South Africa team selection

[StephenZA]

Yeah just enjoy it for what it is. Nice entertainment every now and then. That’s how I view the games.

I like to keep an eye to see how the players are performing, seeing who is doing well. But T20 is everything I don't like about cricket. Its the part of the game I'm not interested in. I watch cricket because I enjoy the long term skills, the move and counter move over a day over a few days. The changing of the conditions the changing of the balls, the fact you can recover when then don't go well... watching a batsmen see off a great bowling spell, watching a bowler produce a great bowling spell. Knowing the jobs not done yet, until you have bowled them out a second time. Until you've conquered the 4th/5th day pitch.

None of that exists in T20 and the little of that in the ODIs has pretty much gone away for flat feather bed cricket.

 

[Stefan9]

The mentality is still extremely disappointing.
Knew we would lose when I saw Aiden's face when losing the toss.

We simply lack players with real BMT. It has been an issue for generations and continues in white ball games.

 

[Bahseph]

The mentality is still extremely disappointing.
Knew we would lose when I saw Aiden's face when losing the toss.

We simply lack players with real BMT. It has been an issue for generations and continues in white ball games.

Something about those LO knockouts hey. I’d argue we have BMT in Tests.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

The mentality is still extremely disappointing.
Knew we would lose when I saw Aiden's face when losing the toss.

We simply lack players with real BMT. It has been an issue for generations and continues in white ball games.

They dont play the same style all the way through and thats what I dont like

Its T20 , why the **** do you need to be conservative when the pressure is on ?

And not having more spin options in Asian conditions was always going to bite us outside Ahmedabad

 

[Stefan9]

Something about those LO knockouts hey. I’d argue we have BMT in Tests.

In test matches there generally is time to process and comeback. We are good at that. In White ball knockout games you have to be on point every moment.

 

[Heboric]

Oh geez

 

[Heboric]

My faith in some journalists have been restored. At least some are not just trying to cater to the lowest common denominator and are just looking for the cheap hits.

 

[StephenZA]

The mentality is still extremely disappointing.
Knew we would lose when I saw Aiden's face when losing the toss.

We simply lack players with real BMT. It has been an issue for generations and continues in white ball games.

It amazes me how few players exist with BMT.... because apparently BMT only exists in WC knockout phases. Outside that no player has BMT.

 

[Stefan9]

It amazes me how few players exist with BMT.... because apparently BMT only exists in WC knockout phases. Outside that no player has BMT.

The greatest of the great perform on the biggest stage. Whether fair or not for sport that is the world cup. That is how players are judged.

Does anyone care that mallet's Springbok team went on a world record run? When greatest Springbok teams gets discussed its world cup winners who take precedence, no one cares what their record in between world cups were, its what happened when it mattered that counts.

No one cares that Ireland were nr.1 ranked for years. All that is remembered is they fell flat in the quarters consistently.

Same for Belgium and Portugal's so called golden generation of footballers.

 

[StephenZA]

The greatest of the great perform on the biggest stage. Whether fair or not for sport that is the world cup. That is how players are judged.

Does anyone care that mallet's Springbok team went on a world record run? When greatest Springbok teams gets discussed its world cup winners who take precedence, no one cares what their record in between world cups were, its what happened when it mattered that counts.

No one cares that Ireland were nr.1 ranked for years. All that is remembered is they fell flat in the quarters consistently.

Same for Belgium and Portugal's so called golden generation of footballers.

I just disagree that the only big stage in cricket is a WC... If you ask me is BMT winning a knockout WC match on a day or is BMT winning a series in Aus I know which one I`m considering a higher achievement.

That doesn't mean that the SA players haven't struggled in WC, I just think saying players lack BMT because we haven't won a WC is poor. It not a true reflection of the problem or the players.

I do think that the natural conservative tendencies in South African's in general is not great for LO cricket but helps our rugby teams.

 

[Stefan9]

I just disagree that the only big stage in cricket is a WC... If you ask me is BMT winning a knockout WC match on a day or is BMT winning a series in Aus I know which one I`m considering a higher achievement.

That doesn't mean that the SA players haven't struggled in WC, I just think saying players lack BMT because we haven't won a WC is poor. It not a true reflection of the problem or the players.

I do think that the natural conservative tendencies in South African's in general is not great for LO cricket but helps our rugby teams.

Test cricket might matter more to us connoisseurs of the game but in the general public view its the world cups that matter. Which brings more scrutiny and more pressure .

In a test series or even a one test there is time to comeback. That isn't the case in white ball cricket. So you need to be mentally on it at all times.

The public also see the differences. They hardly ever see a Springbok side collapse under pressure. They may lose but never panic. While unfortunately there has been many occasions when a Proteas side look like rabbits caught in headlights.

 

[Dendarii]

They hardly ever see a Springbok side collapse under pressure. They may lose but never panic.

I think losing 57-0 to the All Blacks counts as collapsing under pressure. Although that was back in 2017, and a lot has changed since then.

 

[Stefan9]

I think losing 57-0 to the All Blacks counts as collapsing under pressure. Although that was back in 2017, and a lot has changed since then.

That wasn't a world cup game. They turned that around with Erasmus by claiming the world cup 2 years later.

 

[TT Boy]

Back in action next week against NZ. That series will be even more flat and pointless if the Blackcaps lose on Sunday. For their sins—and if there are airspace issues—the Proteas could simply send the current squad straight to New Zealand to play their C team. Since Maharaj, Linde, and Smith are already scheduled to go, a few other players should join them, unless they are contractually required to be with their franchises days before the IPL starts.

 

[Heboric]

I think losing 57-0 to the All Blacks counts as collapsing under pressure. Although that was back in 2017, and a lot has changed since then.

That time we were losing to anyone with a pair of boots

 

[mackembhoy]

Not cricket related but what a beaut of a football shirt you guys have!!!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2029623587234099261

 

[GRAB]

Not cricket related but what a beaut of a football shirt you guys have!!!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2029623587234099261

Eh, still want the mid-90s era shirts: https://retrofootballza.co.za/product/bafana-bafana-home-1996/

 

[Dendarii]

Not cricket related but what a beaut of a football shirt you guys have!!!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2029623587234099261

Unfortunately, that's the away shirt. In my opinion it should be the home one as I'm a traditionalist who believes that South Africa's colours are green and gold (I'm the biggest fan of the T20 strip for that reason). Although I will concede that the mid 90s shirts had their own character.

 

[honestbharani]

Test cricket might matter more to us connoisseurs of the game but in the general public view its the world cups that matter.

This is very much true, speaking as an Indian. Our test side is as low as it has been in the recent past (potentially lower than even the dark days of 2011-12) and yet there is enormous positivity around the team coz of how well we are doing in white ball and in the WCs.

 

[honestbharani]

Not cricket related but what a beaut of a football shirt you guys have!!!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2029623587234099261

That really could be their cricket jersey too. Looks great.