Interested in 1st Predictions ENG vs SA?
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Background
England has totally reinvented itself as a Test team.
After managing just one win in 17 Test matches, the new look England side led by Ben Stokes won 4 Test matches on the trot, playing an audacious brand of attacking cricket.
First, they cantered to a 3-0 series victory over New Zealand.
Later, they stunned India by chasing a record score in the 4th innings against India.
The batting mainstays for England have been Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, who is in the form of his life.
On the other hand, SA have also been in good nick in the shorter formats of the game.
They clinched the three-match T20I series against England 2-1.
Before that, the ODI series was drawn 1-1 after the decider was cancelled due to rain.
The SA batting has been in great form.
They won the first ODI match by 62 runs after hitting their highest ever ODI total in England.
SA lost the first T20I but bounced back to win the second T20I by 58 runs to level the series.
Rilee Rossouw was the star of the show scoring 96 not out.
South Africa carried on from where they left and won the third T20I by 90 runs to win the series 2–1.
Team News
Ben Foakes will come in place of Sam Billings as he has recovered from COVID.
Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Matty Potts will lead the fast bowling attack.
Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson might have to wait for another opportunity.
The spinning duties will be shouldered by Jack Leach.
Jonny Bairstow will be the player to watch out for. He has been in sublime form amassing 994 runs in eight Tests at an average of 76, with six centuries.
In his last four Tests, Bairstow has hit four centuries with a strike rate at over 100.
Against a strong Indian bowling attack, he scored 106 and 114 not out in the two innings, which is frankly ridiculous!
For SA, Dean Elgar has been an outstanding captain.
He has moulded the team into a winning machine.
Elgar is an attacking captain by instinct and will go in with a fearsome pace quartet to unsettle England.
Nortje, Rabada, Jansen and Lungi Ndidi can be a handful for any batting line-up.
In particular, Ndidi has been in terrific nick.
He played 13 Tests, picking 47 scalps at a great average of 20.
Ngidi snared 15 wickets from three games against India in the last series he played at 15 runs per wicket.
Head to Head Record
The two teams have met 153 times.
England have won 64 times whereas SA have won 34 Tests.
55 Tests have ended in a draw.
Out of the 68 Tests played in England, the Three Lions have won 30 times.
SA have won just 14.
24 Tests have ended in a draw.
England Likely Playing XI
Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes (WK), Matty Potts, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson
South Africa Likely Playing 11
Dean Elgar (C), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Aiden Markram, Khaya Zondo, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje
Who will win
England will fancy their chances owing to the home conditions and their recent success.
However, SA is no pushover.
If the SA bowling fires, England could be in a spot of bother.
The English batting line-up is too dependent on Root and Bairstow and if they don’t fire, anything can happen.
Also, Dean Elgar, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Pietersen, and Kyle Verreynne are good solid batters who don’t get ruffled easily.
Our guess is, SA have a 52% chance of winning the Test.
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