One for Ian - and anyone else lucky enough to be there this weekend. We were glued to the telly all morning here - to the detriment of the lunch I was supposed to be cooking. A quite astonishing display and an array of broken records I can only partially recall - but including the fastest 250 in 1000+ Test matches, and more runs than ever before in a day's play in South Africa.
South Africa looked shattered in the field but have so far made a good fist of their reply with the bat. Here's to three more fine days and more entertainment at one of the world's great sporting venues.
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Not got Sky, so kept an eye on Cricinfo. Followed the commentary and sounded like a brillant knock, as I was reading through the commentary record after record fell. I noticed he beat Banger's record to 150 for an Englishman, I remember being there for that innings and thought it impressive.
I guess the only innings that I could think it was like was Astle's double hundred against Eng in 2001/2 and that was some knock. Again not actually there but I did watch it on TV.
I was impressed too, I thought they'd get rolled over and end up about 7 down by the end of the day.
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I watched it all day... fantastic.
Fancy Bairstow getting 150 and his maiden test century, but only being the bridesmaid... by some margin.
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Yes, Astle was the comparison that occurred to me - although that was (a) going down fighting in a lost cause, and (b) on a rugby ground with short boundaries. In terms of the effect on the match and the opposition this one was up there with Richards and Gilchrist.
Credit too to Bairstow for making a rapid 150* and then smiling modestly at interviewers who said he'd 'played second fiddle'. Menuhin to Stokes's Grapelli, perhaps?
Incidentally, I should have said 2000+ Tests; this is number 2,137.
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>> One for Ian - and anyone else lucky enough to be there this weekend. We
>> were glued to the telly all morning here -
I started to get a whiff of what was going on from the BBC web page, quickly found a pirate sky online feed and sat glued to that, just the ticket for a day so wet and miserable going out was a no-no.
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>> just the
>> ticket for a day so wet and miserable going out was a no-no.
>>
Just the ticket?
Guess who had TWO, thanks to Castle Lager?
And couldn't make it, due to the other pressing matter of funerals, travel etc.
My friend Keith, who has followed England on several tours, said he has never experienced an atmosphere like it. Also, he reckons that another record was probably set - the amount of beer sold was phenomenal!
Quote of the day, from Shaun Pollock in the commentary box: "Well, that is a victory for gingers everywhere!" (he's a ginge himself)
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Wow. Just wow.
Amla gets a double-ton - after he was slated for his bad captaincy.
SA avoid the follow-on.
Amla out. Du Plessis out in 2 overs after lunch.
Bamuza gets a ton.
Wow.
Still trying to work out why they declared 2 runs below England's total.
Match drawn, but anyone who was there can say 'YES! I saw that one live!'
Must have been running at 40-50 degrees out on the pitch. Damn, it has been hot in Cape Town the past week!
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Well, how about that then?
Broad rips the Proteas a new one.
SA lose their #1 Test status as a result.
Great series win, and more to come
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Broad's self-awareness is extraordinary. He seems to know when it's going to be his day and just hold the mood. Anyone who's been a bowler knows how easy it is to get carried away by a couple of early wickets and to try too hard to repeat the trick, so losing the rhythm that got the wickets in the first place.
But, having hit his rhythm, Broad just locks it in and keeps bowling the same ball - no accident that all eight at Trent Bridge and three out of six today were caught in much the same spot, with two more undone by similar bounce off a good length. It's an astonishing feat of athleticism and self-control and I'm lost in admiration. Encouragingly, it seems to be rubbing off on Steve Finn, so the future looks bright too.
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Record day in Cape Town - sooty123
