Proteas 'a bunch of losers'

[stepper]

http://www.news24.com/News24/Columnists/Jon_Qwelane/0,6119,2-1630-1633_1914213,00.html

ANother good one from JQ


Jon Qwelane

We in this country are a bunch of losers, born losers, and we seem proud of it.

And because cricket is mainly a sport with a large white following and big financial sponsorship by large white-led businesses, I suspect that is the reason we have not yet heard Arnold Makhenkhesi Stofile, the minister of sport, telling cricket authorities to get their house in order or he will do it for them.

Neither has Thabo Mbeki told the Proteas that they lack dedication and are not proud enough of their country, in comparison to the youth of 1976.

Not that I want him to say such things to people still licking their wounds and skulking around with their tails between their hind legs, but the silence of the two usually voluble politicians has been deafening.

Mercifully, a broken finger seems to have become stuck in captain Graeme Smith's ever-blabbing mouth; we have not yet heard his excuses for the humiliating whitewash by Australia on home soil.

And the loudmouth does have excuses galore, except to own up to the fact that ours is a very poor side indeed.

'Just a fluke'

A few weeks ago, after that fluke victory, since dubbed "the greatest game in cricket history", I told a rather jubilant friend that it was just that: a fluke.

His response was to tell me that in two or three years, the current side will be the world's "greatest".

But, even given the fact that one-day cricket is far removed from the five-day version, one should have been able to expect a decent showing from the players in the Test series, but that did not happen.

When the rugby Springboks were showing no signs of emerging as a cohesive, competitive machine from the doldrums, the ever meddlesome Stofile kicked in and helped engineer the downfall of Brian van Rooyen. He was the one fellow who boldly stood up to the nonsense of the racists and their financial blackmail.

Within a few weeks, the national football team was thoroughly humiliated in Egypt, where they failed to score a single goal.

True to form, Stofile and his boss, Mbeki, laid it on very thick and the former let it be known that he did not want lacklustre interim coach Ted Dumitru.

If anyone had any doubts about political interference in sport, these were surely removed by the pronouncements of the two politicians.

Dumitru bit the dust, and hopefully we shall not hear anything about him again.

This sounds self-contradictory, but it is not. The meddlesome politicians jumped in opportunistically when the teams were not performing.

The cricket authorities cannot claim to be unaware of the mammoth rot in the game, unless they are hoping for Stofile to climb on them with his gumboots on.

And while we are still at it, someone please tell Smith to keep his mouth on holiday; at least his nauseating gum chewing keeps him quiet.

[JStrike]

Ha, so true.

I still feel that the Proteas have a lot of potential, but they really, really need to get their act together

[killadoob]

graeme smith needs to talk less crap and concentrate on the game at hand

big mouthed idiot
get him out of the team and we will be good again

atleast the aussies have big mouths but also can back it up
smith is just loud mouthed and nothing to back it up

looser

[louisp]

Compared to our National Soccer Team, the Cricket team is top elite!!!

At least we are in the top 10 nations in the world. At least they qualify for the world cup.

But, sad as it might be, there is reason for concern... But the Aussies are really good. If you speak to them, they will tell you that they had to produce all the goods to beat us here on home soil.

Why should reporters always take a story to an extreme?? Stick to the facts man

[Drone 42]

I think this guy is a idiot. He doesn't know what he is talking about. Yes they lost the test series and let us down but those things happen. The SA cricket team are still one of the best teams in the world. Not like bafana bafana. They can't even score a goal against other African countries lets not even talk about winning a game. I'm glad they did not make the world cup it would have been a embarrassment, the big boys would have killed them!

[hj2k_x]

I think this guy is a idiot. He doesn't know what he is talking about. Yes they lost the test series and let us down but those things happen. The SA cricket team are still one of the best teams in the world. Not like bafana bafana. They can't even score a goal against other African countries lets not even talk about winning a game. I'm glad they did not make the world cup it would have been a embarrassment, the big boys would have killed them!

i am with u man.

whilst the 3-0 series whitewash was a disgrace, to even think about comparing the joke that is bafana bafana with the proteas is just laughable.

