South Africa team selection

[SeamUp]

Telford also did an article.
Bavuma short and sweet gets to bat another day - Times LIVE



Bavuma is coming across as mature and aware of where he sits at the moment in the team. But do find disturbing the ignoring of de Bruyn as a replacement, even if I would prefer he replaces Duminy.

Bavuma is a top bloke. Well educated at St Davids.

I reckon it will require a loss to make a shake-up. It happened v India and England.

 

[StephenZA]

Bavuma is a top bloke. Well educated at St Davids.

I reckon it will require a loss to make a shake-up. It happened v India and England.

Loss will probably do it... cant see the composition of the team changing any time soon. My guess is that there will be big changes after the next WC. Can see Amla, deVillers, Steyn retiring... probable loss of Cook, Duminy, Faf, Philander and Morkel. So in 2 years time we have to hope all these youngsters have stepped up. If de Bruyn and possibly Olivier have not already got decent match experience SA will struggle for awhile after.

 

[SeamUp]

Loss will probably do it... cant see the composition of the team changing any time soon. My guess is that there will be big changes after the next WC. Can see Amla, deVillers, Steyn retiring... probable loss of Cook, Duminy, Faf, Philander and Morkel. So in 2 years time we have to hope all these youngsters have stepped up. If de Bruyn and possibly Olivier have not already got decent match experience SA will struggle for awhile after.

True. That middle management is important.

Guys like Elgar, Bavuma, de Bruyn, QdK, Rabada, Olivier will have to step up.

 

[SeamUp]

Good article by Rob Houwing as ever -

SA’s Test batting showing cracks

Cape Town - It was always likely to exhibit a certain vulnerability once AB de Villiers announced he was debatably scaling back his volume of Test cricket … and the phenomenon appears to have duly come home to roost to an extent.

Minus the 8 074-run cracking strokeplayer, South Africa’s batting line-up has just begun to struggle in recent Test matches - even if the national side are hardly on a noticeable downer results-wise - to show healthy collective delivery and a sense of broad swagger.

It is cause for at least a mild degree of trepidation among Proteas enthusiasts as the second of three contests against New Zealand begins in Wellington in the early hours of Thursday (SA time).

The first encounter was drawn - sadly from a tantalising, pretty evenly-poised situation - after the fifth day in Dunedin was washed out.

While New Zealand will be impeded themselves by the absence at the Basin Reserve of one of their own most trusted crease kingpins of recent years, now-injured Ross Taylor, the visitors’ brains trust must be just a little anxious about the slightly schizophrenic look to recent SA batting cards in the five-day format.

You could argue with some conviction that the trend has seeped into all of the last three Tests, even if two of them, both at home, still resulted in extremely wide-margin victories against Sri Lanka.

On the most recent occasion against the Black Caps at University Oval, South Africa’s first innings of 308 all out was marked by Dean Elgar, very much an in-form customer, amassing 45 percent of the runs himself (his personal best in Tests of 140).

While there is naturally also some cause for celebrating the very fact that a plucky individual can come to the fore to that extent in times of relative difficulty, three of the batsmen in the SA top four notching a paltry five runs between them is not the healthiest of occurrences.

Indeed, the whole Test ended up being a less than glittering one for the specific trio in question: Stephen Cook got three and nought, Hashim Amla one and 24, and JP Duminy one and then a 39 that might be described as containing “nine lives” along the way.

One Test earlier, against the limited ‘Lankans in Johannesburg, the Proteas only needed to bat once and 426 all out looks a fair-dinkum situation on paper.

But that total also disguises the fact that the innings was characterised by a massive partnership of 292 between the two centurions in it - Duminy 155 and Amla 134.

The rest of the batsmen only scratched together 113 runs between them, although some allowance must be made for a lower-order “push things on” risk-taking factor after the weighty Duminy/Amla alliance had a little belatedly provided a sturdy platform.

The earlier, traditional New Year Test at Newlands, however, also contained some first-knock gremlins by the host nation.

While 392 is an awful lot better than a kick in the teeth, again the scoreboard had a rather “unbalanced” look about it: there were tons from Elgar and Quinton de Kock, but ducks for Cook and Duminy and 10 from Temba Bavuma.

Across the formats on the current New Zealand tour, at least two of the regular SA specialist batsmen in Tests, Amla and Duminy, have been struggling to get to grips with local conditions, a special cause for some fretting when you consider that they occupy prestigious berths three and four in the Test line-up.

Duminy has played eight international innings in the Land of the Long White Cloud, getting 29 in the lone Twenty20 clash, then one, 34, 16, 25 and three in the ODIs, and then his lean combined 40 runs in the first Test.

