During the Test, former South African opening batsman Barry Richards bemoaned the lack of fight in the England team, commenting that "...it puzzles me why the new breed of England batsmen are failing to stamp their authority on an innings. People like Stewart and Hick have all the ability at Test level but they do not seem to want to grab the game by the scruff of its neck and say to the opposition bowlers: 'I'm here. Come and get me if you can.'". meanwhile, in "The Guardian", Mike Selvey praised the South African seamers, and Scyld Berry singled out Fanie De Villiers' bowling on the second day as the turning point of the match, and the above commentators pointed out England's lack of success at the home of cricket and questioned the lack of a left-handed batsman in the eleven.