South Africa captain Faf du Plessis
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis

England v South Africa: Second Test start time, TV channel, latest betting odds and team news


Check out our guide to the second Test between England and South Africa, including team news and betting tips.

England wrapped up a thumping 211-run victory on the fourth day at Lord's to take a 1-0 lead in the series, and there's no let-up as the players head to Nottingham this week with South Africa desperate to fight back.

They were desperately disappointing at Lord's but are boosted by the return of skipper Faf du Plessis, back in the country after the birth of his child.

Our guide contains team news, start times, TV channel information, stats and latest news from both camps, while our tipster Dave Tickner has a 50/1 selection among his best bets for the match.  

England v South Africa: Second Test contents


1. Match details
2. Team news
3. Betting tips
4. Key stats
5. Quotes
6. Latest news
7. Series fixtures & results

England v South Africa: Second Test key details


Dates:
Friday July 14 - Tuesday July 18
Session times: 1100-1300, 1340-1540, 1600-1800 BST
TV Channel: Sky Sports 2
Venue: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Sky Bet odds: England 4/7, Draw 7/2, South Africa 7/2

England v South Africa: Second Test team news


England captain Joe Root has confirmed that he will lead an unchanged team after their victory at Lord's, meaning Liam Dawson will retain his place as second spinner while Keaton Jennings and Gary Ballance continue in the top three.

South Africa will make at least two changes: Faf du Plessis returns, with JP Duminy making way, while Kagiso Rabada is banned after collecting a fourth demerit point for his sweary send-off after dismissing Ben Stokes in the first innings at Lord's.

Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo and Duanne Olivier are the seam-bowling options in the Proteas' squad. Two of the three could yet play with Theunis de Bruyn's spot also uncertain.

Confirmed England XI: Joe Root (capt), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.

Possible South Africa XI: Faf du Plessis (capt), Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma, Chris Morris, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Morne Morkel, Duanne Olivier

England v South Africa: Second Test betting tips


Dave Tickner has 50/1 and 10/11 selections for Trent Bridge, where more strife is predicted for the South African top-order.

Check out his full betting preview here...

Sir Ian Botham also gives his Second Test tips here...

England v South Africa: Second Test key stats


TRENT BRIDGE

Overall: 61 Tests: 22 home wins, 16 away wins, 22 draws and 1 neutral draw
Last 10 Tests: 7 home wins, 2 away wins, 1 draws
Last 10 tosses: 6 bat first (4 wins/1 draw/1 defeat); 4 bowl first (2 wins/2 defeats)
Last Test: August 6-8, 2015: England (391) beat Australia (60 & 253) by an innings and 78 runs
England v South Africa: 8 Tests: 4 home wins, 2 away wins, 2 draws
Last England v South Africa Test: August 14-18, 2003: England (445 & 118) beat South Africa (362 & 131) by 70 runs 

ENGLAND

Last 10 Tests (most recent first): WLLLLDLWLW
Last 10 home Tests (most recent first): WLWWLDWWLW

Last 10 Tests - top batsmen
Joe Root 914 runs @ 45.70 2x100 6x50
Moeen Ali 856 runs @ 47.55 3x100 5x50
Jonny Bairstow 770 runs @ 42.77 8x50
Alastair Cook 683 runs @ 34.15 1x100 4x50
Ben Stokes 530 runs @ 35.33 1x100 3x50

Last 10 Tests - top bowlers
Moeen Ali 35 wkts @ 37.11 2x5w 1x10w
Adil Rashid 30 wkts @ 35.66
Ben Stokes 19 wkts @ 27.42 1x5w
Stuart Broad 18 wkts @ 31.33
Chris Woakes 14 wkts @ 38.42

SOUTH AFRICA

Last 10 Tests (most recent first): LDWDWWWLWW
Last 10 away Tests (most recent first): LWDLWWLLDL

Last 10 Tests - top batsmen
Quinton de Kock 830 runs @ 51.87 2x100 6x50
Dean Elgar 790 runs @ 43.88 3x100 4x50
Faf du Plessis 603 runs @ 54.81 1x100 4x50
JP Duminy 578 runs @ 34.00 2x100 1x50
Hashim Amla 522 runs @ 30.70 1x50 1x50

Last 10 Tests - top bowlers
Kagiso Rabada 48 wkts @ 23.87 2x5w 1x10w
Vernon Philander 34 wkts @ 23.82 2x5w
Keshav Maharaj 30 wkts @ 28.83 2x5w
Kyle Abbott 18 wkts @ 19.38 1x5w
Morne Morkel 18 wkts @ 26.27

England v South Africa: Second Test key quotes


ENGLAND

Captain Joe Root on England's team: "We're going to go in with the same team. It gives us great balance if spin does come into it later in the game, we've got plenty of options.

