england have taken big strides after south africa win
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

England Captain Alastair Cook:

England have taken big strides after South Africa win

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today England have taken big strides after South Africa win

England captain Alastair Cook (C)
Durban - Arab Today

England captain Alastair Cook hailed the performance and potential of his team after they completed a crushing 241-run win over South Africa on the fifth day of the first Test at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

It took England only 80 minutes to take South Africa's remaining six wickets for the addition of 38 runs, with man-of-the-match Moeen Ali setting the tone by dismissing batting kingpin AB de Villiers with the third ball of the day. He followed up with two more wickets and had match figures of seven for 116.

Cook said a key factor had been batting solidly in bowler-friendly overhead conditions on the first day after being sent in.

"It was an interesting toss, the overheads were suggesting you want to bowl first but the pitch was quite dry," said Cook.

"We would also have bowled first. It was a matter of getting through that first day. The way Nick (Compton) played really set up the first innings. From that moment on, the guys bowled particularly well to take 20 wickets and we scored enough runs in the second innings."

Cook said a convincing win against a strong South Africa A team in the build-up to the Test had given the players a lot of confidence. "It was particularly pleasing to back up our form under pressure in a Boxing Day Test match."
With only a two-day turnaround before the second Test starts in Cape Town on Saturday, Cook said it was important to recover well and to avoid complacency. "It can turn very quickly. They have world-class players so we can’t get too carried away. But it would be nice to get our noses ahead again and to continue to put pressure on South Africa."

Despite his fifth-ranked side defeating the current Test number ones, Cook said it was too early to predict a period of ascendancy for England. But he said: "The guys have taken big strides forward as a team over the last eight months or so. It’s a good side to captain, there’s a good balance, the guys are happy and they seem really hungry.

"Potentially this team can do some really good things. There’s so much talent in this side. But it will take relentless hard work and good results over a long period of time."

South African captain Hashim Amla, meanwhile, admitted that his team's batting had been "most disappointing", especially following a poor performance on a similarly good batting pitch in the final Test in Delhi earlier this month during a losing series in India.

Amla said his team's lack of batting form was "a confidence thing" and acknowledged that his own lack of runs was a concern.

"As captain you want to lead from the front not being in the runs is most disappointing from me. It's a developing team but certainly from my perspective getting runs on the board is most important."
Amla admitted that regaining form and confidence could only come from scoring runs. "If you get the runs you get the confidence. You can be doing everything well in the nets and working behind the scenes but it's got to materialise with some sort of runs on the board, especially in the big games."

Amla said he still enjoyed being captain but ducked questions about possible changes in the team. "I try and leave those things to the selectors. I can only give my opinion."

He hinted, however, that Quinton de Kock, who has been added to the squad, could come into the side for the second Test as a wicketkeeper-batsman, enabling AB de Villiers to play as a batsman only. "AB's workload has been great than we expected," he said.

South African coach Russell Domingo admitted: "We didn't play half as well as we can."

Domingo denied there was a lack of harmony in the camp. "From what I'm aware, it's a happy camp. The players are not happy with their performances but they are all supporting the captain."

Domingo acknowledged that there was bound to be criticism. "There's a lot that went wrong but we need to keep the team tight and keep the noise out."
Source :AFP

arabstoday
arabstoday

GMT 06:41 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

what to do about Federer

GMT 02:16 2018 Friday ,19 January

Time for talks on players' welfare

GMT 09:30 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

We fear Sterling more than Kane

GMT 08:59 2018 Saturday ,13 January

'Russian skiers are clean'

GMT 01:58 2018 Tuesday ,09 January

US runner-up snubbed for Olympics

GMT 08:22 2018 Saturday ,06 January

He wants Murray 'back soon'

GMT 04:07 2018 Wednesday ,03 January

won't sell unless replacements bought in
Arab Today, arab today

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

england have taken big strides after south africa win england have taken big strides after south africa win

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

england have taken big strides after south africa win england have taken big strides after south africa win

 



GMT 21:16 2016 Monday ,27 June

Zaki Badr discusses cleaning problem in Giza

GMT 21:46 2017 Saturday ,14 January

Turkey arrests 60 businessmen for alleged Gulen ties

GMT 22:38 2017 Friday ,24 March

Abbas meets with Merkel in Berlin

GMT 09:02 2017 Monday ,27 March

Tunisian Premier Concludes Visit to Sudan

GMT 15:54 2017 Friday ,01 September

Attorney General Directs Prosecutors to inspect Prison

GMT 09:22 2017 Sunday ,31 December

HM King condoles with Afghanistan President

GMT 10:12 2016 Wednesday ,06 April

Strong dollar, mild weather shrink H&M profits

GMT 17:03 2016 Saturday ,24 December

7 police killed in attacks in Afghansitan

GMT 13:51 2017 Friday ,17 March

Israel denies Syria shot down a warplane

GMT 04:08 2017 Thursday ,05 January

Carbon tax can fund clean energy transition

GMT 19:27 2016 Wednesday ,14 September

Alstom to go ahead with plans to shut down Belfort plant
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday