Imran Tahir is white apparently

[Langeveldt]

In the bad old days when West Indian cricketers visited I seem to recall Mr Vorster or whoever it was that was in charge would grant them the status of honorary whites - is this situation completely different or almost the same?

Well your race doesn't decide where you live, how you can travel or who you get married to any more.. So it's not quite as important for Mr.Tahir.. But he could see himself on the wrong end of some 50/50 selections if they crop up..

 

[Uppercut]

Well your race doesn't decide where you live, how you can travel or who you get married to any more.. So it's not quite as important for Mr.Tahir.. But he could see himself on the wrong end of some 50/50 selections if they crop up..

SA to find another legspinner of comparable quality to Tahir, though?

 

[Marius]

In the bad old days when West Indian cricketers visited I seem to recall Mr Vorster or whoever it was that was in charge would grant them the status of honorary whites - is this situation completely different or almost the same?

What Langeveldt said.

Although SA has more than its fair share of problems, its a far, far better place today than it ever was under apartheid.

 

[Marius]

SA to find another legspinner of comparable quality to Tahir, though?

Highly unlikely, methinks. The last time a South African legspinner was close to being a regular in provincial cricket was Richard McGlashan, in the late 80s and early 90s for Natal. And before that, Denys Hobson, for WP in the 80s.

When it comes to spinners, we seem to specialise in mediocre off-spinners or left armers who dart it in (although I like Paul Harris, and Claude Henderson should have played many more games for SA than he did).

 

[Craig]

I always think of the line in the movie Blood Diamond TIA - This Is Africa. I think that can be changed to Only In South Africa.

 

[gettingbetter]

Tahir - 5 wickets.
Harris - 0 wickets

This is in their domestic game.

Note, Tahir has all 5 wickets to have fallen.

 

[Richard]

I don't think very many people would dispute that under most circumstances Imran Tahir > Harris comfortably.

 

[Uppercut]

And Tahir is no less South African than Harris really, so there's not really an excuse to pick Harris, presuming Tahir wants to play for SA. With Tahir, SA are probably the best team in the world on a player-by-player basis.

 

[Marius]

And Tahir is no less South African than Harris really, so there's not really an excuse to pick Harris, presuming Tahir wants to play for SA. With Tahir, SA are probably the best team in the world on a player-by-player basis.

Don't know about that. Harris was born in Rhodesia, but moved to SA when he was a youngster. Tahir only came to SA about three years ago. Don't think you can say he's as South African as Harris.

 

[Uppercut]

Don't know about that. Harris was born in Rhodesia, but moved to SA when he was a youngster. Tahir only came to SA about three years ago. Don't think you can say he's as South African as Harris.

*Shrug*. On the whole Harris is from Zimbabwe, Tahir from Pakistan. If Harris has more right to play for SA it's not by a huge margin. Not by as big a margin as Tahir is the better cricketer.

 

[Marius]

*Shrug*. On the whole Harris is from Zimbabwe, Tahir from Pakistan. If Harris has more right to play for SA it's not by a huge margin. Not by as big a margin as Tahir is the better cricketer.

I'm not arguing with you over the "right" to play for SA, just that you can't say that Tahir is as South African as Harris. Its like saying Pietersen is as English as Strauss, even though Strauss grew up in England, and Pietersen went over when he was about 20.

That said, I hope the selectors show some mettle and give Tahir a call-up when he qualifies to play for SA next year.

Any chance we'll see any other Pakistanis trying their luck in qulifying for SA, England, etc. with the current dearth of international cricket for that country?

 

[Richard]

Well in Imran's case it hasn't been due to Pakistan's lack of cricket but just that he was never good enough to play for them while he was available. Until pretty recently he was a decidely moderate bowler.

In the case of those who are or would be Pakistani first-teamers, you do have to hope not.

