***Official*** South African Domestic Season 2017/18

[GRAB]

Part-timers Jonjon, Ackermann and Ingram were often outperforming him and we were playing Jonjon only some matches last season. I suppose the fact Harmer is a spinner who relies on bounce a lot does hurt him... I believe Levi's contracts specifically limit the number of matches he can play for Cobras. (Wish he'd got the same amount of opportunities of one golden boy D "slogs the Zimbos" Miller)

 

[GRAB]

Top 20 Franchise-Only (i.e. excluding SAA, National, Provincial, County etc.) Current Bowlers (min 10 innings)
Matches / Overs / Wickets / Ave / S/R / 5/10
Steyn 21 | 709,5 | 107 | 19,5 | 39,8 | 7/2
Muller 6 | 124,5 | 23 | 19,7 | 32,6 | 3/0
Philander 60 | 1689 | 219 | 19,8 | 46,3 | 8/0
Mulder 7 | 167,1 | 29 | 20,1 | 34,6 | 1/0
Abbott* 38 | 1152,1 | 147 | 20,4 | 47,0 | 10/2
Morris 22 | 690,5 | 101 | 21,0 | 41,0 | 1/1
Olivier 24 | 796,1 | 111 | 22,3 | 43,0 | 8/1
J Smith 12 | 176 | 21 | 22,9 | 50,3 | 0/0
Pretorius 24 | 695,3 | 80 | 23,3 | 52,2 | 4/0
M Morkel 25 | 754,5 | 102 | 23,4 | 44,4 | 5/2
Rabada 11 | 369 | 46 | 24,2 | 48,1 | 2/1
Jamison 9 | 209 | 32 | 24,3 | 39,2 | 0/0
Tahir 41 | 1496,3 | 204 | 24,7 | 44,0 | 16/5
B Hendricks 32 | 815 | 111 | 24,8 | 44,1 | 4/0
Pillans* 9 | 298,1 | 40 | 24,9 | 44,7 | 1/1
Muthusamy 12 | 249,3 | 35 | 25,0 | 42,8 | 1/0
Nortje 8 | 239,5 | 33 | 25,2 | 43,6 | 2/0
Shamsi 14 | 488,3 | 67 | 25,3 | 43,7 | 5/2
R McLaren* 53 | 1666,2 | 190 | 25,4 | 52,6 | 8/1
Viljoen 50 | 1553,3 | 220 | 25,7 | 42,4 | 15/2

After a Sunfoil Series round where not bowling was the best way to move up...

 

[brockley]

Lot of draws?
Don't sides know how to take 20 wickets,or are all the good bowlers gone.

 

[SeamUp]

Lot of draws?
Don't sides know how to take 20 wickets,or are all the good bowlers gone.

A bit of everything. Those that you mention and pitches lacking life all around the country and why spinners are bowling so many overs. Kind of like Potch in the test.

Our best 2 fast-bowling prospects in Ngidi and Dupavillon are injured. So all eyes on Migael Pretorius and Anrich Nortje now but they not as quick as the first 2. Just think KG, Lungi and Dupav have the pace and durability - Ngidi bounce and into RHB and Dupav is skiddy. We will probably need a line-bowler and a left-armer to join them in the future & Pretorius/Cohen were with the SA Academy in the winter as possible future options.

 

[SeamUp]

Pitches have been sub-continental like in Durban/PMB for Dupavillon. Only problem is he missed basically the whole of last season. Things were going so well for him because he never really suffered with injuries when younger unlike Ngidi who has had a few as a teeanger. Touch wood they bounce back. By watching them bowl you know they can do something at international level. X-Factor. Rap up tails.

Some scorecards for Dupav


Sunfoil Series at East London, Mar 3-6 2016 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

Sunfoil Series at Durban, Mar 10-13 2016 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

Sunfoil Series at Kimberley, Jan 15-18 2015 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

Sunfoil Series at Cape Town, Mar 5-7 2015 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

Sunfoil Series at Durban, Mar 19-22 2015 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

Sunfoil Series at Centurion, Mar 12-15 2015 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo


Whilst Ngidi got his franchise 4-day debut last season and got a 5-for on debut. But only played 3 games due international T20 Call-up and injury curse again. That is still all he has played.

Sunfoil Series at Centurion, Oct 20-22 2016 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

 

[Dendarii]

A bit of everything. Those that you mention and pitches lacking life all around the country and why spinners are bowling so many overs.

And why Jon-Jon Smuts is currently the leading wicket taker. Although he did pick up most of those wickets against the Cobras...

 

[StephenZA]

https://www.supersport.com/cricket/...ews/171002/Prince_heaps_praise_on_Hamza_Malan

“What I liked about his innings, is that Zubayr kept out the good deliveries and scored off the other ones. I saw good signs last season. He got 20’s and 30’s and a 60 against the Knights. But this time, he converted,” Prince remarked.“He also batted outstandingly against the spinners, Jon-Jon Smuts and Tabraiz Shamsi, on a turning wicket in the second. He can play test cricket for South Africa,” the former South African star who played in 66 tests, added.

“Last season, I focused on the wrong things. This season, I decided I would not put pressure on myself, but be positive and play my brand of cricket. I decided I would be as calm as possible,” said Hamza.

