South Africa and Test openers

[TT Boy]

At the highest level? That's more than I expected, but I really didn't know either way.

Anyway, McKenzie's just missed a big opportunity to cash in, although you couldn't say that opening the batting had much to do with it.

Indeed it was a typical McKenzie dismissal, lunging forward continually does have its drawbacks but despite scoring 23 it was 'good' knock if you can describe scoring such a small figure good. But it was encouraging from a South African perspective to finally see a man who look at ease with his game opening the innings, he was nice and compact and would have been dismissed for 40 odd, if not for the Newlands outfield which deprived him of many a onside boundary.

Considering South Africa tour Bangladesh and India in the near future, having McKenzie at the top wouldn't be the worst idea for himself (what with his problems with pace off the ball) and the team.

 

[Richard]

Northerns had an opener problem, they wanted Rudolph to play because of his bowling, they put two and two together and got him opening. Rudolph then became established within the side due to his batting and thus dictated terms of where he ideally wanted to bat for Northerns and it wasn't opening. Like Human he fixed a problem and since doing that people have naturally assumed he was always an opener, when in reality both men like and always wanted to bat no higher than three. They are essentially as natural to opening as Gibbs, only difference being Gibbs excelled and scored 5,000 test runs and averaged closer to 50 than 40 (not bad for a guy who apparently didn't have the 'technique' to open...) doing a job he started fairly late on in his cricketing career.

Is this Andrew Hall yeah?

 

[TT Boy]

Sorry I thought you were on about Rudolph...

The rationale for Hall opening is pretty simple, his a team man who would play anywhere for his country and the RSA think tank considered that opening in the subcontinent would not be particularly hard for any batsman, let alone Hall, hence the opening gig.

South Africa A have used the same tactic whilst touring the subcontinent in the past, was done again this year and doubtlessly will be done in the future until they discover a core of decent to moderately good openers.

 

[Craig]

Slightly OT, but what is the story with Boeta Dippenaar's name? I know his birth name is Hendrik Human Dippenaar, but goes by 'Boeta'. Is this a nickname in Afrikaans or name from an uncle or grandfather that he went by, similar to Hansie Cronje?

 

[Corli]

Slightly OT, but what is the story with Boeta Dippenaar's name? I know his birth name is Hendrik Human Dippenaar, but goes by 'Boeta'. Is this a nickname in Afrikaans or name from an uncle or grandfather that he went by, similar to Hansie Cronje?

It's more of a nickname. The Afrikaans word for 'brother' is 'broer'. A younger brother might be called 'Boetie' and an older one 'Boeta'. It's usually only used within the family though, I don't know anyone else using it as a name.

 

[Richard]

Slightly OT, but what is the story with Boeta Dippenaar's name? I know his birth name is Hendrik Human Dippenaar, but goes by 'Boeta'. Is this a nickname in Afrikaans or name from an uncle or grandfather that he went by, similar to Hansie Cronje?

Always thought "Hansie" was derivative of "Johannes".

 

[Corli]

Always thought "Hansie" was derivative of "Johannes".

And indeed it is, with "Johannes" probably being the family name.

 

[Craig]

CW - the one place to learn Afrikaans.

 

[Richard]

Well de Villiers wastes yet another chance at the top of the order.

Presume he'll be back at six next Test.