Mzansi Super League 2019

[StephenZA]

Oh and it is no surprise to find that Morkel, Tahir and Steyn are top 3 wicket takers.

I seriously wonder if Steyn pulled the trigger on retirement a touch early seeing him bowl.

 

[SeamUp]

Marco Marais will be in the SA limited overs teams within the next year. No one else like him in SA cricket at the moment. Would start T20 straight in. 50-overs - want to see him do it for the Warriors.

 

[Bahseph]

Agree on Steyn. Although his retirement was probably more about his fitness than his skill level. I'm still excited to see him in our LO games.

I've managed to watch a game or two a week. I've been really impressed with certain players. Marais is a stand out. Just a wonderful hitter. And it's not slogging. Fortuin and Keshav have been good. I'd be tempted to go with them over Shamsi moving forward. Especially because his batting and fielding are lacking.

Bavuma's captaincy has not been great imo. Especially with the players he has had at his disposal. Hopefully that kills any idea of him being a Protea captain any time soon.

One observation that I made is that I think Faf really does back Pretorious as a player. Seeing how he uses him at Paarl Rocks makes me understand why he is always in and around the national team.

 

[Heboric]

Oh and it is no surprise to find that Morkel, Tahir and Steyn are top 3 wicket takers.

I seriously wonder if Steyn pulled the trigger on retirement a touch early seeing him bowl.

I duuno man.

Not the last game but the game before Dale was holding his side and he claims it was a 'surfing' niggle.

So I am not sure how he would last. But skill wise, still has it in spades

 

[StephenZA]

#nostalgia

 

[StephenZA]

The rain really has not helped this Mzansi league. Even the weather is against SA cricket at the moment.

 

[SeamUp]

Not regulars in our T20 team but think these6 have shown potential to push for the international T20 team.

Janneman Malan
Matthew Breetzke
JJ Smuts
Wiaan Mulder
Pite van Biljon
Marco Marais

Fast bowlers is less easy. Say Steyn, Rabada, Ngidi, Morris are the preferred. The rest isn't as easy to pick for this format. Either a combination of wicket-taking ability but leaking runs or lack wicket-taking ability but not going leaking runs at alarming rate but nothing stand-outtish.

Stats wise for seamers.

Steyn 15 @ 15.13 @ 7.09
Dala 12 @ 23.83 @ 10.59
Magala 11 @ 24.18 @ 8.22
Morkel 10 @ 11.80 @ 6.00
Morris 10 @ 24.50 @ 7.46
Ngidi 9 @ 18.22 @ 8.20
Wahab 9 @ 19.22 @ 7.06
Rabada 8 @ 27.25 @ 8.33
Udana 8 @ 27.25 @ 8.12
Olivier 7 @ 25.28 @ 10.41
Siboto 7 @ 26.00 @ 9.17
Phehlukwayo 6 @ 26.83 @ 10.06
Nortje 6 @ 38.00 @ 8.65
Viljoen 6 @ 45.83 @ 10.24
Burger 5 @ 29.40 @ 7.41
Curran 5 @ 37.40 @ 9.35
Abbott 5 @ 41.40 @ 9.40
B.Hendricks 4 @ 39.75 @ 10.60
D.Pretorius 3 @ 19.00 @ 6.33

Coetzee, Jansen and Dupavillon haven't bowled enough due to injuries or injury recovery in the competition.

Spinners

Tahir 14 @ 14.42 @ 5.94
Shamsi 12 @ 18.00 @ 7.20
Fortuin 8 @ 24.50 @ 6.53
vd Merwe 7 @ 16.57 @ 6.56
Linde 5 @ 23.60 @ 9.07
Phangiso 5 @ 28.40 @ 7.04
Maharaj 5 @ 30.40 @ 6.60
Smuts 5 @ 33.40 @ 6.63

Linde can travel which is the concern. if he could find a way to get more consistency in his all-round game he would be a serious limited overs option. Fortuin doesn't spin but his accuracy is pretty good.

 

[SeamUp]

Basically top 3 spots between 4 teams.

NMB Giants , Paarl Rocks , Tshwane Spartans & Durban Heat

Think NMBG look the most complete although you think Tshwane Spartans has another gear.

