O/T That embarrassment representing English cricket

[ramAnag]

Good performance since the ‘wobble’, mac.
Hope Pope can get to his century.

Declare on 450+ and get an hour at them tonight, weather permitting?

No Rebada in the next Test either...should have learned but seems a bit harsh to me.

[macstheman]

Pope's deffo the real deal! Him and Stokesy make the middle order something to scare most bowlers!
Most enjoyable viewing and well done Bess.
Rebada did himself no good, already on three 'bookings' so umps watching him. Let his skipper down!!

[macstheman]

Two offies bowling in tandem...........such joy!!
A couple of crap reviews by Root!! One was way over the top whilst the other would have missed another set of stumps!! Otherwise great viewing.

[AdiSalisbury]

Roots just taken his 4th for 19, not bad for a part time spinner. Would like a couple more for Wood

[ramAnag]

So, off the top of my head, we’ve suddenly got Sibley, Crawley, Burns, Root, Stokes, Pope and Denly as batsmen. Bairstow and Butler as keepers who can both bat. Wood, Curran, Broad, Archer, Anderson and Stokes (again) as far as pace is concerned and Bess, Leach and Ali (along with Root and Denly) for spin.
After NZ I’m genuinely not sure how this happened...but I like it!

[macstheman]

If Root had the time to put more work into his bowling he could be a top spinner but, of course, captaincy and batting must come first!! He gets good revs and plenty of turn, more so than Bess who .is a novice in terms of a spinners development. Deffo starting to look like a side developing but early days, SA have been a bit of a let down in this test. Lost so many good un's like Kallis who were world class.

[ramAnag]

Fine win. Great run out from Curran to finish it...slightly strange and selfish captaincy this morning imo.

[macstheman]

Great result! Lost the plot a bit at the end but Curran redeemed the situ.
Hopefully, this team can continue to develop and this thread title would become redundant!! Fingers crossed.

[macstheman]

I think I ought to rename this thread to 'that embarrassment representing South African cricket'!!
They're more like us than us!! Brittle batting, wobbly bowling and dodgy fielding!! Are they crap or do we have a developing team of some substance? We are certainly beginning to shape up, openers scoring a few, middle order developing the innings, the tail actually wagging and then the bowlers coming to the party well supported by the fielders. All classic Test Match cricket!! It's no good I'll have to lie down, I can't cope with all this excitement.
It just leaves Blakey's mate 'Butler'. Does he stay, does he go?? Great in the one dayer's not cracked it with the bat at test level. Even struggled a bit with the gloves. Do we stick with him in Sri Lanka, does Bairstow come back or does Foakes get the call??
Either way, much better from England, let's hope the progress continues.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Foakes for me, especially given his recent past in Ceylon.

Surrey kids taking over! Burns, Sibley (raised), Pope, Foakes, 2 Currans......