Losign 3-0 at home to the best test team in the world is certainly not comparable to losing all your nations cup games to frankly awful african teams.

Writing off the 438 game as a fluke is also fairly ridiculous and typifies this county's negative attiitude towards all its sports teams.

Sure, there are things wrong with the proteas right now, u'd be an idiot not to admit it, but with smith not captaining in the last game the side looked much better to me, and we even nearly won that one.

Our attitude has to change when playing the 5 day game. We always seem to go into a game hoping for a draw and anything more than that is a bonus.

We should take a page out of the aussies book in this regard and go for the win no matter what the circumstances. How much worse could it have been if we had actually gone out there and tried to win the series instead of save it the whole time? Doesnt get much worse than 3-0...

[mccrack]

<rant>

What carp are you on Drone?

When was the last time South Africa won a test series excluding
Zimbabwe, Bangladesh & West Indies?

You have too stretch your mind back a few years.

South Africa are the better without Smith @ the helm.

Tests

LOST: Aus in South Africa
LOST: Aus in Australia
LOST: India in India
LOST: ENG in South Africa
WON: Zimbabwe in South Africa
WON: West Indies in South Africa
LOST: Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka
LOST: Pakistan in Pakistan
DRAW: NZ in NZ
WON: Bangladesh in Bangladesh

I believe we drew in ENG against ENG as well, cant find the stats on that series.

South African cricket is spinning downards out of control.

Where are we lying now? Remember at one stage we were a close 2nd to AUS.

1 Australia
2 England
3 India
4 Pakistan
5 New Zealand
6 South Africa
7 Sri Lanka
8 West Indies
9 Zimbabwe
10 Bangladesh

Aaah, 6th ..... Please also note that if Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in the current series South Africa slips too 7th out of 10 Test playing countries.

Yes.... everything is fine and dandy in South African Cricket.

One of the best? I think not.

</rant>

[stepper]

Compared to our National Soccer Team, the Cricket team is top elite!!!:) No comment


At least we are in the top 10 nations in the world. At least they qualify for the world cup.Oh, please there are only 10 Test playing nations and about 6 affiliate countries/members. Thats no achievemnet to me...




Why should reporters always take a story to an extreme?? Stick to the facts manHe did stick to the facts..Proteas are chokers!!!

[hj2k_x]

What carp are you on Drone?

When was the last time South Africa won a test series excluding
Zimbabwe, Bangladesh & West Indies?

You have too stretch your mind back a few years.

South Africa are the better without Smith @ the helm.

Tests

LOST: Aus in South Africa
LOST: Aus in Australia
LOST: India in India
LOST: ENG in South Africa
WON: Zimbabwe in South Africa
WON: West Indies in South Africa
LOST: Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka
LOST: Pakistan in Pakistan
DRAW: NZ in NZ

EDIT: All this under Smith.

Fair enough.

Surely this just goes to support the idea that smith is the root of most if not all of the proteas problems?

[mccrack]

Previous post edited :D

Smith is a part of it.

But @ the end of the day he's just a puppet for the headless chicken that is the UCB.

[hj2k_x]

Previous post edited :D

Smith is a part of it.

But @ the end of the day he's just a puppet for the headless chicken that is the UCB.

Thanks for the stats. Point made. Get rid of Smith as captain( he is quite a fine player on his day) and then we can talk again :)

[mccrack]

:D

Smith is a good batsmen, given if he returns too the form he showed when he started his international career. As a captain no.

It's also my opinion that we're hanging onto too many stars of yesteryear in the test squad. Gibbs in the tests is not consistent, pollock although still a great line and length bowler hardly takes wickets.

Now is as good a time as ever too blood some new players, i mean, really, we cant really sink any lower in the rankings.

[hj2k_x]

Now is as good a time as ever too blood some new players, i mean, really, we cant really sink any lower in the rankings.

Agree about gibbs in the tests, but not about pollock.

Now is the time to blood the youngins. Oz seem to have managed this without letting their performances slide at all....

[web]

I dont think anything great is expected of our soccer team thats why there is not too much bitching when they dont achieve. No one really expects them too.

