RedRedWine wrote:England did well to dig out a result, but I'd hardly get carried away. South Africa have shown that they hold the edge in all three departments as we head into the next test.
Can't agree that this is our best side for a while. The 2005 ashes squad was much stronger with both bat and ball. Strauss, Pietersen and Possibly Trott are currently the only world class players in the squad. All three are actually born in South Africa. Swann is playing well at the moment but might find the top level progressively harder as the top batsmen play him more often (like Monty before him). Bell does not have the mental toughness to cut it at the top level, Prior continues to improve behind the stumps but is average with the bat, Cook has been found out, and the bowlers will struggle to take 20 wickets in a match without sacrificing a batsmen for a more balanced attack. Not a patch on Hoggard, Jones, Harmison, Flintoff and the King of Spain in their pomp.
Batsmen = you've named 3 out of 5 batsmen in a team line-up as world class thats not bad going? and Cook like most batsmen is going through a bad patch just like Strauss 18months ago and will come back to form
Wicket-keeper = Prior is the best wicket keeper in my opinion we've had in 10yrs his batting is a bonus
Bowlers = Anderson as always been hard worker but his pace as let him down in the past but now he can bowl up to 90mph and swing it more consistently, Broad is arguably of the best all-rounder in the world now, Swann can rely on his batting in the team to warrant the odd bad match with the ball unlike Monty who cant bat and cant even field so you cant compare them as players
and Bell was a let down in 2005 and still is now along with the hit n miss form of Collingwood in the batting
the bowling attack in 2005 was undoubtedly better, but nowhere near as good with the bat as tailenders we have now(Flintoff exception)