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Weakest South African side (all formats) since their readmission in 1991?

Is this the Weakest SA cricket have been since their readmission in '91?


  • Total voters
    17
  • Poll closed .

91Jmay

International Coach
Yeah that is probably fair, I don't really see any huge game changes with the ball for either side though. Where as the Buttler's of this world are just incredible players.
 

kykweer.proteas

International Debutant
It makes sense. Interest in cricket is probably at an all time low in south africa. Cricket is being administered into the ground with racist selection policies that crippled domestic cricket and even seasoned proteas dont even want to play for the country anymore complaining about the amount of cricket they have to play for south africa, but then participate in 3 or 4 international t20 leagues.

I dont give AF anymore tbh.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
The quality of England's cricket right now, is very high. I am afraid they are on the stepping stone to becoming a dominant side. Hope I'm wrong. Not just going by results here, but the way they have played recently.
Can't agree.

There's certainly the potential to leap back to number 1 in the world however there's serious problems with the batting and in the spin bowling department. Until those issues get solved then becoming a dominant side is simply too much of a leap for me.
 

Howe_zat

Audio File
I think so long as a couple of the more peripheral batsmen get more comfortable at Test level the way Bairstow has this year then the top seven will be fine. You can afford to have one or two issues, it's almost never happened that a side has genuine class players from one through seven.

The spin issue is a bigger one. Partly because unlike the batting there are basically no candidates to improve on Moeen just being acceptable, and because I think a genuine top drawer spinner is necessary to make an attack more versatile, more consisent and last longer.

I think the 2011 side that became briefly brilliant probably could have done so without Bell or KP playing as well as they did at that time, but they definitely couldn't have done it without Swann.
 
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vcs

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Can't agree.

There's certainly the potential to leap back to number 1 in the world however there's serious problems with the batting and in the spin bowling department. Until those issues get solved then becoming a dominant side is simply too much of a leap for me.
Your depth is pretty phenomenal, in both senses of the term - a.) number/quality of backup options, especially quick bowling and b.) batting depth down the order. I don't think even the 2011 side was that well-stocked. I mean, you've got talents like Buttler sitting out Tests (justifiably given Bairstow's recent displays) and you can drop someone like Finn after one indifferent performance, and now Woakes is pulling up trees. Then Moeen Ali can come in and score 150 at 5 or 6 down.

All makes for a very hard-to-beat team, over the course of a series.

Also, I don't know if you need a great spinner. There aren't any teams great at playing spin anymore. Moeen is more than capable of chipping in with a few wickets given how the quicks set up matches most of the time, and Root can turn his arm over. Plus an allrounder in Stokes to share the wicket-taking/stock bowling burden anyway.
 
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Adders

Cricketer Of The Year
I think so long as a couple of the more peripheral batsmen get more comfortable at Test level the way Bairstow has this year then the top seven will be fine. You can afford to have one or two issues, it's almost never happened that a side has genuine class players from one through seven.

The spin issue is a bigger one. Partly because unlike the batting there are basically no candidates to improve on Moeen just being acceptable, and because I think a genuine top drawer spinner is necessary to make an attack more versatile, more consisent and last longer.

I think the 2011 side that became briefly brilliant probably could have done so without Bell or KP playing as well as they did at that time, but they definitely couldn't have done it without Swann.
Agree with this but would add a top draw keeper/batsmen as well. Swann and Prior were the key to that period of success for England.

Can't say I noticed Bairstow behind the stumps in the last test, which cliched as it may be is always a good sign a keeper's doing a good job. But I still think he is away off being reliable behind the stumps in the way Prior was during his peak.
 

StephenZA

Hall of Fame Member
I love how a topic of how much does SA suck turns into how does England become a dominating world side... coincidence :ph34r:
 

TheJediBrah

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And now they're officially re-introducing quotas. What a joke.

time to give up on cricket in South Africa
 

Black_Warrior

Cricketer Of The Year
Also, I don't know if you need a great spinner. There aren't any teams great at playing spin anymore. Moeen is more than capable of chipping in with a few wickets given how the quicks set up matches most of the time, and Root can turn his arm over. Plus an allrounder in Stokes to share the wicket-taking/stock bowling burden anyway.
It won't matter in most places where the quicks are more than competent to set up games, except in Asia. The main reason England won in India 2012 was for the first time in decades they had two world class spinners.

No matter how well Anderson bowls in Asia, you need a spinner of that quality if you want to win in India this year.
 

Zinzan

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And now they're officially re-introducing quotas. What a joke.

time to give up on cricket in South Africa
Again, they supposedly 'officially' did this 2-3 years ago if I'm not mistaken. Certainly that was the statement from the sports minister. Obviously was never adhered to.
 

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