2007 NZ tour to SA thread

South Africa 226 & 422/3d
New Zealand 118 & 57/3 (17.0 ov)
 
Seems to me now the black caps need to play against Zim rather! Maybe they need a quota system!
 
Granny Smith is such a *****! 1 & 9 and now he's complaining about the state of SA pitches. I wish he'd just STFU and play the game. In fact, I wish he'd just get dropped from the team.
What a chop !
 
So you dont think he has a point regarding our pitches over the last two years?

Many people have said exactly that over the last year or so. Our pitches is not the same as they use to be.

Smith wont get dropped from the team. Except for Kallis, he has the best stats of all the batsmen. He appears on just about every list of batting achievements and he is only 26. You might not like him (I dont) but he is a very good cricketer and will be one of the greats (stat and achievement wise, maybe not as everyones favorite person) in the years to come.
 
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Good for him. A test match ending half way through day 4 doesn't do much good for anyone. Players, spectators, sponsors, etc.
 
Smith unhappy with quality of pitches in South Africa

"Wickets around the country are becoming poorer. In the last two years it's become more difficult to find decent Test wickets in South Africa. If we're going to take our game forward we need to take note of those things. I think it's important that we have really good wickets so that our young players can really learn to bowl on a good pitch."
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Nowhere does he mention his own form.
 
Well maybe playing on bad pitches will make the bowlers and batsmen better.
Its like Vaas, he bowls on crap pitches, give him a good pitch and he can take 8 wickets.
 
derekc said:
Well that's just one test match...He averaged 60+ when he was in Pak and seems like everyone forgets about that. He's maturing as a captain now. Not talking crap anymore and making good decisions.
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I am not the one doubting his form or captaincy. :)

McSack seems to think he should be dropped. This, after winning the test and ODI series in Pakistan, as well as thumping New Zealand in the first test match.

:rolleyes:
 
Eish Amla doesnt get a mention for his work? But when he does bad everyone wants to attack him!!
 
McSack said:
Granny Smith is such a *****! 1 & 9 and now he's complaining about the state of SA pitches. I wish he'd just STFU and play the game. In fact, I wish he'd just get dropped from the team.
What a chop !
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Who would you replace Smith with and who would you make captain ??
 
McSack said:
Granny Smith is such a *****! 1 & 9 and now he's complaining about the state of SA pitches. I wish he'd just STFU and play the game. In fact, I wish he'd just get dropped from the team.
What a chop !
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my sentiments exactly except i wouldn't want him dropped. i think he is a good captain. if kallis and amla can score 180 then graeme has no excuse.
 
mercurial said:
my sentiments exactly except i wouldn't want him dropped. i think he is a good captain. if kallis and amla can score 180 then graeme has no excuse.
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He never said "I did not score runs casue the pitches were k@k". He did not use it as an excuse. And he has a point. We should prepare pitches that lasts for 5 days.

It is a point that has been raised before, our pitches are not what they used to be. And that is a cause for concern.
 
WonderBob said:
He never said "I did not score runs casue the pitches were k@k". He did not use it as an excuse. And he has a point. We should prepare pitches that lasts for 5 days.

It is a point that has been raised before, our pitches are not what they used to be. And that is a cause for concern.
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well obviously he didn't say that's the reason(that would be too obvious). what would u have said if u were in his position? if u weren't scoring any runs u would also say the pitches are crap(or some other reason), but you would not make it obivous that this is your excuse - no one does that(except kids). it was his excuse, but he said it in an indirect manner. as for preparing pitches for 5 days - that's just impossible. any pitch deteriorates as the match progresses. think of how many deliveries get banged in, in those 5 days. the pitch eventually starts to crack and cracks that were there just get opened up more and more. no pitch can be solid for 5 days. it's just not possible.
 
mercurial said:
well obviously he didn't say that's the reason(that would be too obvious). what would u have said if u were in his position? if u weren't scoring any runs u would also say the pitches are crap(or some other reason), but you would not make it obivous that this is your excuse - no one does that(except kids). it was his excuse, but he said it in an indirect manner. as for preparing pitches for 5 days - that's just impossible. any pitch deteriorates as the match progresses. think of how many deliveries get banged in, in those 5 days. the pitch eventually starts to crack and cracks that were there just get opened up more and more. no pitch can be solid for 5 days. it's just not possible.
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But it should be solid for at least 2 or 3.

Should he have waited a day or two then? Waited until he scored some runs before he mentioned it?

It is a issue that has been raised before. The quality of our pitches it not what it used to be. And no, its not just an issue that Smith raised when he got a couple of low scores.

A couple of years ago, the groundsman were encouraged to prepare pitches that suited spinners more, so that we can start developing our spinners in the local competitions. For many years before that, we prepared awesome pitches that suited fast bowling. Then we try and change that, and now the quality of out pitches is not the same anymore.
 
McSack said:
Neil McKenzie (c), Andrew Hall, Paul Harris, Gulam Bodi, Charl Langeveldt .
:)
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WOW, you seem to have all the answers. Maybe you should be a selector;)

Guaranteed Cricket SA knows a lot more than we do about the players.

Sheesh, everyone's a critic.....
 
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