"Our seamers, it might be that they play a bigger part this week, but that quite excites me. They only bowled a handful of overs in the second innings last week. It means they're nice and fresh, and when they get their opportunity they'll still be pretty fresh coming into the second innings later in this game."

Root on James Anderson's fitness: "He had a little bowl today. Jimmy knows his body, he's obviously had a couple of injury issues over the course of this year and I think he's just been smart with the way that he practises.

"He's a senior player, he knows what he's doing. He's done it for such a long time now so I'm sure he'll be desperate to set the tone when he gets the opportunity.

"It's really important that he's smart in how he looks after his body and I think how he's gone about it this week is when he has bowled he's made sure that he's been right on it and he's got something out of it, but at the same time he's got plenty in the tank for when we start on Friday." 

Opener Alastair Cook on being back in the ranks: "Naturally without having to make all the decisions, you are going to feel a bit freer.

"It's been an interesting seven months, a rollercoaster of emotions - certainly in January and February.

"It will be the same for Rooty, unfortunately (one day) - once you're England captain, you're always going to be a former England captain.

"I understand why people want to talk about it, because it is interesting to see the new captain and the old captain still in the side.

"But I hope my personality and relationship with Joe (means) we shouldn't have any problems.

"As he feels more comfortable in the role, and I feel more comfortable, I will maybe throw a few more suggestions in."

Trevor Bayliss on Moeen Ali's role: "We'll stick with one spinner and one batter that bowls a little, and that's important for Mo more than anything.

"He wants to be in the team as a batter that bowls a bit, so we've selected him as a batter and the second spinner.

"If he goes into the match as a batter and the second spinner, as we saw in this match, it doesn't mean he can't be the best spinner.

"It's probably more so for Mo's benefit, to take a little bit of that pressure off him.

"He does see himself as a batter number one, his number one job, and a spinner second."

SOUTH AFRICA

Captain Faf du Plessis on rejoining the team after returning to South Africa for the birth of his child: "I had the baby with one arm and watched the cricket with one eye. I saw a lot interesting things from the side which is probably a bit of outside perspective, you don't always get that.

"I'm really excited to be back with the team. It was tough going for us, the previous one, we weren't as good as we would like to have been but in cricket you get another go and we're looking forward to this next Test."

Du Plessis on the suspended Kagiso Rabada: "I'd never say to KG 'change the way you are'.

"It's important that he plays the way he does - I think every guy in cricket needs his instinct and personality, because that creates the best 'you'.

"For not one second must he lose that.

"For me, it's just showing what you're made of, that he wants to do desperately well for his country.

"Obviously, it's a big disappointment for us not having him [at Trent Bridge]. It's a shame, because he's a real big part of this team - and in a big Test series like this, you want to see your best players compete against each other."

England v South Africa: Second Test latest news


Root has faith in seam attack
England skipper Joe Root says his seam attack will have conditions to suit against South Africa at Trent Bridge. 

England name unchanged side
England have named an unchanged side for the second Test against South Africa at Trent Bridge.

Cook keen to thrive for England
Alastair Cook hopes to keep churning out the hundreds for England after relinquishing the captaincy.

Cook: Root was outstanding
Alastair Cook was impressed with the way Joe Root handled the responsibility of captaining England at Lord's.

Moeen happy as number two
Everyone knows Moeen Ali is England's best spinner after his Lord's heroics - but nobody must tell him so.

Rabada told 'not to change'
South Africa are already planning how to get by without Kagiso Rabada at Trent Bridge.

Career-best rankings for Moeen
Moeen Ali rose to career-best standings in all three categories of the ICC's Test rankings after his Lord's efforts.

Get more England v South Africa news on our cricket page

England v South Africa: Test series fixtures & results


July 6-10:
First Test, Lord's: England win by 211 runs

July 14-18: Second Test, Trent Bridge

July 27-31: Third Test, The Oval

August 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford 

England lead the series 1-0

Click here for full cricket fixture list