Pietersen exonerated(?)

[wpdavid]

I have no problems with the selection of De Bruyn but I think Steyn needs more experience before he can even be conisdered for selection. Obviously the dubious decisions I was referring to was dropping Boucher in favour of Tsolekile.

Indeed. Forgive my facetious reply, but over the last 3 months I've read and heard rather a lot about the supposed amount of "quota" selections for the SA test side. In reality, we're talking about Ontong and Tsolekile's combined total of about six appearances, but to listen to some commentators you'd think the side was inundated with nonwhites who were only there due to the colour of their skin, and it's complete fiction. The trouble is, it's been said so often that people just accept it without even thinking about whether it's true or not. The most ludicrous example was one of the SA commentators on the radio saying that Adam Bacher was in the wrong end of the first quota selection when he lost his place to Hershelle Gibbs a few years ago. Now maybe I'm missing something here, but last time I looked Gibbs had a test average approaching 50, so how is that a quota selection? And yet no-one challenged the commentator, despite the fact he was obviously spouting complete bollox. The knock-on tendancy has been the scapeghoating of the nonwhites in some quarters. Don't believe me? Check this thread around the time of the 1st test, which SA lost with inadequate performances from Steyn, De Bruyn, Tsolekile (batting, anyway) and Hall, not to mention Smith giving it away in both innings. You can probably guess which of those guys copped all the flack. Now it seems that Jennings is at it as well, with his comment that SA would have won if he'd been given a free hand in selection, with all the usual implications that involves. Apart from ignoring the widespread failures in the loss at Port Elizabeth and the lack of any political selections at The Wanderers, he's also conveniently ignoring his own preference for Steyn ahead of Langeveldt in the first 2 tests, which probably cost SA the series. I'm not suggesting for a moment that his preference for Steyn was racially motivated, but it was unquestionably poor judgement given Langeveldt's performance in the warmup game, and it looks to me that Jennings is passing the buck.

 

[kof98]

I agree that Langeveldt should have played instead of Steyn, this being one of the questionable decisions made in the selection process. However what concerns me is when politicians decide to overrule the selectors.

A while ago there was even speculation that Western Province had an unfair influence over the selection of the national team. My point is that whether it be the selection of black or white players, it is not being done efficiently. Obviously the results point to the fact that there are many problems within South African cricket. Even with the resources currently available, the best team is consistantly not being picked.

 

[Marius]

So who shouldn't have played in the last two Tests against the English, or in the one-dayers. Who was there just because of the colour of their skin?

 

[wpdavid]

I agree that Langeveldt should have played instead of Steyn, this being one of the questionable decisions made in the selection process. However what concerns me is when politicians decide to overrule the selectors.

A while ago there was even speculation that Western Province had an unfair influence over the selection of the national team. My point is that whether it be the selection of black or white players, it is not being done efficiently. Obviously the results point to the fact that there are many problems within South African cricket. Even with the resources currently available, the best team is consistantly not being picked.

I completely understand why you would be unhappy about politicians over-ruling selectors, and I'm not naive enough to think that there aren't pressures on the SA selectors that don't exist in England, Aus, etc. However, I do think the extent of "political" selections has been massively overstated by some people, for whatever reason. As for your results, AFAICS they just reflect the quality of players coming through, nothing more, nothing less, even allowing for one or two duff selections.