South Africa v England, 2nd Test, Day 1 - South Africa should not have taken the second new ball

I don’t think that Hashim Amla should have taken the second new ball. The old ball was still performing better and kept the scoring rate under control. A late burst from Morne Morkel with the old ball might have been useful as this track is dry and helpful for reverse swing. On such tracks, a captain usually prefers to take the new ball on the next day rather than the immediate completion of 80 overs. After the 80 overs of a day, on such tracks, the new ball easily comes to the bat and run scoring becomes easier.

Emile kept two men in the slip, whereas I think there should have been three slips in place and a wide gully or fourth slip as a flying catcher. The fielder at backward point hardly mattered. There were vacant spaces through the third and fourth slip and why not a shorter leg and silly point rather than conventional cover and midwicket? South Africa are an attacking team. Why go defensive with the new ball? If the idea was to test the batsmen with the short-ball, then, why set a defensive field?

The third man and long leg were kept catching those the scars. But there were neither any skiers nor any leading-edges as the ball was seen to get vanished through those vacant regions in a brutal manner.

Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada, pitched it short, wider rather than well-directed short-balls and swayed down the middle-and-leg more rather than pitching it up in-and-around the offstump with the second new ball – as the field setting demanded such, and Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes simply pummeled the bowling mercilessly. Morne Morkel should have been engaged with Rabada if the idea was to pepper the batsmen with the short-pitch stuffs.

Jonny Bairstow’s back lift was like a wood-chopper and Stokes’ was the same as well. They were in the mood to go after the bowling and when a batsman is wielding the bat like an axe, it’s useless to pitch it short as, the back lift automatically helps to slap the bowling. Had Rabada, bowled the way he was bowling in the first and second session, it would have worked well. But alas, South Africa simply let off the pressure.  45 runs were scored in just 5 overs with the new ball and again, England have ended the day in a dominant fashion.

Thank You
Faisal Caesar