From Ewan Boyd via the TMS inbox:
"Re: 1918 - It's uncanny - if you add all the runs plus all the wickets together, then divide by the number of teams you get 169 - that's 13 times 13 precisely."
Right then, as my NFL-loving boss said only today, "a W's a W" and England get their tour of South Africa up and running with
an all important victory.
That performance was all about a hugely encouraging batting display and magnificent displays from Eoin Morgan and Paul Collingwood. These two teams will be back on Sunday to battle it out from 1230 GMT at Centurion - join me then. It's going to be a cracker.
As an aside - 13 minutes into the hour, in the 13th over, England win on Friday the 13th. Spooky.
Test-over-T20 on 606:
"Okay we've won via Duckworth-Lewis in the end, but we had a good chance anyway. Plus this has all come about from our excellent batting display, well done Colly and Morgan - well played."
The rain is coming down in absolute bucketloads now and that can only mean one thing - match abandoned. James Anderson's over just before the break there proving absolutely crucial and he - and skipper Paul Collingwood for throwing him the ball - earns his wage with those seven (including a no ball) deliveries alone. A bit of a shame not to have seen South Africa's chase until the end, but England will be over the moon with the victory - and possibly even more so with the nature of their batting. A complete reversal to previous England type innings and a quite sensational Twenty20 innings from Eoin Morgan. A star is born.
MATCH CALLED OFF - ENGLAND WIN BY ONE RUN (D/L) 1911:
Wait! The extra sheets are being brought back out as the rain increases. Ooh, who'd have though rain could create such tension. Can they really get back out there within 15 minutes?
One of the outfield covers is now being removed, though the wicket and run-ups remain covered. It looks like, if there's no more rain, we're aiming for a late slog-a-thon.
The umpires are out in the middle and there is an ongoing conference between them and the ground staff. All England and South Africa can do is watch on from the balcony. The rain has eased by but thunder and lightning in the distance suggests more wet weather might not be too far in the distance. Hhhmmm.
Apparently, Simon Mann on TMS has been explaining that 2130 local time (1930 GMT) is the cut off time for this match, which would mean the teams would have to be out by 1926 British time for a one over slog-fest. Don't ask me to tell you what South Africa would need to get in that scenario, please, my brain hurts as it is.
The weather is proving as topsy-turvy as the match itself at the moment - one minute it is not so much raining cats and dogs as it is cattle and other farm animals, the next it stops. We might just have a resumption yet. The covers remain on right now, though.
sportaddict64 on 606:
"It's such an anti-climax if we finish now. England might win, but I would quite like 7 more overs of exciting cricket to be honest."
Hold on - just how crucial will that James Anderson over prove to be? All of a sudden the heavens open and the players are forced from the field of play with South Africa one run
behind the asking rate on Duckworth-Lewis. If the teams don't get back out England will win
. Anyone got any good rain dances?
13th over - SA 127-3
James Anderson returns with Paul Collingwood mindful of the rain, need for wickets, and need to keep it tight. A very economical over and that's exactly what England needed. South Africa had to be 128-3 at the end of that over on D/L.
12th over - SA 121-3
With a little bit of rain in the air now, Paul Collingwood is handed the Duckworth-Lewis connotations by 12th man Adil Rashid. South Africa just ahead of the asking rate as it stands. Graeme Swann back into the attack now - and a single and three dot balls precede a slap for six off a full toss from the spinner. Not what England need if it tips it down now.
11th over - SA 114-3
Excellent comeback over from Mahmood, a wicket and just seven runs from it. The asking rate just creeping up again now.
10.2 overs - WICKET! Duminy lbw Mahmood 6, SA 112-3
Saj Mahmood returns with a leg stump half volley that JP Duminy wastes no time in dispatching to the boundary... but he's gone now! Mahmood corrects his line - did that pitch in line? - and Duminy, trapped in front, is given out lbw. One way and then the other this match.
10th over - SA 107-2
As if England needed reminding of the class in this South African line-up, JP Duminy is joined by AB de Villiers. The latter gets his innings going with a dab down to third man for four, but this game still very much in the balance. South Africa need 96 from 10 overs.
