Smith blasts ex-players/selectors via Twitter

[Furball]

I get the feeling that the series in the West Indies may prove to be Smith's watershed as captain.

It's definitely getting to the stage where Smith might be coming to the end of his shelf life. Since their win in Oz in 08/09, South Africa have lost to Australia at home, choked in the T20 WC semis, performed dreadfully at the Champions Trophy, lost a home ODI series to England and struggled to a draw in the Test series, won a T20 series off the back of Loots Bosman before discarding him, drawn in India and been thumped in the ODIs, before being utterly dreadful at the World T20. Not the form of a side pushing to be recognised as the number 1 in all 3 formats.

 

[BoyBrumby]

If anything will save him it's that there doesn't appear to be a ready made replacement. Botha could do a job in the limited overs formats, but he's not a first choice test pick.

Maybe Prince as a stop gap?

 

[TT Boy]

If anything will save him it's that there doesn't appear to be a ready made replacement. Botha could do a job in the limited overs formats, but he's not a first choice test pick.

Maybe Prince as a stop gap?

Amla will get the job. Prince is no longer first choice in test cricket, has four years on Smith, does not play the limited overs stuff and does not get on with most of the players or the board.

I would not be surprised if Smith hangs onto the captaincy for another year or so. Resign after the next WC, Hash takes over in all formats whilst Smith carries on as a batsman in a young, inexperienced South African side.

 

[akilana]

I don't want Amla to be the burdened with captaincy. There's no captain player in the team who can do the job. Smith should stay for a year as captain but I can see that he has achieved what a good captain can achieve in test cricket and is a bit of complacent now.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Amla will get the job. Prince is no longer first choice in test cricket, has four years on Smith, does not play the limited overs stuff and does not get on with most of the players or the board.

I would not be surprised if Smith hangs onto the captaincy for another year or so. Resign after the next WC, Hash takes over in all formats whilst Smith carries on as a batsman in a young, inexperienced South African side.

Skippers come in all shapes and sizes and all personality types, but Amla doesn't strike one as obvious captaincy material. During the (lenghty) rain break in the Notts/Kent Pro40 game Sky carried Chris Read said he's been dubbed "Mouse" because he's so quiet in the dressing rooms.

Plus he's not much of a T20 player, is he?

 

[TT Boy]

Skippers come in all shapes and sizes and all personality types, but Amla doesn't strike one as obvious captaincy material. During the (lenghty) rain break in the Notts/Kent Pro40 game Sky carried Chris Read said he's been dubbed "Mouse" because he's so quiet in the dressing rooms.

Plus he's not much of a T20 player, is he?

He isn't but he is now in the 20/20 squad.

Amla has some experience of captaincy; has captained RSA at U19 level (and I think the A side as well) and domestically when available.

 

[Langeveldt]

Yeah Amla isn't a first choice for mine.. He's very very quiet, but he is respected in the dressing room, and by others.. Perhaps a quieter influence is what SA need though..

What about AB?

 

[Jarquis]

Didn't Amla get in trouble a little while ago when captaining?

 

[pasag]

Getting rid of captains because the side is in a bit of a rut isn't the smartest thing to do. It only inevitably puts the team into disarray and complicates a situation that wasn't so bad before. Don't think any of the calls for his head are valid and tbh I'd love to have a skipper like Smith leading Australia once Ponting hangs up the boots.

 

[social]

If anything will save him it's that there doesn't appear to be a ready made replacement. Botha could do a job in the limited overs formats, but he's not a first choice test pick.

Maybe Prince as a stop gap?

Kallis should be captain IMO

He's been their best player for the better part of 10 years and it's about time someone stood up and told him "bat 3, take some resposibility for people other than yourself and lead the team or **** off because we're going backwards."

Love him as a technician but he's been given an armchair ride for far too long

 

[TT Boy]

34 and will most likely retire in 12 months time. No point.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Kallis should be captain IMO

He's been their best player for the better part of 10 years and it's about time someone stood up and told him "bat 3, take some resposibility for people other than yourself and lead the team or **** off because we're going backwards."

Love him as a technician but he's been given an armchair ride for far too long

Renowned ****wit, isn't he? Kalahari?

 

[social]

Getting rid of captains because the side is in a bit of a rut isn't the smartest thing to do. It only inevitably puts the team into disarray and complicates a situation that wasn't so bad before. Don't think any of the calls for his head are valid and tbh I'd love to have a skipper like Smith leading Australia once Ponting hangs up the boots.

"Bit of a rut" doesnt begin to explain SA's current state!

They havent won a series for nearly 18 months

Furthermore, every single time they've challenged for the top spot, they've failed

And, what's more, now they have an ageing team with no prospects coming through

In short, the current regime has been a massive failure and a change is well overdue

 

[TT Boy]

Yeah Amla isn't a first choice for mine.. He's very very quiet, but he is respected in the dressing room, and by others.. Perhaps a quieter influence is what SA need though..

What about AB?

Airhead.

 

[social]

34 and will most likely retire in 12 months time. No point.

No chance

He's fit and loves stats - got another 5 years in him IMO

 

[social]

Renowned ****wit, isn't he? Kalahari?

Maybe but I could name a number of great captains who weren't exactly God's gift either

 

[BoyBrumby]

Maybe but I could name a number of great captains who weren't exactly God's gift either

None immediately spring to mind, I have to say. Difference between books smarts and cricket smarts anyway; Kallis doesn't strike one as overburdened with either.

Plus there's the perception (whether it's true or imagined) that he's a selfish player. Doesn't generally lend itself to being a great leader of men. Boycott, who I'd judge an infinitely shrewder and deeper cricketing thinking, was a ****house captain for pretty much the same reason.

 

[social]

None immediately spring to mind, I have to say. Difference between books smarts and cricket smarts anyway; Kallis doesn't strike one as overburdened with either.

Plus there's the perception (whether it's true or imagined) that he's a selfish player. Doesn't generally lend itself to being a great leader of men. Boycott, who I'd judge an infinitely shrewder and deeper cricketing thinking, was a ****house captain for pretty much the same reason.

You dont have to go too far back to find an Aussie captain who was a social cripple and a pretty ordinary human being to boot

Anyway, Kallis is a bit of an enigma - great cricketer who has never really been given much responsibility other than to bat, bowl and field

He's rarely interviewed so I cant comment as to whether he is Einstein reincarnate or a complete rock ape

However, what I do know is that SA are going backwards under Smith

 

[Shifter]

However, what I do know is that SA are going backwards under Smith

It was under Smith that they took great strides forward. Did he wake up one morning and suddenly forget how to be a captain of a cricket team?

 

[kingkallis]

Haha so true. Twitter ruins people's careers, or at least gets them in trouble. Quite interesting to see people's true emotions. Its like they forget it's still public information!

Oh yeah! Ask Mr.Lalit Modi...he knows it better than anyone else in the world!