 

[SeamUp]

Verreynne is one of those unassuming run scorers. It just collects up. Nothing flashy and not a big hitter. You hope it doesn't continue to count against him like it did in the winter and was only a late addition to the SA A limited overs team.

 

[slippy888]

Should be a easy run chase for the giants

 

[StephenZA]

Breetzke still concerns me. Highly talented by still to many injudicious shots.

 

[slippy888]

Bowling is steady the giants dig themselves into trouble

 

[slippy888]

what a fail innings from marais this unreal

 

[Tom Flint]

Doesn't help his partner keeps smashing the ball at him lol

 

[StephenZA]

Happy Paarl won. Like the final being played in Paarl, better than PE. Will be much better supported.

 

[slippy888]

Doesn't help his partner keeps smashing the ball at him lol

Mandela choked by not sending in morris at 6

 

[SeamUp]

Breetzke still concerns me. Highly talented by still to many injudicious shots.

I agree. Think the talent is obvious but still think he has time. Ended last season (his first season in franchise cricket) in the top 10 for run-scorers in 50-over and T20 cricket but you still felt disappointed which says a bit about the expectations at 20. This season been mixed but he did play crucial innings in helping get his team over the line in the 4-day comp. You feel once it clicks and he knows how to consistently perform he will be fast -tracked to SA team. It could be 12 months but it could be 3 years. He just has the cleanness and variation in scoring areas as well as a technique which will get him in good positions that has future international written all over him.

The process for young cricketer's possibly seems slower than it was in the past. T20 isn't the ideal format but I am glad he is playing with Dunk's, Kuhn's, ten Doeschate's, Behardien's though which he really hasn't got at the Warriors. Probably only really Smuts to look up to. Same with coaches. Maketa and Govender whilst young I do wonder are they Eric Simons. Maybe one day they could be?

Gibbs and Kallis had their own struggles early on in FC and test cricket. But they had that grounding. Came into a WP team that had Desmond Haynes. Gary Kirsten, Brian McMillan, Eric Simons, Craig Matthews, Dave Rundle, Richie Ryall, Meyrick Pringle etc hardened FC cricketers and some successful internationally. Just watching that level of ability perform and be around it was an education. Imagine then out-performing them ? It gave you that much more confidence every time.

 

[Stefan9]

This was a good one from faf.

"‘Hardus is not playing. He is lying in bed with my sister. They got married yesterday,’ Du Plessis told commentator Ed Rainsford in a comical moment before the start of the match."

https://www.sacricketmag.com/faf-hardus-viljoen-is-lying-in-bed-with-my-sister/

 

[StephenZA]

Gibbs and Kallis had their own struggles early on in FC and test cricket. But they had that grounding. Came into a WP team that had Desmond Haynes. Gary Kirsten, Brian McMillan, Eric Simons, Craig Matthews, Dave Rundle, Richie Ryall, Meyrick Pringle etc hardened FC cricketers and some successful internationally. Just watching that level of ability perform and be around it was an education. Imagine then out-performing them ? It gave you that much more confidence every time.

My concern is that he is going to become more a Gibbs and not enough of a Kallis. Gibbs was successful but he should have avg 50+ based on his talent. Unfortunately as much as Gibbs did become better he was always throwing his wicket away and you could never fully rely on him. It will bother me if Breetkze goes the way of Gibbs.

 

[SeamUp]

My concern is that he is going to become more a Gibbs and not enough of a Kallis. Gibbs was successful but he should have avg 50+ based on his talent. Unfortunately as much as Gibbs did become better he was always throwing his wicket away and you could never fully rely on him. It will bother me if Breetkze goes the way of Gibbs.

I get what you saying but I also think we would love another Gibbs. Easily our top 6-8 batsmen since re-admission. He was a player who made us more complete in how he brought things to the table G.Kirsten, Smith, Kallis didn't. He brought a dominating stroke-play that when he produced he made teams fall to the ground and he often played match-winning hundreds.

If Breetzke was to become a Gibbs he would definitely need a G.Kirsten, Kallis , Amla around him though. I think we have a few options there. But in saying that I would love Breetzke to be a Cullinan myself. Mid 40s and a match-winning stroke-maker on his day which was well above average.