http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964 – Cricket News Update
Andrew Strauss, the England captain, has admitted that his team failed to match South Africa’s brilliance in any department of the game in the first of the three-match Test series at the Oval. However, the left-handed batsman vows
to turn the tables in the last two matches, scheduled to be played at Headingley and the Lord’s.
The home team started the competition with a slight edge because of their recent performances in international sport. The Poms however, failed to live up to the expectations in the last four days of the Oval Test and were thrashed
by an innings and 12 runs.
The on-going battle is one of the most awaited Test series of the recent times, with the number one Test ranking of the world at stake. The fans are expecting a closely fought series because the two teams are balanced in all aspects
of the sport.
Strauss was all praise for the Proteas batsmen, who he expressed, did not throw away their starts and posted a mammoth total of 637 runs on the board for the loss of merely two wickets. The left-handed opener lauded the efforts of
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JH-Kallis-c1692 for battling it out for 189 overs, without breaking a sweat.
"You have to give credit to the South African batsmen. They got in and they went big. South Africa played some outstanding cricket and deserved to get on top of us," Strauss said. "The concentration they showed with the bat was outstanding.
There is a lot of frustration but there are lessons to be learned and we will learn them."
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 captain further added that his side had worked extremely hard before the first Test but their plans were shattered by the visitors, who were one step ahead of the Poms. Strauss however, claimed that his team will learn
from their mistakes and said the cricket fans will witness a better show from England in the second Test, which will commence from August 2 at the Leeds.
"Our preparation was fine," he added. "No excuses. We have to win the next two games. I believe we can do that. I didn't think our bowlers bowled that badly, but we didn't get the ball swinging conventionally or reverse."
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