2nd
Test, Day 1: South Africa Toughen-Up
July 14th 2017
The
best possible news for England was that the South Africa of Faf du Plessis is a
much tougher nut to crack than that of Dean Elgar. Joe Root had to think
through how to break partnerships and how to take wickets when little was
happening. He was fortunate to have some help because not all his answers to
the questions posed by South Africa have pleased watchers. Basically, the mistakes
that he got away with at Lord’s, he has not been allowed to get away with twice:
at least, not so freely. This has been a learning experience.
However,
you should never judge a game until both sides have batted – and sometimes not
even then – and South Africa’s innings still has some time to run, despite what
looked initially like being a post-Tea meltdown. With South Africa at 179-2 and
cruising, despite losing an early wicket, Joe Root started to get a taste of
life at the top when things are going wrong. With batting conditions expected
to be best on Days 2 and 3 and their two best batsmen playing without concern,
the shadow of a South African total of 500+ was writ large.
It
would also have been deserved. In general England did not use the pitch or the
conditions well. Trying to avoid over-pitching and giving free hits, they
dropped a little too short and failed to threaten the stumps enough. When
something happened it was either because (a) Stuart Broad had the ball and his
understanding with the Nottingham turf gives him the right to take cheap
wickets or, (b) a South African batsman threw it away.
Apart
from England burning both their reviews early with bad reviews (a thick inside
edge on a ball pitching outside off does not make for a great LBW candidate),
the worst review of the day was still possibly South African, which took some
doing today. With du Plessis and Bavuma seemingly consolidating after de Kock
and Amla fell quickly after Tea, du Plessis gloved the ball down the leg side,
Jonny Bairstow took a magnificent catch (not too many people moaning about his ‘keeping
now, are there?) and du Plessis reviewed immediately. He may have thought that
he had got away with it as the replays showed a big impact on the thigh-pad and
the commentators gave the on-field decision as an error and started chatting about
other things, until the TV umpire feed reported that Ultra Edge showed a clear
noise and the close-up showed that the ball had hit the glove. You heard the TV
Umpire tell the on-field umpire that there was glove, the commentators
back-peddling furiously and then a certain satisfaction as the umpire was told
that he was on camera and could stick with his decision. Discussion then turned
to whether or not the captain’s gloves were so padded that he did not even
notice when the ball hit him!
With
six bowlers, someone was always going to going short on overs. Joe Root’s
handling of his bowlers – and particularly of Moeen – needs some work. It did
not go unnoticed that Liam Dawson got first use of the ball again, but that
Moeen looked far more threatening and was more economical. The comment was
made, and not for the first time, that Liam Dawson seemed to be being bowled to
justify his being in the side. Mark Wood looked better and more threatening
than in the 1st Test, but there still seems to be a plan to bowl him
back into form, even if it gives away cheap runs and Ben Stokes is Ben Stokes:
two valuable wickets to leave South Africa 235-6 and struggling, but far too
many cheap runs too. The seventh wicket stand is now 74 and growing alarmingly
serenely. Thoughts of rolling South Africa for under 300 have gone and the
batsmen must be thinking that if they can see off the first half hour, they
could post a total of 450+ and present some real problems to England. If you
are Joe Root that may be an uncomfortable thought to wake up to.
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