South Africa have the Edge Author: Maaz; Views: 438; Date: 6-07-2012, 02:52;

Predictions

South Africa have the edge, but it’s a tough one to call. I am going to sit on the fence, calling it a drawn affair with typical British showers having their say along the way, but South Africa are the more likely to emerge as winners & I wouldn’t be surprised if they come out on top here.

Statistics

England have only won 2 of their last 8 tests against South Africa

England last beat South Africa in 2004-05 winter tour

Head to Head

Strauss V Smith = Smith
Cook V Alviro = Cook
Trott V Kallis = Kallis
KP V Amla = Amla
Bell V AB = AB
Bopara V Rudolph = Rudolph
Prior V Boucher = Prior
Swann V Tahir = Swann
Anderson V Steyn = Steyn
Broad V Morkel = Broad
Bresnan V Philander = Philander

Overall = 7-4 SA

Setting the Scene

World Number 1 vs. World Number 2 is about as good as it gets. 2 heavyweights of the 5 day game in the current era will be locking horns for 3 test matches over the next month or so. 2 evenly balanced, performing, settled sides will be battling it out in the middle in the liveliest of conditions. You can be sure that this series is one that neither side will want to lose & would be overwhelmed to win. The series should be an epic contest, consisting of over 70% of South African born players, many that have gone on be mainstays in the English line up. South Africa comes into this test series having won their last 2 series against Sri Lanka at home & New Zealand away, although they never really played to their full potential in either. England on the other hand have won 7 on the bounce at home, last beaten at home in 2008, incidentally that was against South Africa, the series which eventually led to Michael Vaughan’s resignation from captaincy. Last time they played in a test series was during the South African 2009/10 season which was drawn at 1-1 in 4 match series. South Africa have had the better of England in recent times, one of the few obstacles standing in their way from achieving world domination. This has been rightly hyped up as the biggest part of the English summer after a one sided series against the West Indies & a meaningless visit from the Australians. It is the biggest test series of the year.

Key Players

Imran Tahir made the trip to Lahore to meet with his mentor & childhood inspirations, Abdul Qadir in order discuss tactics ahead of the all important series. Tahir has played for several counties, Middlesex, Yorkshire, Hampshire, and Warwickshire as well as playing league cricket in the Staffordshire league. Tahir has played plenty in the English circuit over a number of seasons. Admittedly, test matches are a different ball game all together. However, for a team that historically are not the best of players against leg spinners Tahir will be expected to make an impact. If he can get his control & length going, there is no stopping him from taking wickets given all the variations in his armoury. The rarity of a wrist spinner in the world game nowadays should make him an added threat.

Kallis is a modern day icon in the game, arguably the greatest all rounder for decades. The accomplished all rounder has not had the most memorable of times in England & this on what will probably be his last tour is one he’ll certainly want to make his mark in as a modern day great. The champion performer is a technician at work with the willow, outstanding slipper & useful bowler, capable of banging it meaningfully & working over a batsman. The finest player South Africa has produced will want to make sure his class & experience comes to the fold in the mission to overcome the world Number 1s on their home patch.

Dale Steyn was part of the test series winning side in 2008. The finest bowler CSA have produced alongside bowling coach white lightening aka Allan Donald, can give nightmares to many. For me his wrist position & whole heartedness to the task are his biggest attributes. On his day he can be deadly with the potential to literally tear through a line up.

Philander. Is he the future Glen McGrath? His bowling is not particularly eye catching in terms of pace or extravagant movement, but he has control, performs the basics well & somehow someway just has this happy knack of taking wickets. Philander is taking wickets for fun at the moment & yet to face anyone who has got on top of him. How quickly will he get to 100?

Broad has been a revelation ever since he abandoned banging it in half way down & trying to be the so called ‘enforcer.’ The bowling all-rounder has been reaping the rewards since he has started to bowl a fuller length & using the short ball with the more intelligence in between. This time last year he was the hero of the 4-0 whitewash inflicted on the Indians.

