Prince loses his crown

[medicnick83]

Okay, by now, we've all heard about this.

I just have 1 question;

Do you think He (Prince) actually cares?

The media are turning this into something huge... this morning in the office, a certain few were saying that the reason they took his 'crown' away was because he isn't white... my reply was "I can't chat to you about this" to which they asked why and my reply was "you're a f'ing idiot"

I personally think Prince isn't phased at all.

Thoughts?

 

[Stephen]

I heard he wanted to concentrate on his new role as opener and he didnt want the burden of being captain as well

 

[Devill]

I heard he wanted to concentrate on his new role as opener and he didnt want the burden of being captain as well

Sounds believable seeing as it is his first time as opener.

I think he is just happy to have his spot in the team back

 

[stix]

Sounds believable seeing as it is his first time as opener.

I think he is just happy to have his spot in the team back

+1

 

[krycor]

'Kallis takes over captaincy', Omar Henry's explanations

Kallis takes over captaincy
2009-03-12 09:39
Altus Momberg – Die Burger

Cape Town – In a dramatic development the Proteas had to appoint a new captain on Wednesday because Prince felt the twin responsibility of captaincy and opening the batting would be too much. Cricket South Africa thus duly announced on Wednesday afternoon that Jacques Kallis would take the reins.

However, Omar Henry said Prince should not open the batting in any event. It is ridiculous to expect Ashwell Prince to open the batting in the last test against Australia.

Henry, a former convenor of the South African selection committee, said on Wednesday he cannot understand why AB de Villiers, who has a lot of experience opening the batting, is not being asked to perform the role in place of injured captain Graeme Smith.

“There are statistics on Cricinfo that show Smith and De Villiers have been the most successful South African opening pair since 2005. It wasn’t great (an average of 30.69), but South Africa is the most difficult country in the world for opening batsmen to play in,” said Henry.

Prince missed the series in Australia with an injured finger and JP Duminy grabbed his chance with both hands in his absence. Prince then did not make the squad for the first two tests in South Africa. However, the Proteas’ struggles have expedited his return.

He has never opened the batting in test cricket, while De Villiers has done it 35 times (at an average of 36.14). Prince and Imraan Khan will open the batting in the third test at Newlands after Neil McKenzie was axed and Smith broke his right hand.

One should also ask why De Villiers is apparently being wrapped in cotton wool by team management. He is an experienced player with more than 50 tests behind him. However, he is not expected to open the batting or utilised as a wicketkeeper.

Henry, who was replaced by Haroon Lorgat as convenor in 2004, said he felt there had been serious problems with the batting order since the series in Australia.

“We could have lost both the first two tests in Australia. It was only thanks to a rookie (JP Duminy) and the tail scoring 80% of our runs that we managed to win in Melbourne,” said Henry.

“Everybody was euphoric after the series win, but nobody paused to think whether we still had problems in the batting order.”

Henry would strengthen the batting line-up by making De Villiers the wicketkeeper.

“I know his stated desire is to concentrate on his batting. However, I believe it will be in the team’s interests for him to take the gloves,” said Henry.

“When players are initially picked they are prepared to do anything to stay in the side. It should be the same after 50 tests.”

Henry believes De Villiers will improve the balance of the side by playing wicketkeeper.

“It’s simple. There are three options. You can keep the current side, you can replace Mark Boucher with an additional batsman, or you can replace Boucher with an all-rounder such as Albie Morkel. I don’t think you can argue that the last two options make for a stronger side than is currently the case.”

news24

Brings up some interesting questions.. like the Mckenzie thing I think he was carried to SA detriment because selectors and Graeme Smith knew that after he is sacked its the end of his in & out career with the squad. There really was no other reason to allow him to continue playing.

The De Villiers replacing Boucher issue is another big flare up on teh horizon as I suspect Boucher (& Kallis for that matter) in particular want to make it to the next world cup(50ov) +/-2yrs before retiring and if De Villiers were to replace Boucher it would also be the end of his career as SA wicket keeper.

Tough call on the latter though.. but really this would allow prince back in & give opportunity to have try out for new allrounder/slogger batsmen which SA has been missing without weakening the pure batting or the bowling line up.

Btw am i thinking of someone else or does Imraan Khan(the new cap) bowl spin/medium pace(even if not front line spin)?? Would be wicked if he does and is a good opening pair with Graeme smith. Gah.. and then there is Gibbs who still can win you matches while the others look disappointing..

 

[krycor]

Btw .. why isn't Gibbs in the Test squad?? or is he trying the 50/20 ov only games to extend his career and dominate that form of the game?(which he does seem to be more often these days)

 

[Morgoth]

omg kallis should keep selling sanex and not be the captain, SA cricket is going down the Windies road making your best place ( Lara) your captain, look how he ****ed up their cricket.