9.2 overs - WICKET! Bosman c Collingwood b Swann 58, SA 101-2
That, my friends, is a catch. Graeme Swann floats one up and Bosman succeeds only in sending it into orbit - Collingwood gets himself underneath it and, after an eternity, holds on. Crucial catch, crucial wicket.
8.3 overs - WICKET! Smith c Morgan b Wright 41, SA 97-1
My word how England needed that - moments after Bosman belts another four through midwicket, Smith picks out Morgan on the point boundary for a smart catch. He didn't even have to move there, Morgan, and the relief on the England players' face is palpable. JP Duminy comes to the crease and his modus operandi right now is to give Bosman the strike. SA 99-1
shivfan on 606:
""Bosman looks a good player here. Yeah, he's always been on the fringes, but just couldn't get the chances, with this stellar batting lineup....He's 32 years old, but knows how to bat in 20/20s. Cook, take note."
8th over - 91-0
It's tache time! I say tache - Graeme Swann's top lip looks like it's been taken hostage by a small army of iron filings, but fair play to the boy for trying. No sweet welcome from Loots Bosman, though, who takes a step first ball and brutalises him down the ground for six. Two deliveries later, Graeme Smith goes down on one knee and it just creeps over Saj Mahmood's head on the cow corner boundary edge. 15 runs off the over - Loots Bosman bringing up a quickfire 50 - and South Africa look more comfortable than a mouse in a house of cheese.
7th over - SA 76-0
Luke Wright is handed the task of tempering the flames of this opening pair and after getting good success with full and straight with the first three deliveries, Loots Bosman takes a step outside his off stump and times the pants off one into the square leg stand. Nine from the over - and just one delivery that missed the target. That's what makes this a batsman's game.
6th over - SA 67-0
Smith and Bosman both swinging from the hip, now, and that spells danger for England. The South African skipper produces a sublime pull that goes flat to the boundary at a right royal pace, and he then slugs down the ground for four. A short-arm jab ends the over with another maximum and the opening pair have 33 and 34, each off 18 deliveries. Ouch.
5th over - SA 48-0
Graeme Smith gets in on the act, now, punching wildly just over Graeme Swann's head to bring up his first four and then top-edging a flick over the fine leg boundary rope for six. A well-directed yorker interrupts Smith's flow briefly, but the Proteas skipper ends the over with a slap square for four. Game very much on.
4th over - SA 34-0
Saj Mahmood - who last played for England more than two years ago - will turn his arm over following Tim Bresnan's expensive first over, but he is up against a Loots Bosman who looks very much in the mood. The opener lines one up and crunches a lovely four through midwicket to hand Mahmood a warning - but the bowler responds brilliantly, mixing in the odd slower ball and he goes for just five in the over. Excellent recovery.
talos1977 on 606:
"I'm a little bit worried about Mahmood being in there, he can be very expensive at times."
3rd over - SA 29-0
Note to James Anderson - do not drop short on this wicket. Loots Bosman rocks on to his back foot and kerplunks a beauty of a six into the stands. A couple of deliveries later and the opener smashes Anderson square of the wicket for four, before punching him back down the ground for another next ball. Expensive over, South Africa settling nicely.
2nd over - SA 13-0
Tim Bresnan shares the new ball and Loots Bosman picks up South Africa's first boundary third ball. Big slice of fortune about it though, a thick edge spooning its way down to third man, but the next delivery is dispatched over midwicket with aplomb for six and that's a lovely little settler for the under-pressure opener. A bit of pace and bounce surprises Graeme Smith off the last ball and this is a nip-and-tuck opening to the reply.
1st over - SA 2-0
Cracking start from James Anderson - pushing the ball across Graeme Smith and rolling off four dot balls to start. A couple of singles to end the over, but the South African asking rate is already over 10.5.
You have to love this game don't you? England have just tonked over 200 from 20 overs - and yet you have to say this is very much in the balance. Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman come to the crease... hold on to your hats folks.
kent-4-ever on 606:
"Morgan, what a Legend! That scoop shot to fine leg in the last over was amazing! Some of his sixes were enormous! Glorious innings..."
Daryll Cullinan on TMS:
"That's a good score - but reachable. I think we've got a very good game on our hands here."
