Posted by on December 26, 2019 2:00 am
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Categories: µ Newsjones

11.45pm GMT

I hope yesterday was full of good cheer and good people. To those who were unhappy, a virtual hug: come, there’s plenty of space on the OBO sofa. The chocolate orange is on me.

Over in Centurion, they’re preparing for the big one – the face off between the bottom and sixth placed sides in the World Test Championship, the first of four Tests between South Africa and England.

5.02pm GMT

South Africa are not in the greatest health. They’ve have a tumultuous six months – off-field boardroom shenanigans, disputes with players, loss of a sponsor, revoking of journalists accreditation, whitewashed in a Test series in India – but now sit with a formidable new top table team: (interim) director of cricket Graeme Smith, coach Mark Boucher and batting coach Jacques Kallis. Team-wise, Temba Bavuma is out with injury, and South Africa are likely to play two Test newbies, batsman Rassie van der Dussen, South Africa’s second-highest run-scorer in the World Cup, and allrounder Dwaine Pretorius. Meanwhile, all-rounder Vernon Philander has announced his retirement at the end of the series

Hope that’s wet your whistle. See you here soon, play starts at 8am GMT.

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