Sky Sports bleeting on about Jimmy being missing and saying that england will be weakened but they havent mentioned the fact Philander (Test average of 21) is out for the first 2 tests and Styen is not 100%.

If SA had Steyn & Philander at 100% they would win the series.

SA win toss and bowl first...

hales to be bowled in the first over and Compton to be caught on the crease and out lbw shortly after..

cook out for naught playing at a wide ball.. here comes the collapse..

...... and that dismissal is why Hales is not a Test match opener

Hales now gone playing away from the body... seen it all before..You need to play straight wicket to wick in test cricket...you can only drive the ball when its really pitched up..Half in half length and its wide you gotta leave it..

I wouldn't mind if the wicket was quick and the ball was swinging quickly..Neither dismissal were good balls... that's the problem with englands mind set.. they never play on the front foot.. they go at snails pace while batting.. and always get out to balls they wish to leave alone.. if your playing in a not get out set of mind. DONT GET OUT TO BALLS. that you have no intention of playing..

Quit your bitching and moaning.

You're more tiresome than U2 ffs

Seriously losing interest in cricket..Ive had it with England.. The only time England have tried to win games is the tests against Australia where they had no choice but to prepare wickets to win..Just about someones up England when they go back to Compton who bats a snails pace and they bring in woakes.. whos not a 3rd seamer.. But they bring him because he can bat better than Fottit.

Don't worry, cricket is losing interest in you too.

If your happy supporting England when they get paid huge packets of money where no one Is able to watch cricket for free,. and the facts England away record in the last 5 years is sickening.. so be it..

I'd rather get enjoyment watching and paying, than sit bitching and moaning about it and having to vent through 606 like a 14 year old girl crying out for attention on Facebook because she didn't get the IPad she wanted for Christmas...

Here we go again, another England series, maybe another opportunity for serial to attack all cricket fans (England, opposition and the neutrals)??? .. Serial, everyone is entitled to their opinion and Englandwhoelse has made some valid points there.

Yes everyone is entitled to an opinion but there's a way of stating an opinion that doesn't come across like a petulant little girl.

bit of a recovery here..need one of these 2 to go onto get 3 figures..anything above 300 at least your in the game..

Losing Taylor late on hasn't helped but good recovery from 49 for 3

That's becoming. A bit of a 'thing' with this current side....loosing a wicket right before/after drinks.....lunch....tea...or the close.


Honours even id say....great recovery mind....

2 players poorly treated by England in the past stepped up today.

England's weak middle order need to produce now.

England will be be reasonably happy with the first day. Good knocks by Taylor and Compton (who is still there). An important morning coming up.

2 bob team

That just about sums up ben stokes that.. Nooo wait hes mr ego.. fine for him to pull a ball to the leg side and it ending up in gully... dunno how that works out.. but hey..

Compton out for 85 going for an uncharacteristically big (and bad) shot.

Moeen gone for zip. Morkel going well.

Woakes given out first ball. Reviewing.

Ball only just clipping the stumps. Woakes goes lbw to Morkel.