England vs South Africa - Englishmen in New York???- Opinion
The manner in which South Africa thumped England on the fourth day of the First Investec Test match, was not only comprehensive, but pointed out the scars that the English team has continued to deny time and time again.
What was once, and still is considered as the best bowling attack in the world, was peppered around at the Oval and failed to convince even the most impartial of observers. The bowling was neither appalling nor horrendous to watch, but the lack of intent
and a one dimensional approach showed signs that this side did not deserve the number one tag in Test Cricket. This is not the first time that this has happened to England, given that despite their ability to win back-to-back series, they have been put to
the sword on occasions.
A team which boasts a batting line up that can annihilate any attack in their own conditions, and a bowling attack that has troubled some of the best batting line ups around the world, should not have looked ragged, outplayed and completely out of sorts.
The disconsolate look on Andrew Strauss’ face told a story.
The ability to squander in oblivion can in part be attributed to England’s recent failings and is not a sign of a side which are champions in the longest version of the game. One can think of the Hobart Test match of 1999, where Australia recovered from
5 for 126 to chase down 369 against a powerful Pakistan attack. That performance typified a side which never bows down to pressure and will fight right down to the end.
Yet for England, when the going gets wrong, it’s a downward spiral. Succumbing to 72 all out against Pakistan in the UAE, where playing the spin and guile of the Pakistanis became a hassle, is just one case in point. England were blown away in each of the
Third Tests of the 2009 and 2010 Ashes series, where the seamer friendly conditions of Headingley and the WACA, helped the Kangaroos stamp their authority and snap victory from the jaws of defeat. The likes of Cook, Strauss, Bell and Pietersen, all failed
miserably in both games despite winning the bilateral series on both occasions. The point here is that England is not unbeatable and cannot be considered in line with Clive Lloyd’s West Indies side or http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
Their recent streaks of 8 successive Test Series victories were not flawless. The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 played reasonably well in the three match series which preceded this encounter. Prior to that England had to bear the brunt of some serious pressure in subcontinent
like conditions. For those who have observed these failings, the number one tag is definitely up for grabs.
A side with significant talent, yet considerably overrated, should not bear the chunk of castigation only. Talks about outlandish comparisons between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DW-Steyn-c1409 from English commentators, highlighted at the expectations of the English
team and how much hype has surrounded them.
For http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, it only acted as a catalyst to outperform and silence them, with one of their batsman scoring a mammoth 311 not out and with England trailing by 150 runs with six wickets in hand courtesy the efforts of Steyn and Morkel. It was ironic that
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013’s batting display in the second innings came straight after Michael Atherton’s assertion that South Africa would struggle as much as England on this placid pitch. What was on view for Atherton and much to the dismay of most commentators, were familiar
flashbacks of being beaten comprehensively, coming to fore brazenly.
England has tried their heart out yet despite all the hard work they have failed to deliver in this first Test match. A side which can bowl out http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 for 99 in a Test match and still go on to lose the game, are not worthy of being number one. They need
to feel more at London than in New York.
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