*Official* Sri Lanka Tour of South Africa 2019

[Bolo]

Mulder needs to play. If vern and kg are both considered properly fit, im guessing olivier sits out. Not much in the PE wicket for him anyway. Not much for Philander either, but he is a core member + batting + quotas.

 

[Stefan9]

Philander is ruled out through injury.

Guess mulder for vern will be the change.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Shame. I'd have liked to see what they'd have done if he was fit. One of the most fascinating problems of plenty I've ever seen... dropping Olivier would've been a ballsy move. They might have just chickened out and left out Maharaj instead.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Also, imagine if Kyle Abbott was still around and Ngidi was fit. What a cluster**** that would've been.

 

[StephenZA]

Shame. I'd have liked to see what they'd have done if he was fit. One of the most fascinating problems of plenty I've ever seen... dropping Olivier would've been a ballsy move. They might have just chickened out and left out Maharaj instead.

Could never leave out Maharaj at St Georges, like they could not leave him out at Kingsmeade. Selectors and/or captain needed to pull up their big boys pants and make a choice between Olivier and Steyn. Mulder needed to play and would have probably played the entire Pak series if he had not got injured. Now they can just do what they should have already done without actually having to make a decision.

And this is all moot because after the WC we will probably see a significantly different team both because of conditions and probable loss of personal.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Rest Olivier. No matter how fit you are, 4 tests in a month and a half is a heavy workload. Plus his bowling style is energy sapping

Think the really ballsy move would be to rest KG but not many would do that

 

[GRAB]

Hamza may play for Olivier? But not sure they're confident to use Mulder in a 3-seamer attack on debut?

 

[StephenZA]

Hamza may play for Olivier? But not sure they're confident to use Mulder in a 3-seamer attack on debut?

Be stupid, it would an exact opposite overreaction to what they did in Durban. Mulder is a future SA top 6 bat that bowlers very well, he is not a bowler that bats.

 

[Bolo]

Ya, there will only ever be room for him as a 5th bowler. Hopefully he ends up good enough to get in on his batting alone and makes life easy. Otherwise, there may be room for him as a bits and pieces player, although it will depend on the pitch.

I like the idea of mulder rabada steyn maharaj + extra spinner on a flatish indian track. Especially if one of the guys who can bat is a fair shout on spin alone.

 

[SeamUp]

Best of the rest not involved in MODC

Marques Ackerman will lead the SA Invitation XI in a one-day tour match against Sri Lanka to be played at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, on Thursday, February, 28.

SA Invitation XI:

Marques Ackerman (KZN Coastal, capt), Eathan Bosch (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tshepang Dithole (Central Gauteng), Leus du Plooy (Northerns), Gregory Mahlokwana (Northerns), Sibonelo Makhanya (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Wandile Makwetu (Northerns),Thando Mnyaka (Free State), Luvuyo Nkese (Northerns), Kyle Simmonds (Boland), Raynard van Tonder (Free State).

Coach: Shukri Conrad

The Proteas will take on Sri Lanka in five ODIs that get underway on March 3 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

 

[Stefan9]

Proteas win the toss. Mulder in for philander.

 

[StephenZA]

Simple sensible decision.

 

[TT Boy]

Amla may well retire after the WC, so this could be a moot point, but if he doesn’t score any runs here and wants to continue, how can he realistically play the next test series?
A bowling all-rounder may be content with what Amla’s been averaging over the past 12 months but you can’t have a number 3 averaging 20 odd over 14 test matches with no hundreds.

 

[MrPrez]

Had to be done given the injury.

If no injury, I'd have preferred Rabada out to rest him. He looked thoroughly overworked and uninspired last match.

 

[Stefan9]

Had to be done given the injury.

If no injury, I'd have preferred Rabada out to rest him. He looked thoroughly overworked and uninspired last match.

I would rest him for all the odi's and t20's vs sri lanka. We know what he can do.

 

[StephenZA]

Amla may well retire after the WC, so this could be a moot point, but if he doesn’t score any runs here and wants to continue, how can he realistically play the next test series?
A bowling all-rounder may be content with what Amla’s been averaging over the past 12 months but you can’t have a number 3 averaging 20 odd over 14 test matches with no hundreds.

It is a difficult issue, Hamza is his logical replacement. However we play in India next, so do we drop Hamza in to that sort of cauldron? He is meant to be a good player of spin, but giving up on Amla's experience is also big thing to do. I don't think it is straightforward, if we where playing in SA next I would say that yes we replace Amla. .

 

[MrPrez]

Amla may well retire after the WC, so this could be a moot point, but if he doesn’t score any runs here and wants to continue, how can he realistically play the next test series?
A bowling all-rounder may be content with what Amla’s been averaging over the past 12 months but you can’t have a number 3 averaging 20 odd over 14 test matches with no hundreds.

I'd like to see us begin blooding a few young talents ASAP. It may be too early but maybe go all in and give Qeshile a debut, since he's undoubtedly a future Protea.

Something a bit different like

1. Elgar
2. Markram
3. Hamza
4. Faf
5. Qeshile
6. Mulder
7. de Kock

Yes, it'll be young and inexperienced, but Amla is doing nothing anyway and Bavuma doesn't feel like he'll ever be anything other than average.

 

[MrPrez]

I would rest him for all the odi's and t20's vs sri lanka. We know what he can do.

Fair point. Just killing two birds with one stone in the Tests. But moot point now.

 

[TT Boy]

It is a difficult issue, Hamza is his logical replacement. However we play in India next, so do we drop Hamza in to that sort of cauldron? He is meant to be a good player of spin, but giving up on Amla's experience is also big thing to do. I don't think it is straightforward, if we where playing in SA next I would say that yes we replace Amla. .

Amla averages 29 in Asia since 2013, 11 test matches, and scored practically no runs in the 4 test matches against India last time. Also, that go to shot he had where he picks the spinners onto the onside no longer works. Nowadays he just misses the ball doing that and is plumb LBW.

 

[MrPrez]

It is a difficult issue, Hamza is his logical replacement. However we play in India next, so do we drop Hamza in to that sort of cauldron? He is meant to be a good player of spin, but giving up on Amla's experience is also big thing to do. I don't think it is straightforward, if we where playing in SA next I would say that yes we replace Amla. .

Agreed; we really should have done it this series imo.

Hindsight says we underrated SL, but nonetheless feels like a sensible thing to do.