20th over - Eng 202-6
Charl Langeveldt takes the last over - and three singles come off the start. Eoin Morgan is having none of that, goes down on one knee, and flicks it over the keeper for a stunning six. He follows it up with a far more conventional but no less impressive maximum, getting his front foot out of the way and over the midwicket boundary for six, and ends with a couple off the last delivery. England post their highest ever Twenty20 international score, but they will need every single one of them on this pitch. Eoin Morgan, with 85 off 45 balls, a heroic innings.
Daryll Cullinan on TMS:
"(Morgan) scores in different areas and he's unpredictable."
19th over - Eng 185-6
Wickets may be falling all around him, but Eoin Morgan is almost literally on fire at the moment. First he smashes McLaren to the boundary with a bit of width and then he somehow punts an inside-out shot gun-barrel straight down the ground for a remarkable six. A tickle off his pads ends the over - what an innings this is from the young man.
18.2 overs - WICKET! Prior c Morkel b McLaren 0, Eng 169-6
Matt Prior goes first ball - the keeper-batsman guiding another full delivery to Albie Morkel at backward point and England are stumbling.
17.4 overs - WICKET! Wright c De Villiers b Steyn 3, Eng 167-5
South Africa fighting back here, and it's in no small part because they've rediscovered the yorkers. Wright, swinging from the hip, just fails to middle an attempted slog and it is well held by AB de Villiers down the ground. Matt Prior comes to the crease and England have just nine from the last two overs. Eng 168-5
17th over - Eng 163-4
A cracking return over from McLaren, and a much needed one from the South Africans' point of view. A wicket and four singles - the yorkers back in play now - and England find themselves pegged back.
16.1 overs - WICKET! Collingwood c Botha b McLaren 57, Eng 159-4
A quite brilliant Collingwood innings comes to an end when he punts the returning McLaren straight down Johan Botha's throat on the midwicket boundary. His 57 came off 32 balls - a beauty of an innings.
16th over - Eng 159-3
Langeveldt is called upon to calm this England innings by Graeme Smith - but Collingwood greets him with a doozy of a six on the leg side. That's England's sixth six of the innings. The skipper gets away with one, though, when he misses a full toss and it raps him on the pad - only muted appeals from the Proteas, but replays suggest that was hitting middle halfway up. England on course for 200. As it stands. There is no such thing as a commentator's curse.
15th over - Eng 149-3
Paul Collingwood clobbers another four over midwicket and then brings up his 50 - off 27 balls - with a dab into the covers. Eoin Morgan, limping sluggishly in comparison, tickles one off his pads to bring up his own comparatively pedestrian 50 off, well, 29 balls. Lovely stuff, this.
Steve, London Town, via the TMS inbox:
"Any sign off my smoke signals from St James' Park??... I know you receive thousand of smoke signals but mine are the most insightful and witty."
14th over - Eng 140-3
Eoin Morgan is having a field day, tonking Albie Morkel for four square of the wicket, six over midwicket, and another four through midwicket. He is completely out-thinking the Proteas at the moment and England are racing towards the 150. Paul Collingwood refuses to be out-done, and punts Morkel for a six to end the over - what happened to the nudgers and nurdlers of the England teams we knew and loved?!
Geoff Boycott on TMS:
"I think South Africa's team has been picked with batting in mind and they are just looking to chase."
13th over - Eng 119-3
Johan Botha looks to restore a bit of order with his off-spin - and he almost goes one better when he beats Eoin Morgan's bat by a matter of a gnat's whisker. Morgan shrugs it off by reverse-sweeping over two fielders for four. Nice.
12th over - Eng 111-3
Dale Steyn is having an expensive evening out in Jo'burg and he errs slightly outside off stump to allow Eoin Morgan a dab that races to the third man boundary. And fetch that! Blimey O'Reilly - Eoin Morgan has just pulled Steyn so far out of the ground with a sensational hook that I'm not even sure has even landed yet. The 50 partnership comes up in 29 balls, and if these two stay together...? The average first-innings score here is 163 by the way.
11th over - Eng 97-3
Touch of fortune for Paul Collingwood as an edge flies down to the boundary and, without the need for too many expansive wafts here, there and everywhere, he and Morgan pinch the ones and twos to make it 10 from the over.