 

[SeamUp]

https://www.supersport.com/cricket/...ews/171002/Prince_heaps_praise_on_Hamza_Malan

Lovely stuff. Need a long-term solution to Hash's retirement.

Thin Breetzke is X-Factor for AB.

van Tonder the grind and determination of Faf (but can still play strokes - very similar in that regard)

 

[brockley]

Not the big wicket takers in the domestic comp Delange,Viljoin,Olivier.

 

[SeamUp]

Not the big wicket takers in the domestic comp Delange,Viljoin,Olivier.

Generally the wickets have been very helpful. Especially early season but from some reason it has been very different this season. Should it be as bad as it is ? Probably not though.

 

[GRAB]

Most of the country is in year 3 of an El Nino drought and has severe water restrictions... I'm pretty sure that makes it difficult to prepare pitches.

Two more questions if anyone knows an answer:
1. Titans seem a black African short. Is DiZorzi considered part of their quota??
2. Hume for KZN amateur - how unlucky has he been not to get more games? Would think Cobras would snap him up?

 

[SeamUp]

Most of the country is in year 3 of an El Nino drought and has severe water restrictions... I'm pretty sure that makes it difficult to prepare pitches.

Two more questions if anyone knows an answer:
1. Titans seem a black African short. Is DiZorzi considered part of their quota??
2. Hume for KZN amateur - how unlucky has he been not to get more games? Would think Cobras would snap him up?

Probably is playing role. Weather patterns have been odd for a while now in Cape Town.

For example I find it odd that in Durban they've been saying they want bounce and pace back but every year it is getting more-and-more sub-continental. Look I'm up for variation but either new groundsman lack required preparation skills (which I don't rule out) or it is the changing weather patterns.

Newlands these days seems to have way more pace and bounce for example. Spinners used to be needed day 4/5 much more. Remember Paul Harris there and Harbhajan etc

On the 2 questions.

1) Yes, de Zorzi is considered black African. Believe 1 of his parents has Kenyan heritage,
2) Hume is a little club bowler who bowls about 119 kph

 

[GRAB]

St. Georges, on the hand, is, and has always been, flat and slow... For as long as I can remember; my father blames Kepler Wessels's days as captain, but that may be oversimplifying things...

 

[SeamUp]

St. Georges, on the hand, is, and has always been, flat and slow... For as long as I can remember; my father blames Kepler Wessels's days as captain, but that may be oversimplifying things...

Don't think he would be the only one. Talks about it fondly even now does Kep. Think he felt he took enough blows from the Windies in the 80s !

 

[SeamUp]

Day 3 and 4 from Titans v Lions

https://www.supersport.com/cricket/domestic-four-day/video/917344

https://www.supersport.com/cricket/domestic-four-day/video/917504

 

[Kippax]

If you're living outside South Africa and without a VPN...

 

[Kippax]

 

[Kippax]

Quite a bottom-handed style, but I've learnt not to write off a South African just because he's not eye candy.

Should we lock in the U19 World Cup finalists right now, South Africa vs. India? I presume Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill will enjoy Bay Oval in Tauranga, it's pretty slow.

 

[SeamUp]

Richard Levi wins big at Northants Awards Ceremony. 4 awards

Batsman Richard Levi was the star of the show on Northamptonshire CCC’s presentation night at Wantage Road – carrying off no fewer than four awards.

The 29-year-old received the accolades as the club’s Player of the Year in both the Royal London Cup and NatWest T20 Blast, underlining his status as one of the outstanding ‘white-ball’ performers in the world game. He also claimed the coveted ‘players’ player’ award from his team-mates and (unsurprisingly!) the Tony Kingston Sixes trophy.

Levi, who first played for the Steelbacks in 2013, has become an indispensable member of the side in all formats. His 375 runs in the T20 competition came at a staggering strike-rate of 166.66 – and included no fewer than 21 sixes. He also contributed 305 runs in the RLC with a century against Derbyshire.

Levi notched 734 Championship runs – but fellow top-order man Rob Newton captured the two major trophies for performances efforts in four-day cricket: Championship Player of the Year, and the media award.

Hayley Brown was named Steelettos player of the year at the end of a superb season that saw Northamptonshire’s women secure promotion in both the Championship and T20 competitions. And batsman Max Holden, who shone in County colours during his loan spell from Middlesex, was the 2017 young player of the year.

ABBOTT

I don't think Essex Awards have been but they may have but Simon Harmer dubbed signing of the season and with Abbott got into the County Cricket Team of the year according to BBC - County Championship: Team of the season as chosen by BBC Sport users - BBC Sport

Big Red as he is called

 

[SeamUp]

Quite a bottom-handed style, but I've learnt not to write off a South African just because he's not eye candy.

Should we lock in the U19 World Cup finalists right now, South Africa vs. India? I presume Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill will enjoy Bay Oval in Tauranga, it's pretty slow.

Not so sure about the final yet. The bowling will be young. It is certainly a pre-requisite for India

Yeah, I don't think he will be the aesthetics. Just seems to score big 100s since young and looks a determined leader sort. Sort of the Faf type.