1-0 to the Engerland

[undyingking]

A little earlier this morning, England completed victory over South Africa, in the 2nd Test at Durban -- by an innings and 98 runs, which I reckon is their biggest victory margin in an away match since 1964 (coincidentally, also at Durban).

This at the home of supposedly the number 1 team in the world at the moment -- it really was an astonishingly dominant performance, both with the bat and while bowling. After scraping a draw in the 1st Test, morale had clearly swung England's way, as the South Africans were really utterly woeful. Surely Ntini must now be dropped -- although that will leave them in the awkward political situation of having no black players in the team -- and it might be that one or two of the batsmen will also be deemed worthy of a rest.

At least it means that the England question of whether to play six batsmen or five bowlers has been answered: we will aim to shut up shop with a long batting line-up, and not really care if we can bowl them out again or not. Complacency is always dangerous, of course, but the team should be strong enough to hold on now, with both Cook and Bell batting themselves back into form over the last couple of days.

Graeme Swann ends 2009 with 54 wickets, behind only Mitchell Johnson -- and Broad and Anderson are also in the top 5 wicket-takers. An amazing achievement for a bowler who little more than a year ago was generally dismissed as a county-level journeyman. With England's batsmen averaging 42 over a year when they've won 5 Tests and lost only 2, things look hopeful for 2010.

Apparently this is the first year since 1970 when no bowler in the world has taken 10 wickets in a Test. Maybe just a statistical oddity, but it does support the feeling that there are no great bowlers around at the moment, with Murali in a trough. At least England seem to have a bunch of the least mediocre.

Comments

[mrlloyd.livejournal.com]

What I liked about this one was that England actually constructed their innings in the dominant way good sides do. Partnerships were built and lasted, batsmen alternated the effort nicely, with the possible exception of Broad and Bell both playing slowly.

No mini-collapses and dramatic revivals, it was an absolutely dominant victory, and the SA collapse will have got both their batsmen and bowlers worried.

Could we really be good at cricket?

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Next week will tell us!

[mrlloyd.livejournal.com]

Next week is clearly trying to tell us something, but right now I have no idea what.

As I write SA have been cleaned out for less than 300 and the tail *destroyed*, only for England's batting to slump to 82-4...

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

It's telling us that Ian Bell is a flippin' irritant who we might well be better off without, that's for sure.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

"awkward political situation of having no black players in the team"

Prince?

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, forgot him (assuming he does actually count as "black" for SA political purposes). Although, averaging under 16 in his four innings so far, he may also be less than a cert for retention.

[rotwang.livejournal.com]

I believe Swann is the first ever England spinner to take over 50 test wickets in a year too.

[rotwang.livejournal.com]

Jim Laker managing only 48(?) in 1956 and 19 of those in one match ;-)

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Slacker! Although it'd be interesting to know if any previous ones have played as many as Swann's 12 matches in the year. My CricInfo-fu is not yet sufficient to crack that.