Mark Wood’s comeback from injury shows the strength in depth England’s bowling attack now has January 29, 2020 England won the fourth Test match against South Africa on Monday to seal a 3-1 series victory and there are a lot of positives for them to take out of the last six weeks. South Africa are in a transitional phase and are clearly not what they used to be, but the fact England bounced [...]
Five conclusions from England’s thumping 3-1 series win over South Africa January 27, 2020 England bowled South Africa out for 274 on day four of the fourth Test in Johannesburg on MonsY to complete a 191-run win and wrap up a 3-1 series victory. Having gone 1-0 down at Centurion, the visitors surged back to dominate the next three Tests and earn only their second overseas series win in [...]
South Africa v England: How Mark Wood battled injuries and lengthened his run-up to ease the strain on his body January 26, 2020 Before this week Mark Wood had not played consecutive Test matches since July 2017. As much as he wanted to, his body simply would not allow it. Since making his Test debut for England in May 2015, Wood’s career has been defined as much by injuries as his talent. This, after all, is only his [...]
South Africa v England fourth Test preview: Home captain Faf du Plessis under pressure both on and off the field as series reaches its climax January 23, 2020 How quickly things can change. After the first Test of the series against England in Centurion, South Africa were left to reflect on a first victory in six attempts in which Kagiso Rabada had taken seven wickets to settle their nerves and given the new coaching team a near-perfect start. Just under a month later [...]
England should not rush Ollie Pope up the batting order – let him develop his game at No6 January 22, 2020 England’s win over South Africa in the third Test in Port Elizabeth came by a margin of an innings and 53 runs and gave them a 2-1 lead in the series and yet some people still were not happy. I saw some criticism of England’s top-order batting, with people saying openers Dom Sibley and Zak [...]
Dom Bess and Ollie Pope the stars as England thrash South Africa in third Test to take unassailable 2-1 series lead January 20, 2020 The back-slapping may have been delayed, and the winning moment may have come in an oddly subdued fashion against a worn-out side on their last legs, but England’s crushing victory over South Africa in the third Test was no less momentous. When Sam Curran threw down the stumps at the non-strikers’ end to run out [...]
South Africa v England: Joe Root’s wickets leave visitors on the brink of victory and series lead January 19, 2020 Only rain can stop them now. It’s not a statement which you would expect to be true about England playing an away Test match against South Africa, but after a nigh on perfect fourth day in Port Elizabeth the visitors are on the brink of taking a 2-1 series lead. England began Sunday needing 14 [...]
Fit-again Mark Wood the way to go for England in third Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth January 15, 2020 Jimmy Anderson’s broken rib has left England with a decision to make for the third Test match against South Africa, which starts in Port Elizabeth on Thursday morning. Anderson took seven wickets in the 189-run win in Cape Town and will be a big miss, but his absence is an opportunity for one of Jofra [...]
How English players became the go-to overseas signings for Twenty20 franchises January 13, 2020 It may be hard to imagine now, but once upon a time English cricketers were not fixtures of the Twenty20 franchise circuit. In October England will head to Australia looking to win their second Twenty20 World Cup. Of their probable starting line-up in the first game at the Perth Stadium the vast majority will have [...]
Four-day Test matches are a divisive issue but they might have their place for emerging cricketing nations January 8, 2020 England’s dramatic victory over South Africa in Cape Town on Tuesday came at a good time for them, but also for the wider cricketing community. With the International Cricket Council set to discuss the idea of reducing Test matches to four days to create space in the schedule and ease players’ workloads, England’s gripping 189-run [...]