how long before south africa recall boucher?

[Richard]

Its not that much of an issue really, I think it is less of an issue than it has been, but its a shame that Tsolekile has to be so woefully rubbish...

Yet I'm wondering - if there were two white wicketkeepers with better First-Class records (maybe averaging 3 or 4 runs more than Tsolekile), would Tsolekile still have been picked? I can't help thinking he might.

 

[sledger]

well yes....but now that tsolikelie has been sacked why has de villiers been made keeper rather than recall boucher, in fairness to de villiers he looks like a reasonably decent player but it doesnt look as if he is to the standard of boucher.as a keeper or batsman

 

[Tom Halsey]

his replacemnet is not upto the job and considering everyone was in awe of boucher when SA toured englad last year .........

No they were certainly not. The opposite infact. Well, in the eyes of this observer anyway...

 

[savill]

I agree with Tom. I went to see the Trent Bridge test, and Boucher looked like he had no confidence in his keeping at all. He was taking balls on the bounce, and I think at one time they had to have a backstop!

 

[Langeveldt]

I am really excited by De Villiers.. It shoves Boucher even further down the pecking order, but its good for SA cricket to have a battle for places going on..

 

[Richard]

If anyone seriously thinks Boucher is a better batsman than De Villiers they're quite delusional IMO!
De Villiers' keeping has been quite faultless, too - has taken quite a few people by surprise!
It's a shame he can't get into his preferred position of opening, but never mind - he looks like that rare quantity, an opener capable of batting in the middle-lower-order.
Another Alec Stewart, if we're lucky!

 

[Langeveldt]

If anyone seriously thinks Boucher is a better batsman than De Villiers they're quite delusional IMO!
De Villiers' keeping has been quite faultless, too - has taken quite a few people by surprise!
It's a shame he can't get into his preferred position of opening, but never mind - he looks like that rare quantity, an opener capable of batting in the middle-lower-order.
Another Alec Stewart, if we're lucky!

How can you say De Villiers is better than one of the best wicket keeper batsmen of our time (discounting gilchrist of course), based on two tests????

 

[Richard]

I can't - I meant he looks like he could be - perhaps I didn't make that clear.
To me, watching De Villiers bat (and I've not only watched his Tests, I've watched the u19s in 2003 as well) I'd say he's clearly got the potential to be a better batsman than Boucher has ever been.
Looking at his First-Class average helps, too.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

How can you say De Villiers is better than one of the best wicket keeper batsmen of our time (discounting gilchrist of course), based on two tests????

Slip a potential in there and he's got a definite point.
Boucher was a massive underachiever with the bat IMO.

 

[marc71178]

It's a shame he can't get into his preferred position of opening,

If keeping he doesn't want to be opening as well.

 

[marc71178]

(and I've not only watched his Tests, I've watched the u19s in 2003 as well)

The same U19s that you usally say mean nothing?

 

[superkingdave]

Boucher has been recalled for the 4th Test BTW

 

[Steulen]

Which is...kinda weird. Tsolekile dropped..that's one "quota-player".
Langeveldt probably out with his broken hand..that's the second.
Should Boucher play, dropping De Villiers would be ludicrous, so Amla has to go...there's quotaboy #3 gone. Ergo: not going to happen.

So what are the options? Dippenaar out, Amla at 5, De Villiers at 6?
Drop De Villiers? You Cannot Be Serious!

 

[sledger]

well teh recall of boucher is very good for the side,

although dropping de villiers would be a bad move in my opinion, amla should however be sacked, regardless of this quota crap he has been very poor.
but boucher in my opinion is better keeper and batsman that de villiers,

 

[Langeveldt]

If De Villiers is dropped for Tsolekile, I'd like to see the reaction.. It might be so intense that it could give this whole quota thing a serious shove.. I personally would only be too happy to be involved in a boycott of all SA cricket products, test matches and ODI games.. But that wouldn't happen, because people have come to accept it.. Just like Boucher's axeing was accepted..

Langeveldt is no "quota" player, no "token".. He has the stats, has been a success in One day cricket, and has run rings around England all season... Just shows that we don't need any tokens, because cricket is proudly becoming the most multi racial sport in the rainbow nation..

 

[Steulen]

But he is "of colour" and therefore eligible for filling the quota, like Gibbs and Ntini.

 

[shaka]

Nice to see Boucher back in the fold, maybe he'll play as a batsman only, or De Villiers will only bat and Boucher will keep.

 

[Langeveldt]

But he is "of colour" and therefore eligible for filling the quota, like Gibbs and Ntini.

Yeah, of course.. Just trying to quash any thoughts that he might not have been picked on merit..

 

[marc71178]

Boucher has been recalled for the 4th Test BTW

A wierd one that.

Cannot see how with the quota he can play the game, so why pick him?

 

[marc71178]

Nice to see Boucher back in the fold, maybe he'll play as a batsman only, or De Villiers will only bat and Boucher will keep.

If SA pick Boucher as a specialist bat, I for one will be laughing.