Daryll Cullinan on TMS:
"This is one of the fittest England sides I've seen come to South Africa, they look in good shape."
10th over - Eng 87-3
Beauty from Paul Collingwood, the skipper taking no prisoners on a long-hop off Van der Merwe and smashing him over midwicket for six. He tries to repeat the shot two deliveries later - and while the elevation is not there it still races to the boundary for four.
9th over - Eng 75-3
That's better from England - Eoin Morgan taking a step and punting off-spinner Johan Botha through midwicket for four, the tourists taking nine off the over.
Frank, Essex, via the TMS inbox:
"The thought of a grunting Swann trundling in, bamboozling a confused South African middle order is exciting me! Come on England!"
8th over - Eng 66-3
The inevitable slow in the run-rate ensues following that run-out, Collingwood and Morgan dealing solely in singles off Dale Steyn's return over. England have to be looking at 170-180 as a minimum here.
6.5 overs - WICKET! Trott run out 33, Eng 61-3
What are you doing lad?! Just as England start to press the pedal to the metal, Jonathan Trott completely unnecessarily takes on the arm of Proteas captain Graeme Smith for a quick single and Roelof van der Merwe whips off the bails with the number three well short of his ground. Reckless. Eoin Morgan gets off the mark first ball, England 62-3
Geoff Boycott on TMS:
"If you get in on this pitch you can kill bowlers, absolutely murder them!"
6th over - Eng 56-2
Albie Morkel - a man who has played more Twenty20s than anyone in the world with 89 - is thrown the ball and it's a good enough start... until Paul Collingwood shimmies down the pitch, licks his lips, and absolutely kerplunks a huge six on the pull. Weak bouncer attempt from Morkel, that. Trott adds a couple with another smart punch into the covers and is this a sign of a new, aggressive England approach on this tour?
5th over - Eng 45-2
Dale Steyn comes into the attack and he almost does for Trott second ball, the Warwickshire batsman spooning one directly between two fielders square on the off side. Not that Trott appears too perturbed, though, as he tonks four consecutive fours in reply - two absolutely drilled through the offside - and that's a big over for England.
Geoff Boycott on TMS:
"Another one goes playing across the line, that's elementary. That ball should have been hit straight back past the bowler. They might as well give the England batsmen a crooked walking stick."
3.4 overs - WICKET! Cook lbw McLaren 11, Eng 25-2
That's two down - a fuller, slower delivery from Ryan McLaren trapping Alastair Cook on the back pad in front of leg stump and he is sent packing without hesitation by umpire Marias Erasmus. Paul Collingwood grabs a two off the last ball of the over. Eng 27-2
eirebilly on 606:
"What would be a good score here for England? I would suggest that 140+ is a must to be competitive against the Saffers."
3rd over - Eng 20-1
Charl Langeveldt is generating good pace and bounce out there - but that only means it goes to the boundary faster when the batsman connects, as Trott does with a slap square of the wicket for four. The next delivery rips past the number three's nose, but Trott responds with a nicely timed three through midwicket. Alastair Cook then forces through extra cover for three and England are up and running.
2nd over - Eng 9-1
Debutant Ryan McLaren will share the new ball with Langeveldt and Alastair Cook gets England's first run off the bat with a dab down to third man. Trott then punches a single and, moments after second slip is taken out by Proteas skipper Graeme Smith, Cook edges one through the cordon for four.
Geoff Boycott on TMS:
"That ball was pitching leg and middle and he (Denly) should have been playing to mid-on, not falling over."
1st over - Eng 2-1
Jonathan Trott is welcomed to the crease without too much barracking from the home crowd - so Langeveldt takes up the battle with a wild bouncer that is far too short and is called a no-ball. Trott laughs it off and gets a good solid bat on a couple as he plays out the rest of the over without alarm - decent swing on offer, though, and this looks a great toss for Graeme Smith to have won.
0.1 overs - WICKET! Denly lbw Langeveldt, Eng 0-1
Oh deary me. First ball, cloud cover overhead, Charl Langeveldt swings one from just on leg stump and raps Denly on the pad - gone.
The teams are out and about, now, and we're moments away from the whirlwind of Twenty20. Well, I say whirlwind, if England's batsmen are true to form, it will be more of a light breeze, but you get the idea. Here we go...
