http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Graham-Alan-Gooch-c60530 is hoping against hope to avoid a defeat at the Oval - Cricket News Update
Former great and English batting coach, Graham Gooch, insists that despite chasing an uphill task of avoiding an inning’s defeat on the fifth day of the first Test at the Oval, his side is still capable enough to make a late fight back to deny a South African victory.
The home side is hanging by a thread after the visitors left them teetering to save the Test match on a day that saw records tumbling one after another. All eyes will be on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RS-Bopara-c2373 on the final day to see, if the pair would be able to rescue the English team after all of their top batters went back to the pavilion.
The penultimate day was marked by the heroics of the Proteas, first with the bat and later with the ball. After conceding a lead of 252, the hosts struggled to 102 for 4 at stumps, still trailing by 150 runs, and with a win out of sights, they would give everything to earn a draw.
Gooch, who was the last man to score a triple-ton on English soil before watching http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 still has a chance, "If we can have a good partnership and take it up to lunch, there's a chance," he said.
"England's performances recently have been excellent, up there with the best in the world. They wouldn't be ranked where they are without that. We're not giving up, that is for sure.”
The 59-year-old takes encouragement from some of their previous performances when they enforced a stalemate against the South Africans in the drawn 2009-10 series, and against the Australians in their successful Ashes campaigns.
"A couple of years ago in Brisbane, at the start of our second innings, you wouldn't have thought we'd save that game. It is possible but it's going to take a big effort."
Gooch rued at missed chances of making a big score after a strong start in the first innings however, he acknowledged the dominance of the opposition and gave them due credit for a splendid batting display.
"In this game http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 have dominated with the bat," Gooch said.
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