***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Redbacks]

would sooner pick benchmark00 than morgan

 

[Howe_zat]

Why is it suddenly fashionable to bash Morgan?

I don't think he should be in the Test side either, but it's not like he's complete trash.

 

[Spikey]

but he is

 

[robelinda]

Paul Harris is picked in the test squad against Australia? And we think our selectors are bad????

Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers (vice-capt), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher (wk), JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

 

[Howe_zat]

Rudy

Edit: Just seen they've picked 14 players. Odd.

 

[Furball]

Yes, without a doubt.

It's nowhere nead as clear cut as that. His bowling wouldn't be a factor, he's not a better opener than Strauss, and he's dire against spin.

 

[Howe_zat]

His bowling would be a factor. And while I don't know about whether he's a better bat than Strauss these days, every criticism you've made of him opening in this thread can be applied to Strauss as well. He's becoming a 50-and-out merchant too.

 

[Spikey]

man the breaks between matches is just absurd

 

[Furball]

His bowling would be a factor. And while I don't know about whether he's a better bat than Strauss these days, every criticism you've made of him opening in this thread can be applied to Strauss as well. He's becoming a 50-and-out merchant too.

The reason Strauss escapes criticism is because he isn't batting above a weak middle order that's collapsing in a heap all the time, he's batting with guys churning out big runs and hundreds for fun. 50 and out from your opening batsman in that situation is acceptable. Watson's doing a good job most of the time seeing off the new ball but isn't really advancing Australia's score anywhere before getting himself out. Even if I'd take Watson ahead of Strauss as a batsman, I wouldn't want to lose Strauss' leadership.

And I disagree that Watson's bowling would be a factor; we've got a 4 man attack that's bowling teams out for fun. Watson being in the side would risk taking overs away from a better bowler.

 

[Ruckus]

Paul Harris is picked in the test squad against Australia? And we think our selectors are bad????

Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers (vice-capt), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher (wk), JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Pretty frightening looking line up. Wonder if they are going to go with Philander over Tsotsobe?

I'll be ****ting my pants if our batsmen are facing Steyn, Morkel, Tahir and Philander. Granted, I haven't seen much of the latter two but their records have to count for something.

 

[Howe_zat]

The reason Strauss escapes criticism is because he isn't batting above a weak middle order that's collapsing in a heap all the time, he's batting with guys churning out big runs and hundreds for fun. 50 and out from your opening batsman in that situation is acceptable. Watson's doing a good job most of the time seeing off the new ball but isn't really advancing Australia's score anywhere before getting himself out. Even if I'd take Watson ahead of Strauss as a batsman, I wouldn't want to lose Strauss' leadership.

Fair enough. I don't think we can really blame Watson for the selectors picking Marcus North and Steve Smith at #6, but i see where you're coming from.

And I disagree that Watson's bowling would be a factor; we've got a 4 man attack that's bowling teams out for fun. Watson being in the side would risk taking overs away from a better bowler.

Mate, come on, we've been bowling Jonathan Trott.

 

[robelinda]

Pretty frightening looking line up. Wonder if they are going to go with Philander over Tsotsobe?

I'll be ****ting my pants if our batsmen are facing Steyn, Morkel, Tahir and Philander. Granted, I haven't seen much of the latter two but their records have to count for something.

Philander is medium pace, awesome record though. Thanks god he isn't Steyn pace, though Steyn has been ambling in so far, I'm sure he'll fire up come the tests.

 

[TT Boy]

Paul Harris is picked in the test squad against Australia? And we think our selectors are bad????

Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers (vice-capt), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher (wk), JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Slim to zero chance Harris will play but he had to be selected as part of an extended squad because he has had a great start to the domestic season and the first test is at Cape Town and the last time Aus played, Harris took a 10 wicket haul. Think Harris has lost his national contract, so a decent performance from Tahir and then Harro is free to go Kolpak.

Decent enough squad. Would go with this...

Smith
Rudolph
Amla
Kallis
Prince
AB
Boucher
Pro
Steyn
Tahir
Morne

 

[Redbacks]

Strauss has a much better 50/100 ratio also.

 

[Ruckus]

Philander is medium pace, awesome record though. Thanks god he isn't Steyn pace, though Steyn has been ambling in so far, I'm sure he'll fire up come the tests.

As much as I fear how Ponting etc. will fare against a Steyn/Morkel level of pace, I fear just as much how all our batsman will go against meticulous line and length bowling, assuming that's what Philander brings to the table.

While the Sri Lankan tour was an improvement, I'm not confident the fishing exercise that was the Ashes is over.

 

[Mike5181]

South Africa really should be number one in the world with the strength of that test sqaud.

1.Graeme Smith (c)
2.Jacques Rudolph
3.Hashim Amla
4.Jacques Kallis- 5
5.AB de Villiers (vc)
6.Ashwell Prince
7.Mark Boucher+
8.Vernon Philander- 3
9.Dale Steyn- 1
10.Imran Tahir- 4
11.Morne Morkel- 2

 

[TT Boy]

Pretty frightening looking line up. Wonder if they are going to go with Philander over Tsotsobe?

I'll be ****ting my pants if our batsmen are facing Steyn, Morkel, Tahir and Philander. Granted, I haven't seen much of the latter two but their records have to count for something.

Copeland averages low 20s in Aus and Philander will be lucky to average the 35+ Copeland averages in tests.

No Rudolph in the A side, so presumably that means he defo plays 1st test. Virus will captain the A side, while JP and Pro will also play in the warm-up, which mean those guys probably won't be playing at Cape Town. Interesting to see Merchant de Lange get fast tracked so quickly, apparently Merchant has some pace.

 

[Spark]

As much as I fear how Ponting etc. will fare against a Steyn/Morkel level of pace, I fear just as much how all our batsman will go against meticulous line and length bowling, assuming that's what Philander brings to the table.

While the Sri Lankan tour was an improvement, I'm not confident the fishing exercise that was the Ashes is over.

I actually think Ponting is a better chance against properly good, quick bowlers like Steyn/Morkel, for the simple reason that he's more likely to actually concentrate against them.

 

[Spark]

Philander is medium pace, awesome record though. Thanks god he isn't Steyn pace, though Steyn has been ambling in so far, I'm sure he'll fire up come the tests.

He's played next to zero cricket in yonks. I'd not read too much into what he's done thus far.

 

[TT Boy]

Copeland averages low 20s in Aus and Philander will be lucky to average the 35+ Copeland averages in tests.

No Rudolph in the A side, so presumably that means he defo plays 1st test. Virus will captain the A side, while JP and Pro will also play in the warm-up, which mean those guys probably won't be playing at Cape Town. Interesting to see Merchant de Lange get fast tracked so quickly, apparently Merchant has some pace.

Didn't even bother to read that Virus was dropped. Oh well. He might be back for the Sri Lanka series then.