Geoff Boycott on TMS:
"Winning is important - yes - but I think it's more important that England play well in these Twenty20 internationals and the five one-dayers. If they can cut out the bad days - the collapses and what not - it will bode well for the future."
Ryan, Pimlico, via the TMS inbox:
"How Loots Bosman can get in the team ahead of the likes of Gibbs is beyond me. Never a dull moment with SA selections, but with Morkel and Boucher at 5/6 instead of 6/7 the SA batting looks lighter than usual."
With TMS soothing the people's ears on sports extra and worldwide, now, I can report that the Wanderers is barely half full with less than 10 minutes to go until the start. There is also the threat of a storm, apparently, with some black clouds looming ominously in the distance. As it is, though, it's shorts, sun-cream and napkin-hat weather in Jo'burg, so cover up if you're of the fairer persuasion. Nice.
yorker_129-7 on 606:
"Cook did hit a few domestic centuries over the summer, so he's not as useless at the shorter form of the game as he was, say, 12 months ago. Still rather have Strauss to be honest, but if he doesn't want to play it then fair enough..."
So, what are the chances of Jonathan Trott marking his return to South Africa in Kevin Pietersen-style and wracking up three centuries? Bit more of a fragile character the Warwickshire batsman - but then few beings on God's green earth could match KP's self belief - so a decent start here today could mean the whole world to Trott. Plenty of pace in the England side, but South Africa - who have Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs and Wayne Parnell among those not used today - look a monster team on paper. This could get messy.
G Smith (capt), L Bosman, AB de Villiers, J Duminy, A Morkel, M Boucher (wkt), R McLaren, R van der Merwe, J Botha, D Steyn, C Langeveldt.England:
A Cook, J Denly, J Trott, P Collingwood (capt), E Morgan, M Prior (wkt), L Wright, T Bresnan, G Swann, S Mahmood, J Anderson.Umpires:
M Erasmus and B Jerling
Scrap that - it's not the same as the midweek team, spinner Adil Rashid is dropped with James Anderson coming in on this quick wicket. Enough of a change to turn England into Twenty20 world-beaters? We shall see.
It's a new-look opening partnership for England - their 14th in 22 matches, by the way, with Alastair Cook and Joe Denly paired up - in what is the same side that
were bowled out for 89 against South Africa A
in the week. Which bodes well. Former Kent all-rounder Ryan McLaren makes his debut for South Africa.
So, under glorious sunshine at the Wanderers in Jo'burg, tails (never fails) hands Proteas captain Graeme Smith the toss. He opts to bowl first on what looks a doozy of a wicket, his hope being the "ball will come onto the bat a bit better later in the day". England counterpart Paul Collingwood admits he would've liked a bowl too. Oops.
SOUTH AFRICA WIN TOSS AND WILL FIELD FIRST
Pearlsaswinger on 606:
"Good luck England - I suspect we may well need it. Collingwood needs a performance from the boys today, but I expect South Africa to win this at a canter."
Lest we forget, South Africa might be the number one team in the Test rankings and veritable heavyweights in the short forms of the game, but England have got the wood over them the last four times they have met. With injury worries surrounding Stuart Broad, Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook, and Andrew Strauss having made himself unavailable for Twenty20s, it might prove a tall order - but when have England ever made things easy for themselves? Exactly.
RookeryMike on 606:
"What news of the Swann moustache? What style is it? I think it would be particularly rewarding to see him trundling in sporting a handlbar, a little upper lip tribute to the early protagonists in this great game of ours."
As we wait for news of the teams and the toss to come through, why not lend me your thoughts on all things leather-and-willow? The mediums open to you are email, 606, text via 81111
though the success of the latter is a bit more hit and miss, I must confess. Get involved. Jubbly.
Afternoon folks. The working week is drawing to a close, your eyes are locked firmly on the office wall clock, and the remaining hours of your job are proving about as much fun as a Jedward Christmas album. Fear not. For I bring you the perfect distraction to see you through the remainder of your Friday before the weekend mayhem begins. It's Johannesburg, it's South Africa v England, and it's Twenty20 slap and tickle. And as if that wasn't enough - England spinner
Graeme Swann will be sporting a moustache.