, 2022
71st over: South Africa 157-5 (Verreynne 11, Harmer 4) Just as I (and most everyone) predicted, Broad is back though he isn’t able to generate the same lift that Stokes is fabricating from the other end. Broad does look dangerous though when he’s shaping it back in towards the pads. He finds an edge from Verreynne but soft hands means it dribbles safely to a diving Foakes. It’s a probing line that has the batter in two minds. A solid block ends the over.
70th over: South Africa 157-5 (Verreynne 11, Harmer 4) Verreynne steals a single off the first ball of this Stokes over, not that Harmer looks too pleased. The final nut is a gem. A zipper that kisses the surface and rises past Harmer’s bat. He does well to stay inside the line and not jab at it.
69th over: South Africa 156- 5 (Verreynne 10, Harmer 4) That might be Leach’s last over now that the South African lower order is in. Although that final ball, a lovely flighter that brought Harmer forward before gripping and bouncing away past the outside edge, could keep him going, especially as the new ball is only 10 overs away. Harmer takes three through midwicket with a handy flick and Verreynne cuts one to deep backward point.
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68th over: South Africa 152-5 (Verreynne 9, Harmer 1) Two overs, two set batters removed, one innings victory within sight thanks to Benjamin Andrew Stokes. What a player. Tough ask here for Simon Harmer, the new man, who must now hold the line in the face of an inevitable onslaught. There’s extra catcher behind the stumps but Harmer is able to get off the mark. Strap in. This could be over sharpish.
Wicket! Petersen c Foakes b Stokes 42 (South Africa 151-5)
What a jaffa! What a rip snorter! What a deliciously wicked delivery that explodes off a length and takes the shoulder of Petersen’s blade and nestles in the safe mitts of Foakes behind the stumps. Ben Stokes is doing Ben Stokes things, ripping this game open, removing a set batter who didn’t look like getting out. Nothing he could do about that. That ball is 67 overs old. It had no business behaving like that. When he’s in this mood there is surely no better all-round cricketer. What a game the England skipper is having.
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67th over: South Africa 150-4 (South Africa 141-4) Jack Leach continues and a busy Petersen keeps him out. Some looping flighters, some flatter darters, the batter is equal to it.
66th over: South Africa 150-4 (Petersen 42, Verreynne 8) Ben Stokes makes things happen. Once again, when his team needed a spark he sends an electric bolt of lightning through the stage and illuminates the contest. Three balls is all he needed to end van der Dussen’s brave vigil. The new man Verreynne with an average of 29 will have to dig deep here. He’s on eight already with a squirted edge to the deep third boundary and a more assured pull from a Stokes half tracker. A marathon partnership comes to an end and England, only 14 overs away from the new ball, will want to sprint through their guests and perhaps claim an innings win tonight.
Wicket! Van der Dussen c Foakes b Stokes 41 (South Africa 141-4)
Three balls after the tea break and England have found that breakthrough. It’s a fullish ball from Stokes around the fifth stump and it moves away from van der Dussen who can’t help but follow it and prod his hands away from his body. He got away with one before the break but no reprieve this time. It’s a thickish edge and Foakes takes a neat catch tumbling to his right. It’s that man again. The England skipper bends another game to his will.
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The players are back out and Stokes is gearing up for another pop at van der Dussen. If these two Saffas reach the close they’ll be absolutely chuffed! One more and England could run through ‘em.
“Afternoon Daniel”, hi Kim Thonger, good to hear from you, what very normal cricket related correspondence have you got for me?
“There is much talk in the media and scientific circles about the use of hitherto banned substances such as psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and MDMA (ecstasy) for the treatment of conditions such as addiction and PTSD. Indeed, the US Food and Drug Administration has classified psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy,”
Very normal, then, cheers mate. Oh, there’s more:
“Perhaps this is just the thing to get Crawley back into his groove. And even if it doesn’t work on the field, after trudging back to the pavilion, he can have a jolly afternoon watching events unfold from the team balcony, in a hallucinogenic dream state, much the best way to experience life in Manchester?”
That, Kim, is bonkers! And I’m not going to recommend Crawley alter his state of consciousness with a bat in his hand, it did work for baseball pitcher Dock Ellis who did something quite sensational:
TEA: 65th over: South Africa 141-3 (Petersen 42, van der Dussen 41)
Petersen keeps Leach at bay for the final over before tea on the third day of this Test that hurtled at a frenetic pace before grinding to a halt as the South Africans have dug in to drag the show to a fourth day at least. This partnership of 87 has spanned more than 42 overs. England still well on top and might yet snatch an innings win this evening, but that looks less likely thanks to some Saffa gumption. I’m off to make a cuppa. Catch you in a few.
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An edge! But no appeal! Not out!
What the what! The Sky replays are showing that van der Dussen actually nicked Stokes behind in the 64th over. No one appealed. Foakes, Stokes and their pals didn’t hear anything but the snickometer/ultraedge revealed a spike! Sensational! Could that be the difference in this game? South Africa will need all the help they can get.
64th over: South Africa 141-3 (Petersen 42, van der Dussen 41) Excellent from Stokes. He’s got van der Dussen in knots. One is moving sharply in towards his pads, the other holds its line until it moves away at the last minute. Van der Dussen looks to move across his stumps and negate the swing and the final ball keeps low and van der Dussen has to stoop low to block it. Both men giving it their all.
63rd over: South Africa 141-3 (Petersen 42, van der Dussen 41) A Jack Leach maiden to Petersen. In the great expanse of cricket’s storied history, no one will remember this over. Twirled deliveries targets that the stumps are navigated without much fuss or a run scored. The catchers at slip, short leg and short cover simply have the closest seats to the blockathon. I absolutely love this sport!
62nd over: South Africa 141-3 (Petersen 42, van der Dussen 41) Ooooh, a drive. In any other situation I reckon van der Dussen lashes that wide half volley from Stokes to the fence but given his current state of mind (and finger, have I mentioned the finger?) he checks his stroke and just takes a couple. He gets another two backward of square on the off side with a steered stab and he moves into the 40s.
These two have now faced a combined 263 balls. Remarkable stuff. Still 123 runs behind but this 87 run partnership has been brilliant. Bat on lads!
61st over: 137-3 (Petersen 42, van der Dussen 37) Yup, Jack Leach replaces Broad. It’s a dry, hard deck and the left arm spinner will fancy it against the right handers. His second ball to Petersen stays low and Petersen just about gets away with it as he goes back and squirts it away from his stumps. A late cut from a shorter ball gets him off strike and van der Dussen also takes a single with a back foot punch towards extra cover.