The veteran, traditionally more domination-inclined Amla, meanwhile, is also finding it unusually hard to catch fire in often chilly New Zealand, having had seven knocks in a row against the Black Caps, across the ODI and Test codes, that have not produced as much as a half-century.

He turns 34 at the end of this month, and could do with a couple of vigils rather closer to his revered, normal service in the remaining pair of Test matches to dispel almost inevitable suggestions - assuming he instead continues to under-deliver - that his powers may be on the wane.

It will surprise this writer if the Proteas, admirably keen on continuity these days and more often than not rewarded for it in the results column, make any changes to the batting department for Wellington, thus leaving the 24-year-old, uncapped Theunis de Bruyn kicking his heels for a bit longer.

But if one or two stuttering individuals again flounder at the Basin Reserve, there will be an increasingly legitimate case for him being pressed into service at Hamilton in the series climax ..

 

[StephenZA]

Pretty much hits the nail on the head.... honestly at our peak (Smith, Kallis, Amla, DeVillers) could not see us getting bowled out for less than 400.... nowadays I`m happy we make 300+. Not new for SA though, except for that period, we always relied on a strong bowling attack and now its the same again. I will say however that Faf and Elgar standing up and QDK coming into the team also making a big difference.

I also think it would be tough on de Bruyn to start his career in Hamilton, if it turns into the raging turning Nagpur copy that everybody is predicting... next series is England though? de Bruyn done any County stints? Don`t think so.

 

[SeamUp]

Since re-admission I've still felt fairly comfortable about our batting even during the Kirsten,Gibbs, Kallis, Cullinan, Rhodes, Cronje , team because whilst the top 4 averaged over 40 only, at least Rhodes, Cronje scored clutch runs in all conditions in a period where fast bowling and spin bowling was king world wide and before that we had some hardened pro's like Wessels, P.Kirsten, McMillan who did/would have averaged 40+ in test cricket.

Those 4 you talk about were awesome for contrasting style and at various stages Gibbs/McKenzie chipped in and Prince saved the odd collapse.

If the idea is to be the best and stay there , then we will need to improve the current batting line-up.

You dead right on de Bruyn. He won't be in the Champions Trophy squad so no doubt will be playing in the SA 'A' games as he will need some exposure to English pitches but I suppose Bavuma hasn't played there either and de Kock only a SA u19 tour ?

But it's all about the timing. Tough on young de Bruyn to debut him at Hamilton or England but sometimes the best just need that opportunity.

South Africa ‘A’ schedule:

Saturday, May 27, 1-day v Yorkshire Headingley, Leeds
Monday, May 29, 1-day v Derbyshire The County Ground, Derby
Thursday, June 1, 1st ODI v England Lions Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Saturday, June 3, 2nd ODI v England Lions Northampton
Monday, June 5, 3rd ODI v England Lions (D/N) Northampton
June 8-11, 4-day v Hampshire Ageas Bowl, Southampton
June 14-17, 4-day v Sussex Arundel (v Duke of Norfolk XI if Sussex in RL playoffs)
June 21-24, ‘A’ Test v Lions The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury

 

[StephenZA]

Since re-admission I've still felt fairly comfortable about our batting even during the Kirsten,Gibbs, Kallis, Cullinan, Rhodes, Cronje , team because whilst the top 4 averaged over 40 only, at least Rhodes, Cronje scored clutch runs in all conditions in a period where fast bowling and spin bowling was king world wide and before that we had some hardened pro's like Wessels, P.Kirsten, McMillan who did/would have averaged 40+ in test cricket.

Those 4 you talk about were awesome for contrasting style and at various stages Gibbs/McKenzie chipped in and Prince saved the odd collapse.

If the idea is to be the best and stay there , then we will need to improve the current batting line-up.

You dead right on de Bruyn. He won't be in the Champions Trophy squad so no doubt will be playing in the SA 'A' games as he will need some exposure to English pitches but I suppose Bavuma hasn't played there either and de Kock only a SA u19 tour ?

But it's all about the timing. Tough on young de Bruyn to debut him at Hamilton or England but sometimes the best just need that opportunity.

I do think that some of those early batting lineups where complimented by having fantastic all-rounders though... obviously Kallis, but also MvMillan, Klusener, Pollock etc coming at 8/9 sometimes helped the batting quite a bit, a bit like Eng now, don`t currently have that. On de Bruyn, has to debut sometime and class will tell.

 

[Marius]

In the early '90s we often suffered from 100/5 syndrome and relied on Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson to bail us out. I wonder if we're in that situation again, and are lucky to have QDK at seven?

But our line-up was beastly six or seven years ago - Smith, Amla at the top of his game, AB, Kallis, etc. As stgjhdjhfbvb says, you always expected us to get 400.

