South Africa’s tour of England continues with a four match test series as follows
July 6th-10th 1st Test Lords
July 14th-18th 2nd Test, Trent Bridge
July 27th-31st, 3rd Test, The Oval
August 4th-8th 4th Test, Old Trafford
England won both the one-day and Twenty20 international series on this tour 2-1 either side of the Champions Trophy. In the ICC Test rankings South Africa are second on 117, England fourth on 99.
South Africa have named three new caps, including opening batsman in Heino Kukn in the Test squad to play England. Batsman Aiden Markram and allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo are the other new faces, with Stephen Cook and Wayne Parnell dropped from the side that played in New Zealand. Dane Piedt, who was recalled to the squad in March during the New Zealand Tests, also does not feature, with Keshav Maharaj the only specialist spinner.
South Africa\’s highest opening partnership in their three-Test series against New Zealand in March was costing Stephen Cook his place and handing Kuhn his opportunity.
The likely test team contains plenty of young talent in De Kock, Bavuma and Rabada plus the world class batsman Amla but elsewhere they lack some depth and experience in the early stages of a changing of the guard.
Notably this touring squad is without AB DeVilliers and Dale Steyn and will possibly be without captain Faf Du Plessis for the first test too. Furthermore the drain of resources from the South African game with players leaving under Kolpak registrations is bound to have an impact. This season in English domestic cricket for example Kolpak players Abbott and Harmer, who you would have expected to be in a first choice South African side, have 87 wickets combined.
The core of the England squad -Cook, Root, Stokes, Bairstow, Broad, Anderson is settled and experienced. The bowlers have been injury hit, Ball and Woakes are ruled out of consideration for the first test, but such is the strength in depth of options that it still looks an extremely strong line up
Ballance returns to the batting line up and one of Dawson and Roland Jones will come into the side depending on the balance of the side sought
1st test odds for Lords are as follows with green listed bookmaker Bet365
England Evens
South Africa 5/2
Draw 11/4
With the weather forecast set fair the draw has to be seen as unlikely, and winning the toss and batting likely to be key. To my mind England should be odds on against weakened visitors and I will be supporting them at Evens.
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