60th over: 135-3 (Petersen 41, van der Dussen 36) Is van der Dussen made of right angles and four even lines? Because he’s been squared up! Beautiful from Stokes who makes van der Dussen look ordinary with his first two balls that land on a good length around a fifth stump line and move away just a touch. Van der Dussen follows it but isn’t close enough to nick either delivery. Lovely from the England skipper who then looks to tail the final ball back into the right hander but van der Dussen watches it carefull and plays it with the full face of the bat. No runs from that over. Leach warming up.
59th over: South Africa 135-3 (Petersen 41, van der Dussen 36) Broad goes short to Petersen but he’s biffed in front of square through the on side. Petersen doesn’t time but he takes two and crawls into the 40s. he won’t worry about his score though. Van der Dussen takes a single earlier in the piece with a neat clip through the on side. Broad won’t mind that too much. He is targeting the stumps. Might be worth getting that catcher at short mid-on a little wider. Maybe.
Remarkable resistance from van der Dussen. Word is his finger could be fractured. More as I get it.
58th over: South Africa 132-3 (Petersen 39, van der Dussen 35) Van der Dussen takes a single off the first ball of this Stokes over, getting nicely on top of the bounce and times it well but straight to a man at deep backward square. That fielder is at least 10 yards from the boundary. Funky. I like it.
Petersen has a flash at a bit of width but doesn’t connect as it trickles to point for a single. Stokes is yet to double bluff it with a searing full one at the stumps. Still happy to dig it in.
57th over: South Africa 131-3 (Petersen 39, van der Dussen 34) It’s different approaches from either end as Stokes’ short stuff is juxtaposed by Broad’s intention to find an lbw. He’s full and straight with a hint of in-swing. Van der Dussen is lunging forward and you can see why Broad is eager to trap him in front of the stumps. If he can get one to move late he’ll be in business. He loses his line slightly and van der Dussen is able to tickle to fine leg for a single. Petersen plays his only delivery with a much straighter bat.
Stokes to Petersen, Broad to van der Dussen. That’s what I think England will want to engineer. The reverse suits South Africa more.
Test cricket. Don’t you love it?
Oh, South Africa trail by 132. This partnership now worth 78.
56th over: South Africa 130-3 (Petersen 39, van der Dussen 33) Stokes is banging away on a short length but the pitch and the ball aren’t helping him much. They’re hardly fizzing past the batters’ noses and both of them are able to ride the bounce and steer a single each with a horizontal bat towards the leg side. Stokes will persist though. I reckon he’ll want a full over to Petersen who won’t get on top of as many bumpers as the much taller van der Dussen would.
55th over: South Africa 128-3 (Petersen 38, van der Dussen 32) So close for Broad who plays the Kansas City Shuffle by duping van der Dussen with a full ball that tails into his pads. It thwacks the batter on the front peg and Broad celebrates in trademark fashion. But a feather of an edge saves the Saffa. Great bowling from Broad who had set things up for short bowling. No runs either. Broad versus van der Dussen is one to keep an eye on.
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Broad's celebrappeal turned down!
Broad traps van der Dussen on the pads, he’s off, celebrating expecting a wicket, he turns around and the umpire is unmoved. It looked dead. Why are they not reviewing it? Broad is convinced!
OH! A tiny edge has saved the batter and Stokes wisely declines the option to send it upstairs. Seems Robinson heard the noise. So close to the breakthrough!
Rassie doesn’t mind the short stuff, but I wonder what the stats are when he’s batting with nine fingers.
England may be tempted to go to their short ball tactic with conditions easing at Old Trafford - Rassie van der Dussen however performs well against the short ball, averaging 60 with just 4 dismissals against short deliveries in Test cricket. #ENGvSA
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 27, 2022
54th over: South Africa 128-3 (Petersen 38, van der Dussen 32) Yup, as expected, Ben Stokes is charging towards the wicket and digging it in short. He’s not yet found his menace but there is a clear plan in place. What will buckle first? Stokes’ gammy knee or the concentration of the South Africans?
Van der Dussen, himself nursing an injury with a busted finger, is relatively untroubled by the half bangers that Stokes serves him and biffs one with control for a single on the on side. The shorter Petersen is content to duck underneath those that are whizzed in his direction.
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53rd over: South Africa 127-3 (Petersen 38, van der Dussen 31) Stuart Broad is back and he’s getting it to wobble immediately from that loping action. He got Petersen out with a beauty in the first innings and the Night HawkTM will want to get him again. He digs in a half tracker that doesn’t get up and Petersen’s missed cross-bat whack at it generates some excitement behind the stumps. Another short ball is steered comfortably down to fine leg for a single and there does seem to be a plan now to prise a scalp with some chin music. It might just work and I expect to see Stokes from the other end. Van der Dussen gets a full delivery and bunts to the off side for a single with Anderson slow off his mark at mid-off. Stuart glares at his old mate.
52nd over: South Africa 125-3 (Petersen 37, van der Dussen 30) Thanks Collo! What a stint from you. Steady, composed, disciplined. Just like these two Saffas who are battling through their work. No doubt the Proteas dressing room has this playing in on repeat. Still a long way to go as we’ve only just approached the halfway point in this Test. Stokes and Broad are limbering up as Robinson bowls an over that contains another no-ball. A pair of singles for each batter as well. There’s a drinks break which so often brings a breakthrough. England will be hoping the interval can disrupt the flow of these two fighters whoo deserve a heck of a lot of credit.
I’m with you til the close. Do drop me a mail or tweet. Should be a fascinating few hours.
51st over: South Africa 122-3 (Petersen 36, van der Dussen 29) How appropriate that my final over on the tools today would be yet another maiden – from Leach to Petersen, with love. Defending and leaving, the right-hander is in control. He does miss out on a chance to score off shorter delivery but that won’t worry him.
On that note, I’m handing over to Dan Gallan for the rest of the third day. He’s a lovely fella. I’ll be back with you, if it gets that far, on Monday morning. Thanks for your emails throughout the day and, as discussed, I’m off to a baby scan. Bye!