 

[krycor]

dude.. its only one match

 

[lilggg]

ooh imran khan in the team,should be intersting.

 

[Morgoth]

dude.. its only one match

its one game! ( yes I am that passionate! )

 

[Devill]

Prince scored 171* IIRC yesterday against the titans, he opened, and it was of 240 odd balls

Goooooo prince!

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

Brings up some interesting questions.. like the Mckenzie thing I think he was carried to SA detriment because selectors and Graeme Smith knew that after he is sacked its the end of his in & out career with the squad.

I disagree. Dropping McKenzie is a bad idea. The guy had an awesome season last year. He seems to be battling against the Aussies but dropping him means he doesn't get the chance to work through this issue.

The South African team did so well last year because the team wasn't chopped and changed. If someone goes through a few tests of bad form you let him work through it. Five average tests shouldn't be grounds for dismissal.

Prince should never have been dropped though. He is a rock in the middle.

 

[elysian]

Btw am i thinking of someone else or does Imraan Khan(the new cap) bowl spin/medium pace(even if not front line spin)??

Yeah, he used to bowl offspin. For some reason he stopped - maybe the pitches aren't that favourable here, so they give up. As did Goolam Bodi after he was injured (when he just made the SA squad).

 

[stefan9]

I disagree. Dropping McKenzie is a bad idea. The guy had an awesome season last year. He seems to be battling against the Aussies but dropping him means he doesn't get the chance to work through this issue.

The South African team did so well last year because the team wasn't chopped and changed. If someone goes through a few tests of bad form you let him work through it. Five average tests shouldn't be grounds for dismissal.

Prince should never have been dropped though. He is a rock in the middle.

Its not a few tests its three series. He had a great season last year but he failed in the home series vs bagladesh and then failed in both series vs Aus. They did stay patient with him, he probably should have been dropped after the series in aus but he didn't take the chance at redemption.

 

[JK8]

I disagree. Dropping McKenzie is a bad idea. The guy had an awesome season last year. He seems to be battling against the Aussies but dropping him means he doesn't get the chance to work through this issue.

The South African team did so well last year because the team wasn't chopped and changed. If someone goes through a few tests of bad form you let him work through it. Five average tests shouldn't be grounds for dismissal.

Prince should never have been dropped though. He is a rock in the middle.

Hahahahahahaha!!!
He should go, he should not even have been in the squad!!!

I hate Kallis being captian. Hope they lose!!!
Khan and Amla should still do well...

 

[OzzieCapie]

Roebuck is not always right, but he is spot on in this (as appeared in this morning's SMH):

Ashwell Prince has been involved in the chaos that has damaged South Africa cricket. A strong, stubborn man already aggrieved to be omitted from the first two Tests of this series, and convinced that others with similar records were regarded as automatic selections, he initially accepted the invitation to captain the side.

He is the official vice-captain. Then he informed the selectors that as acting captain he'd naturally determine the batting order, an entirely reasonable proposition in keeping with tradition. However, the think tank had already decided that he must open. A.B. de Villiers, Hashim Amla and others had been sounded out and none had bitten.

By now Prince was angry. Not only had he been left out of the side, he was being pushed up and down the order at the whim of junior players with less impressive records. To make matters worse, he felt he was being pitted against Imraan Khan for one opening position. What might happen when Graeme Smith came back? Insulted, he agreed to open but not to lead the side. It is a complete mess. Although hot under the collar, Prince is right. He should have been recalled to the middle order and asked to captain the side. Now relations are tense. By all accounts Prince and de Villiers argued loud and long on the field as they played against each other in last week's domestic contests.

My 'emboldened' phrases.

Quite right.

Firstly, vice captaincy and record should have meant that he came back into the team when he was fit. It should have been a choice between Duminy (the one who replaced him) and the underperforming Mackenzie...obviously the latter.
Then he is brought back as stop gap opener...not captain or due to his vice captaincy, which forced them to offer him the captaincy.
Then anyone else coming back as captain (eg Smith) would determine his own position. Smith is not likely to accept number 5, nor Kallis hypothetically opener.
Thirdly, he is not the natural choice for opener anyway. Out of himself, de Villiers, and Amla , devilliers has actually opened many times, successfully too (or better than McKenzie, as I've shown before) and Amla arguably as number 3 also a better choice, but also not the best choice.

For some reason de Villiers can call the shots on where he wants to bat. A player bats where chosen usually, but de Villiers forced them to find another makeshift in McKenzie because he (div) refuses to open.

You don't recall a number 5 v captain to captain the side and then tell him, "sorry you have to open if you want to play, de villiers has seniority in making a choice".

No wonder there are still rumblings of protection of the old guard, even after Pollock has gone.

SA cricket will be better off when Proccie steps aside.