 

[StephenZA]

In the early '90s we often suffered from 100/5 syndrome and relied on Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson to bail us out. I wonder if we're in that situation again, and are lucky to have QDK at seven?

But our line-up was beastly six or seven years ago - Smith, Amla at the top of his game, AB, Kallis, etc. As stgjhdjhfbvb says, you always expected us to get 400.

 

[StephenZA]

Morris sent home... not unexpected really. Cook putting himself under pressure again; and Duminy getting a guaranteed 4 more tests (1 for each wicket)....

 

[SeamUp]

Dale Steyn‏Verified account @DaleSteyn62 4h4 hours ago
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Saw the Doc today
Shoulders good

Coming at ya soon.

 

[SeamUp]

Morris sent home... not unexpected really. Cook putting himself under pressure again; and Duminy getting a guaranteed 4 more tests (1 for each wicket)....

Better that he gets some 50-over cricket for Titans. Missed a lot of cricket with that injury.

 

[SeamUp]

I've come to the thought process that if Cook fails in the next 3 innings we possibly move QdK up to open and bring in Klaasen. Although why would you want to change what is working so well for QdK so that is probably a no.

R. Hendricks, Kuhn and Markram is fighting it out probably as the next opener but whether they either ready or worth investing in is another matter. I hate putting non-openers in like we did but out of all the one's we've done since re-admission Rossouw to me could have worked a charm like Gibbs. I think he could have had a similar impact and would have been a good foil for Elgar.

Whta to do with Amla ? Turning 34. Exaggerated movements from well outside leg (changing mid-series), front-leg being locked and basically getting out on his strength on the mid-wickets flick because of it. Reeza/Theunis could be nice number 3's just that Reeza really needs to prove he is reliable and at 28 the odd beautiful innings isn't enough anymore. He needs to dominate 4-day cricket like his contemporaries Elgar and Rossouw did.

And finally what do we do with JP. Another innings where all looked fine and then gives it away.

Bavuma whilst scoring crucial runs probably needs to do more than what he is doing as well.

It seems we constantly have to talk about them because they not making the position their own like Elgar, Faf and QdK have done in recent times.

 

[StephenZA]

QDK must stay 7. Don`t change a good thing like that not at this stage. I wonder if bringing de Bruyn in at 3 for Duminy and dropping Amla to 4 is an option? I still think that Amlas`s problem is he keeps falling over. Number of soft dismissals where he has just hitting the ball in the air to a fielder, but he is timing the ball well.


I also think that Bavuma is an option to open; such a simple technique and leaves well generally. He keeps getting out when he feels the need to up the scoring rate (pulling especially), he does not need to do that as an opener. Hendricks for me feels more a LO specialist, Kuhn is another stopgap like Cook. So if we have to then it is Markram, but as you say giving him 2/3 seasons at FC level would be good.


But one change at a time. Keep Cook going and bring in de Bruyn for Duminy drop Amla to 4. Then see how the SA 'A' group does in England, possibly send Cook and Amla along with them?

 

[SeamUp]

You just feel you want to correct the wrongs in one go but you right, doing it gradually is the clever thing to do. With Bangladesh later in the year, a few things could be tried as well.

 

[akilana]

Temba and QDK should stay where they are. They complement each other well And bat well under pressure.

Not too early for Markram. Aus and End debuted 20 years olds. He will grow into the role. He is good enough. QDK made his debut early too.

Faf needs to convert his starts into hundreds

Would like to see pretorious in the side at some point.

 

[StephenZA]

Temba and QDK should stay where they are. They complement each other well And bat well under pressure.

Not too early for Markram. Aus and End debutted 20 years olds. He will grow into the role. He is good enough. QDK debutted early too.

Faf needs to convert his starts into hundreds

Would like to see pretorious in the side at some point.

Pretorius is unlikely to ever make the side... Parnell and Morris are almost definitely in front. as allrounders (and probably bowlers) And within 2 years Savage/Mulder/Smith will probably be one of the the go to guys.

 

[SeamUp]

Temba and QDK should stay where they are. They complement each other well And bat well under pressure.

Not too early for Markram. Aus and End debuted 20 years olds. He will grow into the role. He is good enough. QDK made his debut early too.

Faf needs to convert his starts into hundreds

Would like to see pretorious in the side at some point.

Agree that it is never too early. I just like to know whenever batsman walks to the wicket domestically they know they going to score runs and 9/10 times they do. I just don't think Markram is there yet though.

Hopefully he kicks on from the start he has got today.

 

[SeamUp]

Markram made 183 today at the Wanderers

 

[Rasimione]

Makram looks the goods.