50th over: South Africa 122-3 (Petersen 36, van der Dussen 29) There was a bit of a tipping point in yesterday’s play, when Stokes and Foakes had put on roughly this many, they were able to start scoring at an improved run rate. We’re not quite there yet, with Robinson giving very little away, but there might be a moment soon when this pair arrive at the conclusion that this is the best time to put the foot down a touch and put a bigger dent in the remaining deficit. It comes down by four here the big quick is a touch too short to van der Dussen, who loves nothing more than getting back in the crease and pulling, doing so with authority out to the rope. A couple of no-balls in that over too – Robinson needs to tidy up this part of his game before it starts to cost him Test wickets. Actually, it already did during last winter’s Ashes. The visitors are 142 behind as we creep up on the halfway mark of the Test.
49th over: South Africa 116-3 (Petersen 36, van der Dussen 25) This is what we want, isn’t it? Leach to Petersen. Not the most On-Broadway match-up on paper, but in this middle session of the Test Match, it’s this push and pull that we’re all here for. The No3 is forward in defence for the first four balls before, with the penultimate offering, there’s some drift and flight and past the edge it travels. Loooovely stuff.
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48th over: South Africa 116-3 (Petersen 36, van der Dussen 25) Urgh, after all that from Jim in his previous over they’ve whipped him off for Robinson. I suppose it is he, the 40-year-old, who decides when he’s had enough these days. Petersen is in a bit of a groove here though, tucking a couple behind square then popping two more behind square on the other side of the wicket from the next. He’s faced 103 balls.
Tim Sanders returns to put the final touches on the twin-tons-at-Leeds storyline for us. “It was Sam Billings in 2019,” he says first did it in the championship. “Forever to be stereotyped as a white-ball specialist, he was overshadowed in his first-class glory by Darren Stevens’ double century and five-fer, as Kent squeaked a victory over Yorkshire by just 433 runs. This is surely a candidate for the ‘unsung hero’ of cricketing records, given 125 years of first-class cricket at Headingley, without any of the greats who played there making a century in each innings. Then Hope and Billings achieve it in the space of three seasons. Proper cricketers both.”
Another underrated record that fell this year came up in Geoff and my history pod this weekend, which I plugged earlier (and will again). In short, the biggest margin in First Class cricket, by runs alone, was 685. That came inthe Bradman 452* match in 1930;’ NSW v QLD. And it was broken last month in the Ranji Trophy! Privthi Shaw’s Mumbai won a game by 725 of the best. That record stood for 92 years. Have that!
47th over: South Africa 111-3 (Petersen 32, van der Dussen 25) A change in the energy after Anderson came so close his previous set (wink), Petersen caught in two minds before inside edging just past his leg stump. Well bowled. van der Dussen now, who has seen very little of Leach since lunch, but he doesn’t have to worry too much about the final ball - too full and on his pads, helped away for four. This partnership is now worth 57 across nearly 25 overs. They’re putting in a crucial shift.
“Good afternoon Adam.” Chris Bourne, g’day. “I have a friend down here who plays blind women’s cricket in Bournemouth. Alas, her lovely guide dog has passed on. Guide dogs take a long time to train and thanks to the pandemic, which slowed the process right down, there’s now a considerable shortage and a waiting time of several years. While I know that very few people feel they have the money to commit to charities at present, do spare a thought for that most surreal and entertaining of sports, blind cricket, the ladies and gentlemen who play it, and the guide dogs who enjoy watching it.”
Sounds a great cause. Thanks for bringing to our attention.
46th over: South Africa 106-3 (Petersen 31, van der Dussen 21) So good from Anderson: 40 minutes into his spell with not a lot going on, he gets van der Dussen playing and missing twice in a row. The first is an genuine beauty, hooping in before straightening away just enough – it deserved an edge. The next was a fraction wider and fuller, van der Dussen playing when he didn’t need to. Keep him on.
45th over: South Africa 106-3 (Petersen 31, van der Dussen 21) Leach v Petersen, you know what happens next. In fairness to the number three, he looked to drive at one stage and went back to cut at another, but the result is the same: six dots. The Proteas are still 158 behind after all this hard graft. England just need one here.
44th over: South Africa 106-3 (Petersen 31, van der Dussen 21) Rassie has to get the hand off the bat early in the over when Anderson gets one to lift but other than that, smooth sailing once again. Indeed, he’s on the front foot by the end of the over, an easy couple on offer once the drive beats the man at short cover. I like Rassie a lot.
“Don’t worry about laughing,” says Jeremy Boyce about my involuntary ball-in-the-box response. “It’s slapstick/pie in the face stuff, Buster Keaton. But while laughing, at least 50% of people watching will have been simultaneously wincing because they’ve been there too.” True, that. As recently as last week in my case.
43rd over: South Africa 104-3 (Petersen 31, van der Dussen 19) Leach to Petersen, set and forget. Another maiden. These two look to be settling in for a long afternoon.
42nd over: South Africa 104-3 (Petersen 31, van der Dussen 19) Chance! Drop? Not quite! There’s a man in close on the on-side, a very close and straight midwicket, and Petersen nearly picks out Ollie Pope in that position. Hands on head stuff having set the plan up for the South African number three and stuck to it since lunch.
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41st over: South Africa 98-3 (Petersen 26, van der Dussen 18) Leach, we reflected on before lunch, is bowling more quickly. Well, that applies for the length of his overs now too – in the best tradition of his fellow left-arm spinners, Jadeja and O’Keefe, he’s through this maiden in all of 75 seconds. Petersen defends throughout.
“Adam.” John Starbuck! “About ‘set’: yes, but we read it on the OBO first. I think it was you or Tim whom I twigged about this 4-5 years ago. A greater mass of cricket followers now know about it because of The Hundred, so it rouses them a lot more. But there is nothing new under the sun (unless it’s Out of Africa, to mangle quotations).”
Yes, that was me you got stuck into a few times about that! I suspect I would have replied to you as I have in the above post – it’s second-nature for me to use that as an option for ‘over’ so not to repeat myself, because we’ve said it on the field forever. But I do take your point that not everyone plays decades of cricket so the on-field jargon might jar if the only link to hearing that term is through The Hundred. But I stress to anyone/everyone, Butch’s use of it is no subliminal Sky conspiracy.
40th over: South Africa 98-3 (Petersen 26, van der Dussen 18) Nice shot, Petersen again on the front foot getting three with a drive from Anderson out past mid-off. What won’t worry the veteran though, who is getting a hint of movement both ways off what’s left of the seam, although it doesn’t look like reverse swing to the naked eye (through a screen). All of a sudden, the game is drifting just a tad.
