The trouble is that there is no 'pool' of players in the 50 over game since the ECB threw it away to make way for the ludicrous 100. The 50 over county tournament is a 2nd XI event played when the 100 is on,
England win the toss and are batting in what is effectively a dead rubber; as long as South Africa avoid losing by 207 runs (I think was the figure mentioned) then they'll progress, although I guess a win will change who plays who in the semi finals.
As it's a 4 day Test, I half expected an overnight declaration, but we've batted on. Pope goes for 171, clearly nicking one and caught behind, but bizarrely he reviews it. Stokes comes in at 502-4.
Smith gets a life on 4 with the score on quintuple Nelson (555), when the keeper drops a relatively straightforward catch. Meanwhile Brook reaches 50 off 48 balls.
Bashir puts down a caught and bowled chance, and, to make matters worse, hurts himself in the process (cut a finger maybe) and has to leave the field mid-over. Stokes comes on to finish it, his first bowl in 5 months.
A no-ball thwarts a brilliant bit of captaincy and a superb catch by Pope; Stokes brought Pope to short leg and the very next ball popped up to be snatched by Pope, but alas Tongue had overstepped and Bennett, who was put down by Root on 89, gets another life on 139.
Comments
England give a debut to Essex fast bowler Sam Cook.
Just realised it's a 4 day Test, I really don't like them tbh.