England v Saffers

[Neil Young]

England will win it from here. Broady and P-Dawg to get hundreds and five wickets each as SA are all out for 19.

[Neil Young]

OK, maybe not.

[Matt]

Sack Vaughan! And take Parry with you.

[Neil Young]

Moores out! I know I've made that "joke" before.

[SouthAfricaRed]

I would only make 1 change to the England side for the next test

Sidebottom for Pattinson

I would also bat Flintoff ahead of Ambrose at number 6

England have a habit of finishing a Series strongly so I wouldnt be surprised if they square it in the next 2 tests

[Red Chilli]

I would only make 1 change to the England side for the next test
Sidebottom for Pattinson

I would also bat Flintoff ahead of Ambrose at number 6

England have a habit of finishing a Series strongly so I wouldnt be surprised if they square it in the next 2 tests

So speaks SouthAfricaRed

[Matt]

Harmison used to be the countrys best bowler, the only people he was a menace to over the past few matches he played were the slips and fine leg.

Havent seen anything of him for Durham this season but until he's sorted his line out and is bowling up near 90mph again he's not much good to anyone.

If Sidebottom doesn't make it back for the next game I'd stick Tremlett in to offer something different from Broad and Jimmy.

Still think it was a very poor decision not to play Hoggard at Headingley in the kind of conditions he always takes wickets in.

Vaughan HAS to move down the order. Bell's got a bit of form back and can play there and if his poor run is anything to do with bad movement early on he should be out in the nets batting until he's needed.

[SouthAfricaRed]

So speaks SouthAfricaRed

Well England dominated the First test and had SA on the ropes. I dont think you need too many changes to challenge again

Worst thing you can do is change a team too much. Sometimes you just need to have faith in the players

[Shaggy]

Just as I suspected, Collingwood and Harmison recalled.

[Jayesh87]

Steyn out injured.
Is it true that he has the best strike rate ever for taking wickets?

[SouthAfricaRed]

Steyn out injured.
Is it true that he has the best strike rate ever for taking wickets?

Test matches

Best career strike rate

Player Span Mat Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 5 10
GA Lohmann (Eng) 1886-1896 18 3830 1205 112 9/28 15/45 10.75 1.88 34.1 9 5
DW Steyn (SA) 2004-2008 25 4790 2882 128 6/49 10/91 22.51 3.61 37.4 8 2
JJ Ferris (Aus/Eng) 1887-1892 9 2302 775 61 7/37 13/91 12.70 2.01 37.7 6 1
SE Bond (NZ) 2001-2007 17 3079 1769 79 6/51 10/99 22.39 3.44 38.9 4 1
SF Barnes (Eng) 1901-1914 27 7873 3106 189 9/103 17/159 16.43 2.36 41.6 24 7
AEE Vogler (SA) 1906-1911 15 2764 1455 64 7/94 12/181 22.73 3.15 43.1 5 1
Waqar Younis (Pak) 1989-2003 87 16224 8788 373 7/76 13/135 23.56 3.25 43.4 22 5
FR Spofforth (Aus) 1877-1887 18 4185 1731 94 7/44 14/90 18.41 2.48 44.5 7 4
W Barnes (Eng) 1880-1890 21 2289 793 51 6/28 9/81 15.54 2.07 44.8 3 0
J Cowie (NZ) 1937-1949 9 2028 969 45 6/40 10/140 21.53 2.86 45.0 4 1
JV Saunders (Aus) 1902-1908 14 3565 1796 79 7/34 9/66 22.73 3.02 45.1 6 0
J Briggs (Eng) 1884-1899 33 5332 2095 118 8/11 15/28 17.75 2.35 45.1 9 4
FH Tyson (Eng) 1954-1959 17 3452 1411 76 7/27 10/130 18.56 2.45 45.4 4 1
C Blythe (Eng) 1901-1910 19 4546 1863 100 8/59 15/99 18.63 2.45 45.4 9 4
Shoaib Akhtar (Pak) 1997-2007 46 8143 4574 178 6/11 11/78 25.69 3.37 45.7 12 2
Mohammad Asif (Pak) 2005-2007 11 2334 1180 51 6/44 11/71 23.13 3.03 45.7 4 1
JJC Lawson (WI) 2002-2005 13 2364 1512 51 7/78 8/102 29.64 3.83 46.3 2 0
HV Hordern (Aus) 1911-1912 7 2148 1075 46 7/90 12/175 23.36 3.00 46.6 5 2
MD Marshall (WI) 1978-1991 81 17584 7876 376 7/22 11/89 20.94 2.68 46.7 22 4
AA Donald (SA) 1992-2002 72 15519 7344 330 8/71 12/139 22.25 2.83 47.0 20 3