39th over: South Africa 95-3 (Petersen 23, van der Dussen 18) Rassie isn’t in a hurry but he is looking to score when he can, whipping Leach off leg stump for three more to start the new over. Petersen is comfortable in defence until the final delivery, rocking back deep in the crease to cut out out to deep point and retain the strike.
Some further recommended listening from Dave Manby. “Just listened to Peter White being interviewed on TMS for the lunchtime chat, describing ‘watching cricket’ as a blind person and also talking about everyone’s expectation that he should have a dog with him all the time. (Helpful commuter at Oxford Circus “Where’s your dog mate?”, “Oh I must have left it on the tube!” Apparently they suspended the Bakerloo line to find this non-existent dog! Give it a listen.”
View From The Boundary, almost always worth your time. Want to know how it started? Part three of Daniel Norcross and my audio doco from 2020’s first lockdown on the 100 years of cricket broadcasting was devoted to Test Match Special.
38th over: South Africa 91-3 (Petersen 22, van der Dussen 15) Jimmy is swung around to the Statham End, which, over the journey, has been his preference. It’s his first crack at van der Dussen who is brought forward then back in defence before keeping a full ball out by shovelling a single into the onside. Petersen has one delivery to deal with and it jumps at him, into his box. Nasty. The usual routine plays out: batter doubles over in pain; everyone else laughs. I’m not immune – I laughed too.
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37th over: South Africa 90-3 (Petersen 22, van der Dussen 14) Leach is a touch short to Petersen early in the over and he’s cut away for a couple but the spinner improves from there with a ball that drifts a treat to finish, Petersen watching over his off-stump and into the gloves of Foakes. “What a set, boy!” roars Ben Stokes.
Okay, I said I wasn’t going to do Culture Wars stuff on here today but, given Stokes’ comment there, I feel I must on one point. Last week, Mark Butcher used "set” to describe an over and a lot of people got very angry. Butch replied on twitter, and it got even worse. I can only endorse what he is saying: set has been used in all of the cricket I’ve played since I was a child in Australia 30 years ago. It definitely wasn’t invented for The Hundred. Not everything needs to be an online scrap. Or does it?
The players are back on the field. Leach gets the first over. PLAY!
Sticking with the theme, Andrew Thomas has other frustrations. “Forget being asked for ID,” he says, “what boils my piss is when the self-checkout asks for a member of staff to confirm my age and they press a button marked ‘The customer is clearly over 18’”. One (the only?) positive of the Covid Mask Era: getting ID’d.
And a note from Iain Noble before the players return. “One thing that’s often missed about the need for Foakes to be in the Test side is that he gets the role that Chef used to have of providing a reason, unrelated to sporting prowess, to watch cricket.”
He’s an absurdly good looking human. Arguably never more so than when he’s had a helmet on for several hours. This is not fair not reasonable.
This is quite the interview from Rob Key. The ECB supremo is on Sky and looks at home with that microphone in his hand. I’m sure no matter what he says about the ECB’s high performance review (some of which was released yesterday) will make a lot of people angry but I suspect it’ll be worth a listen on their podcast feed when they post it later on today. But no Culture War material from me today, it’s too tiring.
Oh, speaking of podcasts – I better plug the weekend cricket history show that Geoff Lemon (also of this parish) and I make on our Final Word feed. We gave it big this week across nearly two hours, my co-host having just left a Las Vegas dive bar.
Right, bowl of soup done, I’m back. Let’s crack on with some emails.
“Good morning from North Carolina,” says Ken Andrew. “Talking of Fred Trueman’s drinking I had to show ID last night to buy a bottle of wine in a supermarket. I’m 67.”
Quite the heavy-handed response to every American from 18-21 having a fake ID!
“Thanks for being there,” says Martyn Fairbrother. “Watching in a bar in Paris, but they’ve switched over to the footie. Heathens.”
You to speak to Robert Wilson (he’s reading on) about where you can find a place in Paris that’ll have both on. There’s time of we’re good enough.
England win hour one, South Africa hour two. But it remains very much to the advantage of the hosts, three wickets in the first stanza exactly what they needed to open up this third day with the visitors 176 away from making them bat a second time. All three of England’s seamers got into the act; Anderson’s set-up and finishing move to extract Dean Elgar’s off-stump is already going viral. Robinson picked up from where he left off on day one and Broad provided the usual flurry of activity, knocking Markram over with a no-ball before knicking him off mintues later.
It’s to the credit of Petersen for the calm he showed during that testing stretch, and van der Dussen who has played himself in well despite carrying a finger injury into this second innings. But if the Proteas are any chance of scrapping their way back into the Test, it’ll be this pair who need to occupy the crease for a long time yet.
I’m going to grab a bite to eat; I suggest you do the same. Back with you shortly.
LUNCH: 36th over: South Africa 88-3 (Petersen 20, van der Dussen 14)
Root helps the extras column along by four to begin the final over before lunch, well down the legside. van der Dussen does as he must from the rest, defending Root without a bother. They walk off with an unbeaten stand of 34. Nicely played.
35th over: South Africa 84-3 (Petersen 20, van der Dussen 14) Leach races through again in order to make sure they get one more over in before lunch – back to back maidens from him to Petersen. He’s faced 60 balls for his 20 and has been the most organised batter on show through the session. Also had a handy stint for Durham earlier in the season, so he’s been over here for four months now in these conditions.
34th over: South Africa 84-3 (Petersen 20, van der Dussen 14) I’m no Root Basher when it comes to him sending down spells – he’s better than a part-timer. But I’m not sure why he’s finishing the session from the Anderson End rather than the bloke who has the end named after him. South Africa made a similar calculation 24-hours ago but not bowling Nortje and Rabada until well after the long break and it backfired, with Stokes and Foakes pretty well set when the main men returned. Anyway, now I’ve said all of this Jimmy will take a wicket with the first ball after the long break. Oh, and van der Dussen found his second boundary here too, a classy cover drive.
33rd over: South Africa 80-3 (Petersen 20, van der Dussen 10) Leach to Petersen from around the wicket and he races through a 75-second maiden. The last of the over is the most threatening with a bit of extra flight and a snifter of turn, finding the outside edge of the right-hander’s bat. But it is met with nice soft hands.
“Went yesterday and admired the Team Spirit shown by England and the quality and responsibility applied by Stokes and Foakes,” says Mike. “It was a great day to be there.”