 

[Uppercut]

I'm not arguing with you over the "right" to play for SA, just that you can't say that Tahir is as South African as Harris. Its like saying Pietersen is as English as Strauss, even though Strauss grew up in England, and Pietersen went over when he was about 20.

That said, I hope the selectors show some mettle and give Tahir a call-up when he qualifies to play for SA next year.

Any chance we'll see any other Pakistanis trying their luck in qulifying for SA, England, etc. with the current dearth of international cricket for that country?

Yeah, might cause some controversy initially but if Tahir performed- and i have every belief that he would- it'd soon be forgotten by all but the fans of the teams he skittles. Really i'd just love to see him get a good shot at test cricket, and for anyone from Pakistan at the moment that isn't overly likely.

 

[Uppercut]

Well in Imran's case it hasn't been due to Pakistan's lack of cricket but just that he was never good enough to play for them while he was available. Until pretty recently he was a decidely moderate bowler.

In the case of those who are or would be Pakistani first-teamers, you do have to hope not.

Wouldn't even begin to think about picking Kaneria over him though tbh.

 

[Richard]

And Tahir is no less South African than Harris really, so there's not really an excuse to pick Harris, presuming Tahir wants to play for SA. With Tahir, SA are probably the best team in the world on a player-by-player basis.

As a selector, you're mad if you refuse to pick someone available to you who'd improve the quality of your team just because he's an import.

Even though Imran is not South African, if he's available for SA, as the current rules say he soon will be, then he has to play, as there's almost no doubt these days he's a very fine bowler indeed.

 

[Richard]

Wouldn't even begin to think about picking Kaneria over him though tbh.

Not these days maybe, but Kaneria was a very promising bowler for a long time, and as I say - until maybe a couple of years ago Imran was very moderate indeed. Did nothing much in his previous county stint(s?) UIMM. It's only since he's been playing in SA regularly that he's started to make the step up.

 

[Uppercut]

As a selector, you're mad if you refuse to pick someone available to you who'd improve the quality of your team just because he's an import.

Even though Imran is not South African, if he's available for SA, as the current rules say he soon will be, then he has to play, as there's almost no doubt these days he's a very fine bowler indeed.

Indeedy. The next question is, with Tahir, would SA become the best cricket team in the world? They'd be the only without an obvious weak department...

 

[popepouri]

Indeedy. The next question is, with Tahir, would SA become the best cricket team in the world? They'd be the only without an obvious weak department...

I still think the fast bowling needs more improvement. If Parnell succeeds in the SSS, I hope the side would be the following:

Smith (c)
McKenzie
Amla
Kallis
Duminy
Prince
De Villiers (wk)
Parnell
M Morkel
Tahir
Steyn/Tsotsobe

 

[Uppercut]

I still think the fast bowling needs more improvement. Steyn and Morkel are not consistent enough to convince me especially with them bowling terribly in the latter part of the Eng tour.

Be fair to Steyn, it's hard to bowl well in tests when you don't get picked due to injury.

 

[Richard]

Not these days maybe, but Kaneria was a very promising bowler for a long time, and as I say - until maybe a couple of years ago Imran was very moderate indeed. Did nothing much in his previous county stint(s?) UIMM. It's only since he's been playing in SA regularly that he's started to make the step up.

I'd forgotten just how dreadful he was last time he played county cricket actually - in 3 games for Middlesex in 2003 and 1 for Yorkshire in 2007, he took a sum-total of 1 for 337!

And truth be told he barely played First-Class cricket most of his career at home - in 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04 and 2006/07 (that's 7 seasons) he never played more than 3 games. He played 6 each in 2000/01 and 2005/06 and played plenty in 1999/2000 and 2004/05 (not surprisingly these two were his best seasons - he took 117 wickets at under 22 in them). Presumably a mix of his often moderate performances and politics.

But since going to SA (ie, for Titans and for Hants), he's played 13 games and taken 75 wickets at 19.63. Impressive indeed, and I don't see any particular reason to think he won't continue that in 2008/09.