But people do expect results from our cricket and rugby and the money they earn they should produce.

[mccrack]

Yeah, the thing with Pollock that i still rate is his line and length, he keeps it tight and creates pressure which Ntini exploits on the other end, very similar to McGrath. Nel had a terrible come back after injury (injured again), i'd personally prefer he talk with the ball rather than his mouth on the field.

Mac is doing well this season along with Amla, Duminy, Steyn on the bowling front. I think there are some very complacent players in the SA side... bring in some youngsters too show the seniors they can be replaced.

[hj2k_x]

Mac is doing well this season along with Amla, Duminy, Steyn on the bowling front. I think there are some very complacent players in the SA side... bring in some youngsters too show the seniors they can be replaced.

That is true.

As for nel, at least you have to admit he has passion and is proud to be playing for his country! :) Although in this last game, he really let his emotions get the better of him, and it cost us.

[dominic]

meanwhile

Australia 145 for 6 trail (Gilchrist 51*) trail Bangladesh 427 (Saleh 67, MacGill 8-107) by 282 runs

:eek: aus need 82 to avoid following on against bangladesh

...looks like one of our *safe* wins might be not so safe anymore

/gonna hold off comment until i see that we do vs new zealand...imho all that can be said for now is that we suck compared to aus

[hj2k_x]

meanwhile

Australia 145 for 6 trail (Gilchrist 51*) trail Bangladesh 427 (Saleh 67, MacGill 8-107) by 282 runs

:eek: aus need 82 to avoid following on against bangladesh

...looks like one of our *safe* wins might be not so safe anymore

/gonna hold off comment until i see that we do vs new zealand...imho all that can be said for now is that we suck compared to aus

Wow. So much for the aussies seemless transition from old team to new young team then...:p

[stepper]

I dont think anything great is expected of our soccer team thats why there is not too much bitching when they dont achieve. No one really expects them too.

Huh, say you dont expect much don't say people aren't disappointed with their results. Do u watch news or read newspapers or read any local online news sites.

Cos apperently people care about the soccer team.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=2823&art_id=vn20060202071821223C221141

http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Soccer/0,,2-9-840_1873419,00.html

nxxx

[killadoob]

remember one thing about bangladash guys they are gonna be good in a couple of years

big population and lots of cricket camps, they will a sri lanka pakistan in no time

i dont know why we play so badly but for one i think we cant handle spin
we are also negative dont look to score fast enough like aussies do

we need to go and play tests like one dayers

stop this block block block BS

our problem in soccer is its not a big thing in this country everyone playes cricket or rubgy

or support english clubs lol

i mean when i was in std 6 at randpark ridge some 10 years ago they didnt even have soccer as a sport to play

[nivek]

mmm SA definately arent chokers.. maybe in the tests but to call that ODI a fluke is lame.. We also won 2 other games in that series to win it.. we didnt do too badly in the Aus ODI's, and we probably would've raped if we had our best bowlers there but we never.. and we never went down without a fight either.. It was always neck and neck towards the finals

SA is still the #2 ODI team and i dont think chokers make that spot ??

but yea we suck at the tests :P but who cares, they boring as hell anyway..

Did anyone see the "Rest of SA vs NZ" game? according to the stats we did pretty well! they should put Ontong in the test team.. he put on two good scores in both innings..

[mccrack]

but yea we suck at the tests :P but who cares, they boring as hell anyway..

Did anyone see the "Rest of SA vs NZ" game? according to the stats we did pretty well! they should put Ontong in the test team.. he put on two good scores in both innings..

I disagree about Ontong, i dont believe he is international quality let alone
the quality we need at provincial level.

First Class Batting Average: 36.65 (80 games played)
First Class Bowling Average: 45.28

ODI Batting Average: 8.90 (21 games played)
ODI Bowling Average: 44

Test Batting Average: 19 (2 Tests played)
Test Bowling Average: 133

As his "batting" track record suggests, he is nothing special.

If we need to draft in a young talented batsmen rather look @ Duminy who is averaging just under 55 in Provincial Level.

PS. Test cricket is real cricket :D