Sounded it! I’ve got a theory, which I advanced at a Final Word live show in Manchester a few years ago, that Old Trafford is the best Ashes venue. And along with Headingley, no better place to be in the stands when England are up and about.
32nd over: South Africa 80-3 (Petersen 20, van der Dussen 10) Joe Root started the session and it looks like he’ll finish it as well, replacing Jack Leach. And whaddayaknow, a juicy full bunger to begin his new spell, Petersen placing it past extra cover for a nice little pressure-release boundary. Then a couple more out to the temporary/permanent stand on the eastern side of the ground later in the over, with the crowd giving plenty of love to YJB, the man sweeping on that side of the ground. Nothing much going on here from Joey. Give the ball back to Anderson.
“Good afternoon.” And to you, Jamie Tucker. “I think there are a lot Canadians who throw right and bat (usually baseball) left, due to it being very useful in ice hockey to have an equal mix of right- and left-handed players. I certainly grew up this way, and now bat very badly indeed as a lefty with no power in the bottom hand.”
Makes a lot of sense! Much like the Gladwellian theory on why so many Canadian professional hockey players are born in January and February. I note that my daughter was February and our next is January. Pack them off to the NHL?
31st over: South Africa 73-3 (Petersen 13, van der Dussen 10) 17 minutes until lunch and Broad goes again for his sixth as he begins. So, if they want to go back to Anderson before lunch it would be for two at most – do it, Ben. Again, there isn’t quite the carry from that Anderson End for Disco Stu and van der Dussen looks to be playing himself in a bit here with his finger allowing him to play normally. For now.
“Morning, Collo; morning everyone.” And to you, Iain McKane. “On Trueman’s ‘gun’ left-arm, it is, of course, a bit of a myth that Fred drank pints of (Yorkshire) bitter. Not saying he only drank the ‘committee-man’s’ G&at, with or without extended pinky-finger. The pint thing largely came from his ITV days of presenting a pub-game show, which he ended with an ‘Ah’ll sithee!’ to camera and a raised pint glass full of … tea? On the no-ball issue: I’ve always believed Richie B was correct to promulgate the return of the back-foot law… much more sensible. A bit of dragging might occur, but that may be a fair trade-off for speeding up the game.”
I’ll take your word on Trueman! In relation to no-balls, the system works really well now – what happened to Broad before (accepting he was just over) is exactly how the system is meant to work. It was a shambles in the decade before they gave that front line to the TV umpire for reasons I bored you all about on the OBO back before August 2020 when the change, at long last, was agreed to be the powers-that-be.
30th over: South Africa 72-3 (Petersen 12, van der Dussen 10) Better from Leach, who is asking good questions of van der Dussen throughout this maiden. On Sky commentary, Nick Knight and Mark Butcher are reflecting on the pace he now bowls at, which has increased with each year he has played for England – by design. Jeetan Patel, they explain, has worked a lot on that with Leach as their Test spin coach.
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29th over: South Africa 72-3 (Petersen 12, van der Dussen 10) Broad finds Rassie’s edge but it doesn’t carry to Crawley at second slip, sneaking between him and Bairstow and reaching the rope. Not the first we’ve seen die off an edge this morning, making life challenging for the wicketkeeper Foakes and his cordon.
Jimmy Anderson on Stuart Broad pic.twitter.com/PRvTnYoD2a
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) August 27, 2022
28th over: South Africa 67-3 (Petersen 12, van der Dussen 5) Forgive me, I’ve slipped an over behind. But there wasn’t much going on in Leach’s second either.
“Hello Adam.” Afternoon, Tim Sanders. “You’ve rather understated Shai Hope’s achievement in that 2017 Headingley Test. It was the first time ever that anyone had scored a century in each innings at the ground. Astonishing really - various Yorkshire greats had achieved the feat at Scarborough and elsewhere in the county, but never at HQ; and Bradman managed a couple of triples there all in one go. Since then, an England player has made a century in each innings for the first time ever in the County Championship at Headingley. He has Test caps in the past 12 months. I’ll leave it there in case it makes a half-decent quiz question.”
Right! I knew it was a big deal, this puts meat on those bones. He’ll have a bat on the wall at the Kingston Cricket Club at Sabina Park, where every player to achieve the fabled twin tons in the history of Test Matches is recognised. Very cool place.
27th over: South Africa 65-3 (Petersen 10, van der Dussen 5) van der Dussen gets into position early enough to hook the first short ball we’ve seen in this Broad spell but he’s not in control of the top edge with his troubled hand coming off the blade. Still, it brings him a first boundary. That’s Broad’s fourth over. I wonder whether Stokes might throw the ball back to Jimmy for a few more from that end before lunch?
26th over: South Africa 61-3 (Petersen 10, van der Dussen 1) We all thought Leach would be a major player today, and maybe he will be if this pair can put on a bit of a partnership. But this is his first twist, with just over half an hour until lunch. Not the best first over either, finding his range by the end though. And Rassie is off the mark.
Jeremy Boyce replies to John Starbuck’s earlier email – I’m just watching. “John must surely be aware that in village and social cricket, alternative arrangements already exist. It’s called the Beer Match. Both teams bat in reverse order, and everyone has to bowl at least 1 over, including the wicketkeeper. This could be great, and would help square the circle between the elite game and its historic roots.”
25th over: South Africa 60-3 (Petersen 10, van der Dussen 0) The Manchester crowd are giving it big, like it’s about four hours and six pints down the track. They sense that the hosts are perhaps two wickets away here from finishing the job well inside three days. Broad completes a maiden to Petersen – he’s very much up for this.
“Dear Adam.” Robert Wilson! What I’d give for a night out with you in Paris some point soon. “What the hell is going on? Those two wicket-balls were absolute corkers, first-session arse-kickers. I’m no great reader of a pitch but was this strip sulking before now? Did it have a hangover? Can’t remember seeing a resurrection this surprising since like, you know, the actual Bible. Warm congrats on the expected little one.”
The pitch was livin’ la vida loca on morning one – there was that CricViz factoid about how much movement there was off the seam compared to other Test Matches this summer. But it really did go to sleep yesterday. As Ben Foakes said at stumps last night, it went from “wet nip” to “dry nip.” Cricketers’ jargon, gotta love it.
And thank you. As soon as I’m done on the OBO today we’re heading to the hospital for the 20-week scan, as it happens. Only right given that the arrival of our first born, as you’d remember, was so kindly first announced publicly here via Tim de Lisle.
