Can the Three Lions compete with the Springboks?

It’s been an up and down start to England’s tour of South Africa. They kicked off with a big 185 run win against the Diamond Eagles and then followed it up with a cracking 8 wicket victory over the oddly named Chevrolet Warriors. The tourists then completely capitulated in the last warm up game against South Africa A, losing by 4 wickets.

The batting started off well for England but somewhat capitulated in the last game as the Three Lions were dismissed for just 89. Andrew Strauss has looked in good nick with knocks of 72 and 117 not out but he doesn’t play Twenty20 games so he can’t help England in the next two fixtures. Joe Denly will open the batting in these games and has been very inconsistent but can take hope from an impressive 82 against the Warriors. He is likely to be joined by Alastair Cook who has twice made scores but fallen before a big innings.

Jonathan Trott and Eoin Morgan both made good scores against the Eagles but both fell cheaply against the Saffers A team. Players that need to up their game in the batting stakes are Matt Prior, Paul Collingwood and Luke Wright who have only scored 84 between them in 7 innings. Wright will also look to improve his running as he has twice been dismissed by being run out.

England have not been helped by injury scares to their two main seam bowlers and it is still not known whether Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad will take part in the first game of the series on Friday. Luckily for England they have three bowlers in good shape so far; Graeme Swann, Adil Rashid and Saj Mahmood who have all taken a wicket in each match they have played. Swann in particular looks to be in fabulous form with 7 wickets altogether. Swann and Rashid’s spin partnership could be the key for success for England, to some extent using them in the same way that South Africa use Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe.

JP Duminy will be key to any South Africa success and is in good form hitting 111 not out in his last innings

Talking of those South Africans, they look in ominous form before the opening showdown on Friday. Even though they mixed they played contrasting teams in the two recent ODIs against Zimbabwe both teams delivered with devastating effect. Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy look to be there trump cards at the top of the innings but never forget the enigmatic AB De Villiers who is such an outstanding clean hitter of the ball.

Van der Merwe, Dale Steyn and rookie Ryan McLaren have impressed with the ball so far, as has the brutal all rounder Albie Morkel, who we also expect to produce fireworks with the willow. Oh and possibly their best bowler at the moment, Wayne Parnell will be as fresh as a daisy after taking a rest from the Zimbabwe matches. All in all South Africa are looking in cracking shape and England will have to up their game considerably.

November 11, 2009