[Jayesh87]

Test matches

Best career strike rate

Player Span Mat Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 5 10
GA Lohmann (Eng) 1886-1896 18 3830 1205 112 9/28 15/45 10.75 1.88 34.1 9 5
DW Steyn (SA) 2004-2008 25 4790 2882 128 6/49 10/91 22.51 3.61 37.4 8 2
JJ Ferris (Aus/Eng) 1887-1892 9 2302 775 61 7/37 13/91 12.70 2.01 37.7 6 1
SE Bond (NZ) 2001-2007 17 3079 1769 79 6/51 10/99 22.39 3.44 38.9 4 1
SF Barnes (Eng) 1901-1914 27 7873 3106 189 9/103 17/159 16.43 2.36 41.6 24 7
AEE Vogler (SA) 1906-1911 15 2764 1455 64 7/94 12/181 22.73 3.15 43.1 5 1
Waqar Younis (Pak) 1989-2003 87 16224 8788 373 7/76 13/135 23.56 3.25 43.4 22 5
FR Spofforth (Aus) 1877-1887 18 4185 1731 94 7/44 14/90 18.41 2.48 44.5 7 4
W Barnes (Eng) 1880-1890 21 2289 793 51 6/28 9/81 15.54 2.07 44.8 3 0
J Cowie (NZ) 1937-1949 9 2028 969 45 6/40 10/140 21.53 2.86 45.0 4 1
JV Saunders (Aus) 1902-1908 14 3565 1796 79 7/34 9/66 22.73 3.02 45.1 6 0
J Briggs (Eng) 1884-1899 33 5332 2095 118 8/11 15/28 17.75 2.35 45.1 9 4
FH Tyson (Eng) 1954-1959 17 3452 1411 76 7/27 10/130 18.56 2.45 45.4 4 1
C Blythe (Eng) 1901-1910 19 4546 1863 100 8/59 15/99 18.63 2.45 45.4 9 4
Shoaib Akhtar (Pak) 1997-2007 46 8143 4574 178 6/11 11/78 25.69 3.37 45.7 12 2
Mohammad Asif (Pak) 2005-2007 11 2334 1180 51 6/44 11/71 23.13 3.03 45.7 4 1
JJC Lawson (WI) 2002-2005 13 2364 1512 51 7/78 8/102 29.64 3.83 46.3 2 0
HV Hordern (Aus) 1911-1912 7 2148 1075 46 7/90 12/175 23.36 3.00 46.6 5 2
MD Marshall (WI) 1978-1991 81 17584 7876 376 7/22 11/89 20.94 2.68 46.7 22 4
AA Donald (SA) 1992-2002 72 15519 7344 330 8/71 12/139 22.25 2.83 47.0 20 3

He probably lost no.1 ranking after the first innings at Lords

[Colemere]

Can't believe Ambrose has not been dropped, interesting to see if Harmisson can perform as well with cameras on him for 5 days as he has in the county game.

[Jayesh87]

Why isn't Broad playing?

Collingwood & Sidebottom back in the team, no Harmy.

[Shaggy]

Broad has been left out to avoid the pitfalls of 'burn-out'. His bowling has looked tired of late, to be fair.