Boucher’s successor

[Mike Hoxbig]

AB is an asset in the field and is not the best wicky in the business. It would be ludicrous to keep him behind the stumps in my opinion...

Agreed, it's fine in ODIs and T20s because it opens up another spot in the team. But in tests it's a no-no, you go in with your specialists.

[Lament]

If i was looking at a wicket keeper primarily then Thami would have been a strong contender, but at this day and age, your Wicket keeper needs to be a very good batsman as well, something Thami isn’t, his age is also not counting in his favor.

It will be a costly mistake if the selectors goes his root, hopefully he does the honorable thing (like Enrico January did) and retire from international before his inclusion hurts the entire team.

[TirNaNog]

It will be a costly mistake if the selectors goes his root, hopefully he does the honorable thing (like Enrico January did) and retire from international before his inclusion hurts the entire team.

Who retires early in fear that the selectors may make a mistake selecting them?

[Lament]

AB is an asset in the field and is not the best wicky in the business. It would be ludicrous to keep him behind the stumps in my opinion...

Thats why i would go the "de Kock" route, great keeper but can be selected on his batting alone, he could be the next MS Dhoni (for SA, that is) :P

[Speedster]

I'm not a Thami fan either, nor is he a long term investment but to be honest there really isn't anybody shouting "pick me" at this stage. As for Thami's batting, he averaged close on 60 in this year's SS series so there's obviously been a lot of improvement.

[Lament]

Who retires early in fear that the selectors may make a mistake selecting them?

If you know there are beter options than you and they will serve the team beter, won’t you retire?, or would you be the John Smit?

[Speedster]

If you know there are beter options than you and they will serve the team beter, won’t you retire?, or would you be the John Smit?

And miss out on the big match fees these guys earn? As well as the opportunity to represent your country?

[Speedster]

Thats why i would go the "de Kock" route, great keeper but can be selected on his batting alone, he could be the next MS Dhoni (for SA, that is) :P

Is he the kid who went bezerk for the Lions in the T20's? If he is - WHADAPLAYA!! Saw him in action at Supersport Park and he thumped the Titans boys all over the park.

[Lament]

I'm not a Thami fan either, nor is he a long term investment but to be honest there really isn't anybody shouting "pick me" at this stage. As for Thami's batting, he averaged close on 60 in this year's SS series so there's obviously been a lot of improvement.

Yes, but one season isn’t enough, pull that off for 3-4 seasons and then, and only then can and should he be selected for the national side.
Neil McKenzie has performed well the last 4 seasons but he never gets a call up, wish i knew how these selectors justify their selections

[Mike Hoxbig]

Thats why i would go the "de Kock" route, great keeper but can be selected on his batting alone, he could be the next MS Dhoni (for SA, that is) :P

Dhoni sucks in tests, I certainly don't want another Dhoni And AB in ODIs is way better than Dhoni anyway. But yeah, I would have chosen de Kock as well.

[Lament]

And miss out on the big match fees these guys earn? As well as the opportunity to represent your country?

Well, being 31 he probably has made a pretty penny the last few years

If i was to represent SA i would like to know i’m the best in the country and they need me, but i get what you are saying.

[Devill]

I like AB but his batting takes a dive when he is behind the wickets.

Smith and Kallis need to make room.

Kallis is playing some of the best cricket of his life...

Kallis for another 4 years?
Personal opinion but he is being selfish now, retire on a high, all he needs is a few bad innings and in an important game and he is ruined...

Have a look at the stats... Kallis is playing some of the best cricket of his career, and as long as he can continue being one of the top batsman in world cricket why is he being selfish?

Thami Tsolekile has already been confirmed as his successor, and yeah I'm not happy about it either

Luckly as far as i remember only a one year contract.

AB is an asset in the field and is not the best wicky in the business. It would be ludicrous to keep him behind the stumps in my opinion...

In ODIs and T20s he is great, but in tests you need the specialist. And he is one of the best imo, I have seen very few keepers with the same quality glove work or athleticism in SA.

In tests I feel that he is too much of a "core" batsman to have him keep wicket and as mentioned he has a problem with muscle cramps which cwill not be helped by keeping in tests.

[Lament]

Dhoni sucks in tests, I certainly don't want another Dhoni And AB in ODIs is way better than Dhoni anyway. But yeah, I would have chosen de Kock as well.

You are fussy hey...:-D
Okay, let’s say the ODI Dhoni and the Test Sangakkara :P

[Lament]

Is he the kid who went bezerk for the Lions in the T20's? If he is - WHADAPLAYA!! Saw him in action at Supersport Park and he thumped the Titans boys all over the park.

That's the kid, and he is only 19.....

in 12 first class matches he has taken 54 catches, with 4 stumping’s, 3 hundreds, 5 fifties, average of 63 and a strike rate of 91.

that’s nothing less that unbelievable

[Speedster]

Just a disclaimer on de Kock: he looks a real exciting (explosive) batting prospect but I have no idea what his keeping skills are like, nor do I know how he'll do in the trials of first class cricket. I don't think he's even played a SS game yet - only the CSA provincial challenge.