South Africa Doom and Gloom Thread

[Marius]

SA cricket seems like it's in a spot of bother at the moment.

Interest in the game seems to be dwindling around the country, our A side and U/19s both just got hammered, and quotas are being increased.

The loss of the Champions Trophy will also hit a number of franchises badly, and the reduction in income after the coup by the Big Three won't help matters either.

On the subject of quotas, I'm not completely opposed to them, but there is an element of racial bean counting in them - from this season in a franchise playing XI only five players can be white, three must be black, and three must be Indian or coloured. Roelof van der Merwe has already left SA cricket, and I would be very surprised if the quotas had nothing to do with this.

Even at club level, teams have to meet quotas. At the National Club Champs teams had to have at least one player of colour, or they had to pay a fine of R10 000 (about 500 pounds at current exchange rates, a hefty blow for a community club).

The team also just seemed flat in Bangladesh and in the series against NZ, I'm worried about the Indian tour, and think England may be slight favourites for the end of year tour.

Hopefully SA cricket is just going through a slump but I'm not feeling all that confident at the moment.

 

[Flem274*]

you're world #1 you're not allowed to make this

 

[kiwiviktor81]

You've been No. 1 or close to it for a long time. This might be the inevitable occasional slide back into the pack.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

SA cricket seems like it's in a spot of bother at the moment.

Interest in the game seems to be dwindling around the country, our A side and U/19s both just got hammered, and quotas are being increased.

The loss of the Champions Trophy will also hit a number of franchises badly, and the reduction in income after the coup by the Big Three won't help matters either.

On the subject of quotas, I'm not completely opposed to them, but there is an element of racial bean counting in them - from this season in a franchise playing XI only five players can be white, three must be black, and three must be Indian or coloured. Roelof van der Merwe has already left SA cricket, and I would be very surprised if the quotas had nothing to do with this.

Even at club level, teams have to meet quotas. At the National Club Champs teams had to have at least one player of colour, or they had to pay a fine of R10 000 (about 500 pounds at current exchange rates, a hefty blow for a community club).

The team also just seemed flat in Bangladesh and in the series against NZ, I'm worried about the Indian tour, and think England may be slight favourites for the end of year tour.

Hopefully SA cricket is just going through a slump but I'm not feeling all that confident at the moment.

So overall is this good or bad for English cricket?

 

[Marius]

You guys are probably right. I suppose the Aussies went through a bad slump after dominating for years (and look at WI now).

But the trend at domestic level and below the national side doesn't look great.

 

[Marius]

So is this good or bad for English cricket?

Good for NZ and English cricket I think.

I actually know of a guy at my club who has just moved to NZ to play club cricket there. Is apparently an amazing leg spinner, but doesn't see a cricketing future for himself in SA.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Good for NZ and English cricket I t5hink.

I actually know of a guy at my club who has just moved to NZ to play club cricket there. Is apparently an amazing leg spinner, but doesn't see a cricketing future for himself in SA.

I don't know. I got my hopes up with Wagner. Thought he would be something special. Best South African import for me personally in New Zealand is still biltong (and chilli bites) which are really made locally, just like BJ.

 

[kiwiviktor81]

I had high hopes with Wagner as well, thought he'd be a poor man's Hadlee going by his FC stats. As it is he's about Chris Martin level. Which is nice, but it's not going to take us to No. 1.

A strong South Africa might be good for NZ because the big three are going to band together and play lots of 5 match series against each other. This will mean the BCs have plenty of opportunity to play SA in 5 match series if we want to. So playing against a strong SA all the time will eventually mean we'll be nearly as good - see Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

 

[Flem274*]

the pair of you never fail to deliver. just stahp.

let the saffies have their own doom thread ffs. lifes tough when you're #1 in the test rankings.

 

[kiwiviktor81]

the pair of you never fail to deliver. just stahp.

let the saffies have their own doom thread ffs. lifes tough when you're #1 in the test rankings.

I was honestly trying not to bring NZ into it, but Marius beat me to it and there was nothing else to talk about.

 

[OverratedSanity]

From South Africa doom and gloom => Neil Wagner in 6 posts. Amazing.

CW Six degrees of NZ cricket- courtesy CaptainGrumpy and kiwiviktor.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Good for NZ... cricket I think.

I actually know of a guy at my club who has just moved to NZ to play club cricket there. Is apparently an amazing leg spinner, but doesn't see a cricketing future for himself in SA.

From South Africa doom and gloom => Neil Wagner in 6 posts. Amazing.

CW Six degrees of NZ cricket- courtesy CaptainGrumpy and kiwiviktor.

CW Five degrees of NZ cricket courtesy of Marius. From South Africa doom and gloom to NZC in 5 reply posts. Amazing.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

I had high hopes with Wagner as well, thought he'd be a poor man's Hadlee going by his FC stats. As it is he's about Chris Martin level. Which is nice, but it's not going to take us to No. 1.

A strong South Africa might be good for NZ because the big three are going to band together and play lots of 5 match series against each other. This will mean the BCs have plenty of opportunity to play SA in 5 match series if we want to. So playing against a strong SA all the time will eventually mean we'll be nearly as good - see Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

No, there is a #1 exception to the big 3.

If a team is #1 that is not part of the big 3, that said team will be invited to play many big series with the big 3 as the big 3 strive for relevance. Its not novel - see West Indies when they were #1 - World Series Cricket for example.

 

[Zinzan]

Agree with the others, at least wait until you're no.2 in the test rankings prior to starting a doom & gloom.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

All of you failed to realize this thread is a precautionary measure

 

[Marius]

Stop coming at me with 'facts', and just let me wallow.

 

[Marius]

Don't I look stupid now.

 

[StephenZA]

Don't I look stupid now.

You were not wrong at the time and SA cricket is pretty resilient overall... but maybe we can get the mods to lock this for now. (until next time or WC!)

 

[andruid]

Well, has no one anything to nope about or has big tournament choking been accepted as part for the course?

 

[StephenZA]

Well, has no one anything to nope about or has big tournament choking been accepted as part for the course?

Everything pretty much went as expected... nothing more to see here.