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South Africa team selection
- Thread starter StephenZA
- Start date
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
StephenZA
Hall of Fame Member
Busy playing Smuts at the moment, can get through a few overs. No consideration for Maharaj? And we busy playing Reeza because he is experienced and part of the bigger squad but not in great form? While Roelofsen and Rickelton young talented in-form players don`t even get considered? I would also be choosing overseas based on current selection policies.
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SeamUp
International Coach
Wonder if Smuts will play for SA again ? We really do need to find a batsman who can get through some overs of spin. It is what makes Bird and Parsons so interesting.
Like Smuts I would be putting Reeza in the should he play for SA again group.
Klaasen and van Biljon are the "experienced" players I'm watching now to see if they have anything to offer for the T20 WC.
Faf might be telling himself he still enjoys playing the game but he needs runs and fast to prove he isn't over the hill. His catching hasn't wavered though. Makes it look so easy.
What I've liked about QdK's captaincy has been his willingness to ask other senior players opinions. Remember him doing it quite a bit with Smuts at East London v England (local knowledge) and Faf on Friday.
My other major concerns are the lack of thought processes in the bowling like Friday and the fielding.
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Dendarii
International Debutant
I think Maharaj and Linde need to come into the equation. I don't think the balance of the side is right as we're picking far too many bowlers who can't bat. Which isn't a problem if the top order come off, but lose too many wickets up front and we're in trouble. Shamsi's done decently of late, quite possibly helped by having an extended run in the side, but would Maharaj or Linde really do any worse?
As for the quicks, while I'm not the biggest fan of Morris in ODIs, he's definitely an option for T20s. And he certainly fits the experience criterion that they've been using to select players.
StephenZA
Hall of Fame Member
I understand there are issues with the SA all-rounder options etc. But when I look at this team I don't see anything to be happy about in the batting line-up. I see the selection of the same limited type batsmen over and over again with the expectation of different results.
QDK is playing with freedom and confidence, which I love to see, but the other batsmen look limited to me and you can see the pressure on him to do all the work and keep it going. Where is the other batsmen's contributions? I don't think the players currently selected are even capable of making the contributions required consistently. And this is unacceptable when we have talented ball strikers being given no opportunity. If we where getting bowled out for 80 odd with a young inexperienced team of talent I would still be cheering the team on. Watching this bunch of players embarrass themselves over and over again across all formats is pathetic.
QDK is playing with freedom and confidence, which I love to see, but the other batsmen look limited to me and you can see the pressure on him to do all the work and keep it going. Where is the other batsmen's contributions? I don't think the players currently selected are even capable of making the contributions required consistently. And this is unacceptable when we have talented ball strikers being given no opportunity. If we where getting bowled out for 80 odd with a young inexperienced team of talent I would still be cheering the team on. Watching this bunch of players embarrass themselves over and over again across all formats is pathetic.
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StephenZA
Hall of Fame Member
I have enjoyed everything about QDK's captaincy. I am glad his confidence and attitude has remained the same, and as you mention willing to ask other players their opinion. I think their is a fundamental problem in strategy from selection to plans on the field, which is a behind the scenes and coaching problem. I wonder how much say QDK is having in the plans as of yet?
Dendarii
International Debutant
Especially when it was shown to be unsuccessful under the previous coaching regime. So why are we continuing to repeat those same mistakes?
We don't need to be particularly creative, just start picking players who are under 30.
SeamUp
International Coach
KG Rabada bowled 3 short balls that travelled and ended an over with 3 fuller balls that were all dot-balls. That there for me was where players should have been learning on the field and the lack of adapting on the fielding still astonishes me with our bowlers.
The game v England in Durban was exactly the same. We kept bowling slower balls and getting dispatched. It wasn't the usual Durban wicket. England showed it how it was done with the execution of brilliant yorkers. And our current bowling coach was among the best at getting good fullish lengths going up front and yorkers at the back end.
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SeamUp
International Coach
There are a lack of genuine options tbf.
There was a stage we had options like Kemp, A.Morkel, van der Wath, Hall, Boje, Robbie P, Botha
Since McLaren, Parnell the options just seem to get less and less.
I agree that for example whilst Bjorn Fortuin is decent we need the finger spinner to bat. Linde, Maharaj are both better than him there.
Outside of D.Pretorius and Phehlukwayo we looking at ? Mulder, Galiem, J.Smith, Potgieter but I suppose Morris will come back into the picture.
StephenZA
Hall of Fame Member
Is this because they not thinking and/or not following instructions? Or because they sticking to the 'plan'? It has been a fundamental problem with SA cricket for many years to talk about planning and execution, very rigid sort of culture and not adapt on the field. I also do think that all our bowlers went off the boil under Gibsons tenure, but that could be very unfair on him.
StephenZA
Hall of Fame Member
I wondering if Shamsi and Tahir is an option... but problem with extended batting tail again?
Still think 90% of runs need to come from top 6.
MrPrez
International Debutant
This is an absolutely horrible take. How dare businesses choose to invest their money optimally?
Calling fans misogynistic for watching men's cricket over women's cricket is idiotic, too.
MrPrez
International Debutant
The answer is unfortunately ALWAYS Morris.
Dendarii
International Debutant
Despite complaining about it not that many posts ago, I suppose that I have to acknowledge that we won today because we had so many specialist bowlers in the side. But while it came off today, it's still a risky strategy and one which we can't continue to stick to if we want to be winning games consistently.
MrPrez
International Debutant
If only our top 6 bat then it by default becomes the best strategy - as it was today.
But since you can't confirm that it will be the case, and given our batting can be fragile, it's way too risky for a relatively minimal reward.
SeamUp
International Coach
It is such a tough situation. Really want Shamsi to come out of Tahir's shadow. It can be in his own way too. He isn't quite a match-winning option yet but there has been solidness in 90% of his performances this summer.
I wouldn't rule it out. Can we safely say Steyn, Rabada, Nortje and Ngidi are going ? It is in Australia too. So we basically could take 6 players who aren't recognised batsman.