24th over: South Africa 60-3 (Petersen 10, van der Dussen 0) Another no-ball from Robinson, who looks destined to take another that’s taken back by the end of this spell – he’s waaay over too, the TV replay shows. He misses his mark for the first time in this spell as well, spraying so far down leg that not even Foakes can catch up with it – four byes. Oooh back on it with a sharp delivery angled in at van der Dussen later in the over, prompting a big appeal from the bowler… turned down. No review. Yep, good call from both the umpire and Stokes, that’s also going down leg.
“Morning Adam.” Geoff Wignall, nice to see you pop up in my inbox. “On Not That Andy Flintoff’s question, at my very low level of playing I both bowled and batted right handed but threw with my left. I’d also play racket sports and golf and carry heavy bags right handed; while writing, drawing/ painting, chopping veg and sawing wood with my left. I’ve always thought of this as being left handed and right armed, if that makes sense.”
Blessed. Isn’t the ~science~ now that if you are a dominant right-hander as a youn kid then you are best to then bat left-handed? Three West Australians of a certain generation jump out on this point: Mike Hussey, Adam Gilchrist and Chris Rogers.
No ball! ✖️
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 27, 2022
It's all happening this morning! Stuart Broad's celebrations are cut short after he bowls Aiden Markram... #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/2sxsrKCvmg
23rd over: South Africa 54-3 (Petersen 9, van der Dussen 0) Big Rassie takes an age to walk out to the middle, carrying a finger injury that we thought might preclude him from batting in this second innings. Well, they need him now. But it’s nearly two in an over, Broad going past his outside edge by no more than a rizla width! He’s got the crowd involved too, like a long jumper at the top of his run as Shaun Pollock notes on Sky. It’s all happening at Old Trafford with South Africa still behind by 210.
Edged and gone!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 27, 2022
Thumbs up for Stuart Broad this time 😁👍 #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/eimF6B5pdN
WICKET! Markram c Crawley b Broad 6 (South Africa 54-3)
Edged and taken! Conventional as you like, Markram won’t be saved by Broad’s boot this time with the easy catch pouched by Crawley. In quintissential Stuart fashion, he turns straight to the umpire to confirm that his foot was behind the line before celebrating. He gets the thumbs up and joins the cordon. Ever the entertainer.
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“What with all the ideas about the future,” begins John Starbuck. Do we need contingency plans for extra matches, given that three-day Tests seem to be a thing?” After the Broad/Markram moment, the latter will be batting this time tomorrow.
Steve Hudson on players with two strong arms: “Another England player who could throw equally well with both arms was Fred Trueman. He ran a few batters out because they didn’t expect a left arm throw from a right arm bowler.”
I did not know that. Perhaps helped by lifting pints with his left hand? David Kelsey reminds me that it is Tymal Mills who, in the modern game, bowls with one arm (his left) and throws with the other. Hopefully we’ll see him for England again soon.
One more on this before play resumes, via Jeremy Boyce. “In tennis there are a few players, including one pro, Cheon-Eui Kim, who can hit with both hands, so they change hands between shots and have two forehands/backhands. Kim can also serve with both hands. Have there ever been any pro/Test cricketers similarly blessed, bowling or batting equally well with both hands?”
I’ve seen Glenn Maxwell switch hit a 100 metre six at Canberra two years ago. But that’s Maxi, who can do pretty much whatever he wants with a bat in his hand.
22nd over: South Africa 54-2 (Petersen 9, Markram 6) Robinson oversteps now, as he does quite a bit. Markram has been freed up since the dismissal-that-wasn’t, steering a couple of singles either side of point to end a compelling first hour. DRINKS!
21st over: South Africa 49-2 (Petersen 7, Markram 4) I said earlier that Anderson’s se-up to Elgar is the stuff fast bowlers dream of. Well, had Broad’s boot been behind the line this also would have met that criteria too. We get another look at the replay between overs and that’s clipped the top of the off bail having nipped away expertly – urgh! The big quick tries to re-litigate the case with Umpire Gaffaney between overs but there’s nothing he can do – the line is the purview of the TV umpire these days, Niton Menon. As it should be, by the way – a vastly improved system. My pet topic. And sure enough, Markram is off the mark from the next ball, clipping a boundary.
Anderson, Old Trafford, 2022 💥
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 27, 2022
Jones, Old Trafford, 2005 💥
Which sounded better? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/EVYZQ7q9yz
NO BALL! Oh No! Broad’s first trundle of the innings and it has taken him five balls to hit the top of off. But wait a minute! Markram is reprieved! The most beautiful piece of bowling won’t earn him a wicket as he’s overstepped, called by the TV ump. It’s as tight as tight as tight can be – Broad is ticking; Stokes gives him a pat on the back. They go back to where they started with a couple of balls to come in the over.
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20th over: South Africa 43-2 (Petersen 6, Markram 0) Markram’s dismissal was a poor one the first time around and he’d know it – he’s a very good Test cricketer, with plenty of experience now. But there’ll be no easy first run here against Robinson, who has started splendidly this morning after Root got the first couple ahead of him (weird that, wasn’t it?). Another maiden; no inch given.
“Morning Adam.” Brian Withington! “As instructed I googled #RootMaths and ended up idling away a quarter of an hour or so on Cricket365. As well as dealing with the habit of excluding a significant performance to make a point, I also liked the exposure of the fallacy of ‘previous highest run chase’ lists which have long enraged me as a basis for broadcasters trying to hurry a declaration. I really must get out more. Fourth day Oval 1968 Ashes was my first btw. Day before Underwood cleaned up after the storm.”
Feels like we are all guilty of #RootMaths from time to time when covering cricket but the work of Dave Tickner and co that you refer to has helped temper that a bit.
19th over: South Africa 43-2 (Petersen 6, Markram 0) Earlier in the over, Petersen picked up a couple more down the ground – he’s started pretty well. Then two more, albeit with less control from the outside part of the bat behind point.
“Hi Adam.” Matt Fordham, hi to you. “I’m thinking of the Unwin family day out today while also at the ground with my older son. He’s now 14 but our first test was day 4 at Headingley in that match we eventually lost to the West Indies a few years back. He was about 9 but insisted on watching every ball. My other son, in his first test, managed about 20 minutes before asking when half time was and if he could have his iPad. I guess it’ll be somewhere in between in most cases.”
