Steulen said:
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!
I find it inconceivable that SA's (statistically) second-best batsman of the series will be dropped.
Having picked Boucher in the squad I can't see that they're not planning to play him. If they drop de Villiers that would be inestimatebly harsh.
If they drop Amla that will be acceptible, and much the best for him personally IMO, but may not fill quota desires.
Personally, on pure cricketing merits, I'd pick
Smith
de Villiers
Rudolph
Kallis
de Bruyn (yes, I know, he's not in the squad - but he darn well should be - and he fills the quota too)
Dippenaar
Boucher
Pollock
Boje
I'd not have hesitation dropping Gibbs given his most recent 3 Tests, he looks like he's totally lost it. Given Herschelle's past, though, you can't rule-out him playing and getting 150.
Also rather worrying that the only option if Langeveldt is not fit is the recall of Mr. Steyn... just when they looked like they were realising that bowlers who haemorrage runs aren't the way to go.