We take a look at the fourth Test between England and South Africa set to get under way on 4 August at the Oval.
A Moeen Ali hat-trick finished off South Africa’s rear-guard effort at the Oval earlier this week as England surged into a 2-1 series lead with a 239-run win.
Can Faf and his charges bounce back as they did at Trent Bridge or will the English hold on for what will be a massive series win?
England vs South Africa | Fri 4 August – Tue 8 August | Old Trafford, Manchester | England
To Win Match
England 1/1 | Draw 24/10 | South Africa 5/2
England
Toby Roland-Jones bowled his way into English folklore at the Oval, finishing with match figures of 8-129 – an excellent return from the debutant who tore through South Africa’s top and middle order at the end of the second day of the Test.
The Middlesex seamer will be looking to lock down his place in the side as a support seamer to James Anderson and Stuart Broad after Mark Wood’s shortcomings in the first two Tests. Tom Westley was another debutant who performed well.
The Essex number three battled to a solid 25 in the first innings before coming to life in the second with a fluid 141-ball 59. Could the 28-year-old be the answer to England’s woes at first drop? Dawid Malan has been axed from the squad with Gary Ballance returning from injury.
With Westley coming in a three, Ballance will be able to come in at four or five (four looks more likely), where he has scored most of his runs for Yorkshire over the last few Country Championship seasons.
Ballance’s inclusion leaves one bowling spot up for grabs. Liam Dawson and Steven Finn will compete for a starting berth, although, I think Finn is in pole position. Dawson only managed one wicket in four innings in the first Test. Finn, on the other hand, has been excellent in all forms of the game for Middlesex this season. He’s managed 13 wickets in eight innings as he looks to return from the international wilderness.
It’s also worth mentioning that Ali has done a fine job as the lone spinner. It doesn’t make sense for England to include another slow bowler for a Test that’s likely to be played on a damp Manchester wicket.
South Africa
Who knows what Faf du Plessis and the South African management team were thinking last week when they went into the Oval Test with a violently ill Vernon Philander. The Protea seamer was “losing a lot of fluids, top and bottom”. Who on earth made the decision to play Philander who couldn’t keep anything down, the burley all-rounder even spent an evening in hospital on a drip.
Absolute madness from the South African camp, if you ask me. The brains trust will need to get it right going into Manchester after blowing the side’s chances of winning the series.
For starters, Heino Kuhn needs to be shown the door for Aiden Markram. Kuhn has looked all at sea at the highest level of the game and at the age of 33, he isn’t a long-term solution to the issues at the top of the order. Markram looks to be the real deal, averaging 41 in both List A and First Class cricket. I’d love to see him get a run at Old Trafford, although, Faf has indicated that Kuhn will get another bash – perhaps even beyond this series.
All signs point toward and unchanged XI. The only other change I can see happening – however unlikely it seems – is Andile Phelukwayo coming in for Chris Morris. The young Dolphins all-rounder has already established himself in South Africa’s limited overs set-up and will be desperate to the break through into the Test side.
Morris is likely to keep his place in the team, although, he needs to reel in his lines and lengths. On his day the Titans’ all-rounder can be absolutely unplayable by getting the ball to move both ways at upward of 145kph. However, when he’s not on song, Morris is guilty of spraying the ball around with all the control of a six-year-old.
If the Proteas are to level the four-match series, they’ll need a far more polished batting performance. Only Temba Bavuma and Dean Elgar were able to offer any sort of resistance against the English seam onslaught. More is required from du Plessis, Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla, who need to live up to their billing as premier batsmen.
Verdict: South Africa 5/2
With Philander fully fit and raring to go, I can see the South Africans having far more joy at Old Trafford. Calling games in this series has been an absolute nightmare with both teams putting in utterly dominant performances. If the South Africans can dominate on day one, I can see them winning comfortably and levelling what has been a fascinating series.
Value Bet: Moeen Ali to top score for England (first innings) 20/1
I’m once again banking on a top order collapse from the English with Moeen to come in and do a bit of a rescue job. With Philander fully fit and Morkel as well as Rabada firing on all cylinders, I’m hoping Ali can top score with a late flurry. 20/1 is an excellent price – get on!
Written by Jason Dewey for @Hollywoodbets.net
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