Great win from the Windies, that – Shai Hope’s twin tons for the first time that was achieved at Headingley by a tourist, something along those lines? My daughter (two and a half) has her own bat has a sense that I do cricket things. Enjoys me throwing the soft ball at her head when she faces up, so maybe she’ll be a nuggety opener.
DOES JIMMY HAVE A THIRD? Petersen is given out caught behind and sends it straight upstairs. Rightly so; that’s missed by a fair margin. NOT OUT! That’s the second time this week Chris Gaffney has been forced to chance a decision like that.
WICKET! Erwee c Foakes b Robinson 25 (South Africa 39-2)
The change of angle does it! Robinson back over the wicket to Erwee, in that ever-challenging corridor from the big quick just outside the off-stump. He wants to play, then wants to leave – he eventually does neither and feathers through to Foakes who does a good job diving forward with the ball dying into his gloves. Both openers are gone and the Proteas are exposed early on this third day, still 225 in the red.
18th over: South Africa 39-2 (Petersen 2)
“When does the Broad inspired spell start?” asks Matthew Doherty. I’m tipping that will come the moment Jimmy needs a blow. They’ve picked the right attack for this Test, that looks certain. All three of these fellas have made their living hitting the seam and getting the ball nipping around. Which isn’t to say that Anderson can’t hoop it as well, but his subtle movement has always been just as dangerous.
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17th over: South Africa 39-1 (Erwee 25, Petersen 2) Athers notes on comms that Jimmy is now hiding the ball in his left hand on his approach, which means he’s decided the time is right to switch to reverse swing. He certainly has that club in the bag. Petersen is giving it everything in defence, watching the ball all the right onto his bat with the ball routinely en route to his stumps. He gets an inside edge to finish – the cordon oohs and aahs, but it spills away without a bother. Tough stuff.
“Morning Adam, morning everyone.” Not That Andy Flintoff, hallo to you. “Just a quick question - Jack Leach bowls with his left hand, but fields with his right, there surely can’t be many other cricketers who do, can there? I’m not talking about bowling with the opposite hand to batting (there are plenty of those - Broad, Anderson, Stokes in this game alone).”
I know there’s another high-profile player from yesteryear who did this? Tip of my tongue, somebody will be able to tell me. Ian Harvey, of course, was able to throw with both hands with equal accuracy and force. Wonthaggi’s finest, love that man.
And here’s that Elgar set-up from before… the stuff fast bowlers dream of.
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) August 27, 2022
16th over: South Africa 39-1 (Erwee 25, Petersen 2) Edged… and doesn’t carry to Crawley who is diving forward with one hand at second slip. Yorked him, as Mark Butcher notes. There was plenty of chat yesterday about where the cordon should be as this surface slows down, I wonder if they took an extra step up this morning? But it’s an imperfect science, as we saw one explore from Anderson take off from a similar length just a few moments ago. Robinson has picked up a genuine yard since last playing for England, hitting 87mph in this over. Surely linked to the fact that it’s very clear that he looks a lot fitter than he did last summer/winter. Good on him.
Joe Root opening the bowling on Day 3 with a ball 9 overs old https://t.co/cAFnDDam5W
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) August 27, 2022
15th over: South Africa 35-1 (Erwee 22, Petersen 1) Petersen off the mark from the first ball of Anderson’s fresh over, a compact push wide of mid-off for one. At the southpaw Erwee, he takes two balls to beat him – naturally. But the experienced opener keeps his cool and forces the next delivery away for another single. That’s all they need to do here – get through this spell. Especially with Anderson getting deliveries to rise and move as he does to Petersen when getting back on strike – the number three does well to get his bat well out of the way. Such good bowling.
“Hey Adam.” Tom Bowtell, gidday to you. “Following extremely cursory thinking I wonder if yesterday was the first time two England Men’s batters with the same first name scored tons in the same Test innings since Thorpe and Gooch at this very ground 29 years ago. Open to counter offers.”
Talk about knowing your audience. I suspect I’ll have no fewer than 100 emails answering this question in the next ten minutes. Drivers, start your engines.
14th over: South Africa 33-1 (Erwee 21, Petersen 0) With the captain gone, that’s the end of the Joe Root spell and it isn’t Jack Leach as we theorised, rather, Ollie Robinson gets a crack from the Statham End. And just as it was on the first morning he’s landing it in a shoebox right away, his maiden punctuated by a delivery that leaps off a length at Erwee from over the wicket, hitting him in the tummy.
"That is a RIPPER" 😍
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 27, 2022
Jimmy Anderson 𝙗𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙨 Dean Elgar and boy it's a beauty! Sends the off stump flying 💥#ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/eJcoqRyZzG
13th over: South Africa 33-1 (Erwee 21, Petersen 0) “I don’t think it was just the previous ball in terms of the movement,” notes Mel Jones. “It was the length as well.” Spot on, as ever. Watching it back, Elgar tried to cover the line but didn’t get far enough forward, surely as a natural response to the delivery before. “Such a huge breakthrough,” adds Butch. “Knocking him over before the ball is reversing.”
“Fell off a boat onto my boat in Croatia,” reveals Tim Lindsay, who attaches a pic for me (which I don’t know how to add to the blog, sorry). Also bust my wrist.” Yikes! “Upside is I can now stay comfortably in our friends’ gorgeous villa watching the match on their pirated Sky signal while that mess around on the water. Result.”
WICKET! Elgar b Anderson 11 (South Africa 33-1)
Oh Jimmy, Jimmy! That is quite superb. Around the wicket to the visiting captain he beats him with one that jags away like an off-break. Next up? Fuller, back the other way, through the gate, off-stump out of the ground. He’s a freak. An absolute freak.
Updated
12th over: South Africa 32-0 (Erwee 20, Elgar 11) Right, ignore my theory about Root/Leach: the former is getting a second over here. I wonder if that was the plan or if Stokes is keeping him on after the former skipper looked a bit of a handful with his first offering of the morning? In at Elgar, he’s bowling from very wide of the crease with a slip, a leg slip and a short leg – Bairstow’s prowling at short cover too. Good over this too, probing away. Oooh, and there’s some sharp turn and bounce! Great work from Elgar not to follow it with his blade and Foakes to glove it. Interesting.
11th over: South Africa 32-0 (Erwee 20, Elgar 11) “Bowling from his own end, it’s Jimmy Anderson,” says the ground announcer. That was the end where Leach finished last night, bolstering the argument that the Root over was designed to swing the senior spinner around. Anderson starts over the wicket at Erwee and finds his line and length immediately, as you’d expect. With a tiny bit of extra length later in the over the left-hander is happy to carefully drive through cover, timing it well enough to reach the rope but Jack Leach is scampering after it like he’s Carl Lewis, dragging it in at the last. A lot to like about his attitude this summer. Speaking of.
