“It’s absolutely vital he plays the way he plays for Notts. One of the biggest mistakes you can do as an global player is to think you have to play a different way”. Chris Woakes, who will replace Anderson, is more than a decent pacer in South African conditions, and he’ll be supported by Finn and Broad. “It gives up great depth in our batting and he’s been around the side for a long time and now he’s got an opportunity”. The visiting English supporters were already in position well before the start of play, and as England captain Alastair Cook walked out onto the field for the toss he received huge applause from his fans.
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John Hales, who owns Al Ferof, third in the race for the third successive year, said: “I was very pleased with him”. It had looked like Vautour ran out of stamina, although he told Mullins he should have pressed on even harder.
“Obviously Jimmy Anderson is a big bowler for them”.
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England coach Trevor Bayliss: “It’s been a good 12 days that we’ve been here”.
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These included Pakistan’s reach-out to Kashmiri separatists that derailed talks past year and the issue of terrorism. “China’s attitude towards India and Pakistan is that we would like to see improvement of relations”, he said .
“Anyone would miss that sort of experience”, he added.
The diminutive Taylor played some aggressive strokes as he answered questions about his ability to play quick bowlers but he was caught behind for 70 off Dale Steyn just before the close.
England have sold their top-order wickets far too cheaply and far too frequently in recent times and at 49 for three a traumatic start to the series seemed to be on the way.
“The way he’s conducted himself says that he is ready to go and that’s a really promising sign for us”.
“We are faced with our own challenges and it’s something that everybody in the team is looking forward to”.
Vice-captain Joe Root was absent from training with an upset stomach, but is not thought to be a doubt for the Test.
But Durban-born Compton, returning to Test cricket after two-and-a-half years in the cold, offered a steady hand at number three as he and Taylor took the score to 121 for three at tea.
Each of the sides head into the series opener in Durban on the back of sound defeats in their previous outings. Even though they fought well, the visitors had gone down to Pakistan, losing 2-0.
With pace spearhead James Anderson out injured with a tight calf, the home side will go into 1st Test as favorites.
Boxing Day sport has a special place in British consciousness and none more so than when our cricketers are bathed in winter sunshine to lock horns with south hemisphere giants Australia or South Africa.
Both teams will relish a return to more familiar conditions after struggling on slow, spin-friendly pitches during their defeats.
South Africa were without Dale Steyn for much of their 3-0 Test loss in India due to a groin injury, and Amla is delighted to have him back for the upcoming series.
“In worldwide cricket, there is always somebody under pressure so it’s not a new thing that we are suddenly under pressure, it’s just how it is in global cricket”.
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The right-arm bowler insisted that he was one of the fittest player of his team, adding that he would try to be at his menacing best in the forthcoming series.