Anderson is catching up with Botham & Willis as England’s leading test wicket taker with every game he plays. The decision to rest him as part of the rotation policy during the last test against the West Indies has brought about a mixed reception from the public & experts. There are few better sights in the modern game than seeing him swinging it around corners in his home conditions with the brand new cherry.

Cook struggled last time England played a serious attack at home or away for that matter, namely Pakistan. There will be a few detractors who label him as somewhat of a flat track bully, but that will all be rest to bed if he performs against the South Africans. The Essex opener has an appetite for big runs & if he can through the first hour against the new ball he will be backing himself to go on & make it count as he does so well.

Trott is up against the country of his birth. After being awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy he has faded a bit & been a bit modest by his own high standards, specifically in the whites. For both personal & cricketing reasons the high class number 3 will want to return to his best in this 3 match series.

Different Aspects? Who has the upper hand?

Openers – England (Alviro is a promising prospect, but lacks experience). England’s test match opening pair is set in stone with Cook & Strauss having a thorough understanding of each other’s game plans. Strauss would be relieved to have rediscovered some much needed form with the bat during the tests against the West Indies. Mark Butcher, the former England & Surrey batsmen, has gone as far as saying that this partnership is as good as any opening pair we have seen, right up there with the likes of Attapatu- Jayasuria, Greenidge- Haynes, and Langer-Hayden. We should not doubt the credentials of Smith in the opposition ranks who has been around the block for over a decade with fond career highlights coming in England for the left handed batting captain, averaging the best part of 50 at the pinnacle of the game is always a reflection of one’s ability & calibre.

Middle Order – South Africa

Number 6 – weak link of both sides so this one is even, but Rudolph is a seasoned professional who served well for the white rose county as a Kolpak signing. Rudolph knows the conditions & players he is up against well, giving him every chance to deliver. I have fond memories of Rudolph’s match saving innings at Perth against the Aussies at their peak which only makes me one wonder that he should have played more at the top level or did not quite fulfil his promise.

Wicket Keeper – England through Prior (Boucher lives on with reputation, but is approaching the end of his career)

Lower Order/Tail = England – can wag & frustrate

New Ball Bowlers = South Africa – Steyn can be deadly in his opening spell. Anderson is a mighty fine bowler, but Steyn is a legendary bowler in the making without the slightest bit of exaggeration. Philander is someone England would not have seen much of, reaching 50 scalps in the quickest time for a century. He has been down at Taunton playing in the first division of the county championship this summer. With Steyn’s skill & aggression, his control, seam movement & reliability complements the spearhead nicely. I feel they will cause greater problems for the England opening pair than the England seamers will for the South Africans. Plus, with 2 left handers opening up, the bowler’s line & rhythm should not be affected every time the strike is rotated as far as the South African new ball guns are concerned. 

Old Ball Bowlers = England – bowlers are more renowned for getting it to talk later on 

Spinner = England – Tahir is a quality act; a leg spinner is a unique option for the modern era, but yet to set the test arena on fire. Tahir is an experienced campaigner on English wickets though. Swann can be a defensive & attacking option for Strauss. No Dumminy for him to eat up this time though, but Smith & Rudolph should be his targets as well as cleaning up the tail with those off breaks. 

Preparation = England. South Africa last played tests in March. 

Coaching = South Africa 

Fielding = South Africa 

Other Issues

It should be a longer series ideally; a tussle of such deserves 5 test matches to determine the better side. My understanding is that the Olympics limit other sporting events taking place in the country at the same time. Attendances at Leeds during the only test match which has been fitted in around the Olympics therefore might be on the lower side. However, there was no reason why they couldn’t start this series a few weeks earlier instead of calling the Australians over for 5 ODIs. The Baggy Greens were just here in 2009, 2010 & will be coming back again this year as well as next during the Ashes year. Former England wicket keeper Alec Stewart rightly said on Sky Sports News on the day of the 3rd test selection against West Indies that England V Australia is a special battle, the more they play together the more the specialness of the battle is lost which no one wants to see.