'There are still some problems to solve at the top of the order'
Wednesday 27 January 2016 09:41, UK
Nasser Hussain says there are still concerns over England's top order after three wickets fell cheaply at the start of their second innings against South Africa in the fourth Test at Centurion.
England lost Alex Hales, Alastair Cook and Nick Compton for single-figure scores in slipping to 18-3, and while there aren't huge concerns over the form of the captain Cook, Hales and Compton average only 16.88 and 30.63 in the series, respectively.
James Taylor (19no) has also struggled for form, averaging 27 before England's second innings, but he and Joe Root (19no) battled through to stumps, closing the day on 52-3 - the tourists still trailing by 330 runs.
"England look fragile at the top of the order," said Hussain. "They have played a lot of good cricket in this series, but there are still some problems to solve there.
"Full credit to Kagiso Rabada. He perhaps would have started off a little bit stiff and a little bit sore, but was bang on the money again with that new ball.
"How many times have England wasted the new ball, been a little bit short, a bit wide, while this young 20-year-old continues to impress, every single innings he does not waste that new ball, and hits his line and length.
"Hales plays with fairly high hands and likes to play the ball at the top of the bounce, and there was no bounce. Rabada also did him for pace.
"Cook's wicket was a good catch by Morne Morkel, but it came at the right height. Anywhere else in your follow through and those caught-and-bowled chances are difficult.
"It was a massive wicket, you could see the way South Africa reacted, getting Cook out was the one that they wanted.
"While the mini-innings from Compton, his brain was a little bit scrambled. He had a few that went past his outside edge, he nearly ran his captain out with a drop-and-run quick single, and then nicked one but reviewed it.
"England will likely need some rain, some help from the Gods. I don't see them doing it themselves, although the last over when Root was on strike showed England the way to go.
"Even in the last over of the day, when he got two balls in his area to hit, he hit them. That is the great skill about Root - whatever the situation, he plays each ball on its merit. That's why tomorrow morning, Root will be the wicket South Africa desperately want.
"The rest of England's batmsen have to show the same positive attitude - Taylor, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow etc - they have to play their way, and not go into their shell and into a bunker, as eventually they will get a ball with their name on it.
"If they have a positive mindset and intent, it puts the pressure back once again on the opposition. If they come out of this game with a result, they come back on that flight with a lot of credit."
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