“I think the thing about Leach that the new regime (and Stokes in particular) admire most is his mental toughness,” says Mark Hooper. “That famous 1 not out has meant Stokes backs him to always stand up when he’s needed, which is arguably the most important trait at this level where you’re dealing in the ‘one per cent difference’ or whatever the new buzzword is.”
Back to Jimmy, who beats Erwee with one that nips away to finish – nice. “Absolutely no shape,” says Jonny Bairstow at the end of the over, so no swing then.
10th over: South Africa 28-0 (Erwee 17, Elgar 11) Root gets one to skid on first up at Erwee and hits him on the pad, prompting an ambitious appeal – not out, no review. It’s a handy start, targeting the stumps on that wide angle with his tweakers – he does have 47 Test wickets, remember. Oh, as soon as I type that he gives Erwee a half-volley and he pops it through cover for the first runs of the day, a boundary. “It’s also a day that Dean Elgar will relish,” says Mark Butcher on telly. Absolutely.
The players are on the field! And it is… Joe Root to bowl the first over of the day! I suspect (I’m certain) this will be a changing-ends thing. PLAY!
“Morning Adam.” And to you, Mark Unwin. “Currently on the train on the way to Old Trafford with two 10-year olds going to their first Test match... Plenty of snacks, drinks, tech & money on hand for when they get bored... let’s see how long we last.”
Brilliant! Hope it is a special day for them and you. My first day at a Test Match was the fourth day at Melbourne, 1994-95 – the day before Warney’s Ashes hat-trick. David Boon completed his 20th Test ton before Damien Fleming bowled the house down before stumps, including this absolute beauty. I’m up to 137 Tests now, should hit 150 during next year’s Ashes if all goes to plan. Yes, that’s a horrible brag.
“A big day for Jack Leach?” asks Gary Naylor. “Take out his twin fivefers against New Zealand at Headingley, and he’s only taken eight wickets since the middle of May. I think he needs more variation in order to create more chances on decent pitches. Now’s his chance to show it.”
Morning, Gaz. I’m reluctant to #RootMaths (google it) him by excluding the ten at Yorkshire – that was an outstanding performance under enormous pressure. I can only speak for the radio commentary team I was working on for that series, but we pretty much all sacked him after Nottingham and we were wrong to do so.
There was a beautiful interview with him before this series, a couple of weeks ago with Felix White. The key passage in here is Leach now believing – or being, over time, forced by the new leadership axis to believe – that his ceiling is higher than he previously ever thought it to be in the previous regime. For someone without any natural bravado, my sense is that is quite a big deal. I’m backing him in today.
“Morning Adam,” tweets Harry Lang. “Can’t wait for today’s action. I’m on a boat somewhere off Lefkada in Greece. That is really the only motive behind this missive. Cheers for the updates!” As you do! Enjoy your holiday.
Wrapping up the coverage from yesterday, here’s Tanya Aldred’s write up of Ben Foakes’ comments when speaking to the press after his unbeaten 113.
Barney is up at Manchester too. One eye on the middle, the other on the balcony.
There was even time for a wonderful tableau on the England balcony: Stokes in Lennon-shades, hair swept back, sipping unbranded water; Brendon McCullum next to him, all beards and shades and guns, hundred in the bank, game tipping their way, Stuart Broad, in sleeveless singlet also loitering (yes, Stuart, we see you), basking in the late afternoon sun.
We have an early weather update from Ian Thompson. “Morning Adam. The forecast for Manchester is sunny intervals, a high of 21 and little chance of rain. Looks like a full days cricket.” Outstanding news. Looks great on telly. A tad muggy, perhaps.
“I am utterly disgusted!” roars Tim Maitland in Hong Kong to opening the bowling as far as today’s correspondence is concerned. “Outraged! I have searched the entire interweb and it seems no-one has taken the golden opportunity provided by yesterday’s two centuries to shoehorn in a headline of DIFFERENT STOKES FOR DIFFERENT FOAKES. I will be making an official complaint.”
By contrast to the 2019 World Cup Final, when I reckon six national newspapers went Champagne Super Over on the back (or front) page. Happy times.
Ben Stokes is talking to Nick Knight on Sky. “We are in a strong position and we can’t wait to get the ball in our hands. We’ve earned the right to be quite demanding today.” Gives a lot of love to Ben Foakes. “I’m absolutely chuffed for him. He’s the best wicketkeeper in the world and he’s shown what he can do with the bat.” On the style of play, explains that he wants to set the example with his own positive approach. Talks up their chances of getting the ball reversing today after what the South Africans were able to do in the first session yesterday on the dry Old Trafford square. Adds that he sees a big role for Jack Leach – he clearly backs his spinner.
Preamble
Morning! Lovely where I am in London, hopefully the same in Manchester in Test where England have taken the honours, comprehensively, over the first two days.
As if it were foretold on the day his documentary was released, Ben Stokes slotted his 12th Test ton and first since taking over as skipper. Combining with Ben Foakes for a 173-run stand for the sixth wicket, they took the hosts from the red to a lead that looks massive in the context of this low-scoring series. For Foakes’ part, he saluted for a second Test century and his first since debut way back in 2018. He finished with a fantastic, unbeaten 113 by the time England declared 264 ahead at 415-9.
The Proteas had nine overs to deal with in their second dig and made it through unscathed, set to resume this morning on 23 without loss. It is stating the obvious that Dean Elgar and his crew will need to bat all of today, and probably half of tomorrow, if they are to give their very capable bowling group something meaningful to work with in the fourth innings. If they can, good luck to them.
But the pitch has noticeably slowed down from the surface the England seamers so enjoyed on the first day. If the South African openers can get through the first spells of Anderson, Robinson and Broad this won’t be a lost cause quite yet. On the other hand, early wickets could lead us down the path of a second three-day finish on the trot. And nobody wants that on a bank holiday weekend - right?
Okay, I’m going to grab a coffee, then I look forward to your company. You know the drill: drop me a line, fire me off a tweet. If you’re up for a slightly longer recap of yesterday’s events, here I am with the BBC’s Daniel Norcross – him at the ground, me in my backyard. And while you’re listening to that, here’s Ali Martin’s match report.
