Flat pitch exposes Proteas’ shortcomings
The Proteas showed a lot of fight at Newlands, but not enough to mask their shortcomings following their sixth defeat in their last seven Test matches, writes JOHN GOLIATH.
The tide is high, but SA are holdin’ on
It’s the third ball of the 42nd over of South Africa’s second innings. Ben Stokes, the man who has strode across world cricket like a colossus for the past 12 months, digs in with a 140km/h short ball, writes DANIEL GALLAN.
Unorthodox Sibley shows the way
The Proteas’ batting unit has struggled to score more than 300 runs in recent times, but they will need to dig deep when it’s their turn to bat, writes JOHN GOLIATH.
Clarity needed as SA lose direction home
Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj bowled 22 consecutive overs on a day of cricket that moved slower than Table Mountain. In total, he trundled to the crease and twirled the ball for 27 overs, conceding 79 runs and accounted for exactly zero Englishmen, writes DANIEL GALLAN.
No-ball! TV umpire should intervene
If the on-field umpires aren’t going to bother calling no-balls at Newlands, then the television umpire needs to be immediately empowered to police the frontline, writes JOHN GOLIATH.
Brain fart sums up cricket’s meaning
One day, when the Atlantic Ocean laps the base of Lion’s Head and the Karoo desert has shrivelled all the vineyards of Paarl, what will historians and sociologists make of Test cricket, asks DANIEL GALLAN at Newlands.
Nortje fuelling Proteas fire
The arrival of Anrich Nortje as the Proteas’ new bowling enforcer is a massive boon for Mark Boucher’s team, writes CRAIG LEWIS.
Maharaj brings balance
Keshav Maharaj won’t dominate the headlines after the Proteas’ resounding victory over England, but his value should not be overlooked, writes DANIEL GALLAN.
Faf: We don’t have a lot of superstars
Shorn of superstars, the Proteas beat England by 107 runs in the first of four Test matches as a result of the team’s overall strength, writes DANIEL GALLAN at Centurion.
Job done as SA make England pay
This Test was heavily loaded in favour of South Africa the moment they went past 250 in their first innings after inexplicably being put in to bat by England’s Joe Root at the toss.
Umpires got Archer call wrong
The light was already fading at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday when Jofra Archer’s knuckleball slipped from his grasp, writes Daniel Gallan at Centurion.
Pretorius transforms SA cricket
Two years ago, Kyle Abbott quit the Proteas in favour of a Kolpak contract. Two years later, Duanne Olivier did the same.
Why Kallis’ input is so important
Of all the new faces involved when it comes to 2020 after the annus horribilis that was South African cricket in 2019 the most important is going to be Jacques Kallis..
SA must leave better against England
The Proteas’ top-order needs to leave the ball a lot better if they want to score big runs against England this summer.
What SA XI for first Test could look like
With the first Test against England less than 10 days away, new head coach Mark Boucher will have to make some big decisions as to how his starting XI will look come Boxing Day.
