Strauss admits they missed http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501 at Headingley – Cricket News Update
England’s Test skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964 on Monday admitted that not playing Graeme Swann in the recently concluded drawn second Test at Headingley was a mistake on his part.
“We probably misjudged the wicket. It didn't do as much as we'd have liked,” said the home skipper at the post-match press conference on Monday night.
"But we probably missed Graeme in the second half of the game given that they scored 400," he added further.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ST-Finn-c2566. This was the first time since 2003 that the Poms went into a Test match without
a specialist spinner. The decision also ended Swann’s run of 43 Tests on the trot.
The four-pronged English pace attack once again struggled against the South African batting line-up, conceding 419 runs in their first innings. Though Broad managed to bag four wickets in 20 balls in Proteas’ second innings, but it was too late to pull out
a victory and level the series 1-1.
“Our bowlers were probably feeling frustrated they weren't getting their just desserts, and a few catches went down which is always disappointing,” said Strauss.
Graeme Smith’s surprise declaration at 258 for 9, to set a target of 253 from 33 overs gave Strauss and men a hope of an improbable win. In a bid to make the best out of the opportunity offered to them by the visiting skipper, the hosts promoted first innings
centurion http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AN-Cook-c1026. However, the loss of fourth wicket in the 20th over, with only 106 on the board, forced the Poms to change their tactic and switch from attacking to defensive approach.
Strauss said Matt Prior’s wicket prompted them to bring about a change in their strategy.
"Once Matt got out we had to close the door a little bit," he said. "It was a viable chase, but we needed a lot of things to go right for us and unfortunately not enough did.”
The third and final Test of the series gets underway at Lord’s on August 16, 2012.
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