SA tour of India - 2015

[Agent_Smith]

You do remember me saying people would regret forcing Alviro to boom or bust as an opener, and he retired. Again AB not going up the order to create room, meant SA lost one of its best batsmen. He was Lancshire&Lions' gain.

Why isn't the same reasoning applied to QdK then? He really only does well against India, or sides with no great quicks. England quicks felled Australia in Australia.

With Philander probably out injuredI can't see Steyn&Morkel outbowling Jimmy&Anderson who are strictly Test bowlers now. Once England are done QdK, we'll be back to square one - "give Tsolekile a chance"...except he'll be a few weeks older.

If Tsolekile doesn't get picked instead then AB must keep (just like in this series vs India, the innigs will be short). Otherwise I forsee QdK being dropped for Second, Mosehle or whoever else.

Huh? Australia thumped England 5 - 0 in the last Ashes series down under.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Sadly, having Biff or Alviro back would be a short term solution to a long term problem (assuming they even perform). Teams naturally go through low periods when stalwarts retire. Australia battled without Hayden & Langer at the top. India battled without Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman (although that said, India's batting is still their Achilles heal).

We have an amazing local competition and surely we'll unearth a gem or two soon. The thing is to stick with and back whoever you select.

As for the captaincy though... /shrugs

 

[stefan9]

Nothing wrong with Second, but he is a wicket Keeper, Even though i would agree lets drop Vila's for Seconds, what happens to QDK?, Would you rather play Second in place of QDK?. Its a tough call to be honest. Limited overs QDK has proven himself, he failed at test level but only had a brief chance, Seconds has not been given a chance yet....

Reeza on the otherhand, he still has a long long way to go before being considered for the Proteas, Heck, Dane Vilas stats loos better than Reeza's.

How has QDK failed at test level? He hasn't set the world alight in his first 6 games but an average of 33 with 2 50's is hardly failing especially as his keeping was top notch in each game.

Second is not in the same class. Average of 39 compared to QDK average of 46.

 

[sox63]

Sadly, having Biff or Alviro back would be a short term solution to a long term problem (assuming they even perform). Teams naturally go through low periods when stalwarts retire. Australia battled without Hayden & Langer at the top. India battled without Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman (although that said, India's batting is still their Achilles heal).

We have an amazing local competition and surely we'll unearth a gem or two soon. The thing is to stick with and back whoever you select.

As for the captaincy though... /shrugs

When the selectors do that, then they get roasted, like the Vilas issue. The problem is our expectations as fans. IMO this series was the shock to the system we needed to realise our depth is not there. We have had a solid starting 11 for so many years that now that we have lost 3 experienced players, it is not going to be an overnight thing to settle the team.

I am curious to see the squad picked for the England series. One thing for sure, Elgar needs a proper opening bat partner. They are setting up van Zyl and Bavuma for failure if they want them to continue in those roles.

 

[Noob-Noob]

Sadly, having Biff or Alviro back would be a short term solution to a long term problem (assuming they even perform). Teams naturally go through low periods when stalwarts retire. Australia battled without Hayden & Langer at the top. India battled without Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman (although that said, India's batting is still their Achilles heal).

We have an amazing local competition and surely we'll unearth a gem or two soon. The thing is to stick with and back whoever you select.

As for the captaincy though... /shrugs

Its a shame Neil Mckenzie is so old, but still playing at 40

Taking that into account, Smith can be a 6 year solution, not that short term if you ask me

 

[Noob-Noob]

How has QDK failed at test level? He hasn't set the world alight in his first 6 games but an average of 33 with 2 50's is hardly failing especially as his keeping was top notch in each game.

Second is not in the same class. Average of 39 compared to QDK average of 46.

Did you miss the part where I said "he failed at test level but only had a brief chance"

 

[MyBBOutkast]

Then why mention it if it has no bearing?
You know full well it was impossible for any SA player to get in the test XI, no matter what they did.

Then my point about how far he's fallen wouldn't have had the same bite.

You recall I did say the time will come when youngsters Root, Williamson, Smith, Shafiq, Kohli, Safraz, Ali, Matthews etc would be on par with and even overtake AB in Tests. To be honest even if he had played many Tests, it would've been very hard for him batting in #5 to overtake some of those batsmen. Look at the list http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...4;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

Back to the Test, after seeing India bat, I had said the Proteas would get at least 350-400. It's now obvious that reasons other than cricket and the pitch are affecting everyone so we should take it easy on suggesting changes before understanding the full picture.

Same with rugby injured/semi fit players (Steyn, Morkel, Philander, JP) were taken on a tour they had no business being a part of. That uncertainty all the time has not helped at all. Plenty discussion between the coach, captain and senior players (AB&Faf) would have taken place so much that we ended up with Tahir batting and falling when he shouldn't (in the end they've settled on 3.Amla, 4.AB, 5.Faf). Those discussions were definitely with sprinklings of cowardice, bruised egos so certainly the team harmony must have suffered badly. Piedt destroyed India A in India recently but he sat out 3 Tests while Morkel bowled dibbly-dobblies. Heavy divisive discussions definitely took place trust me.

 

[MyBBOutkast]

Huh? Australia thumped England 5 - 0 in the last Ashes series down under.

Yeah I meant 2011. Their seamers were not that bat in that 5-0 annihilation. Mitch, then Swann vs Lyon was the difference.

 

[Noob-Noob]

Then my point about how far he's fallen wouldn't have had the same bite.

You recall I did say the time will come when youngsters Root, Williamson, Smith, Shafiq, Kohli, Safraz, Ali, Matthews etc would be on par with and even overtake AB in Tests. To be honest even if he had played many Tests, it would've been very hard for him batting in #5 to overtake some of those batsmen. Look at the list http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...4;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

Back to the Test, after seeing India bat, I had said the Proteas would get at least 350-400. It's now obvious that reasons other than cricket and the pitch are affecting everyone so we should take it easy on suggesting changes before understanding the full picture.

Same with rugby injured/semi fit players (Steyn, Morkel, Philander, JP) were taken on a tour they had no business being a part of. That uncertainty all the time has not helped at all. Plenty discussion between the coach, captain and senior players (AB&Faf) would have taken place so much that we ended up with Tahir batting and falling when he shouldn't (in the end they've settled on 3.Amla, 4.AB, 5.Faf). Those discussions were definitely with sprinklings of cowardice, bruised egos so certainly the team harmony must have suffered badly. Piedt destroyed India A in India recently but he sat out 3 Tests while Morkel bowled dibbly-dobblies. Heavy divisive discussions definitely took place trust me.

I agree with some of what you are saying.
But Piedt for one did not "destroy" India A. He bowled a k@khuis vol overs like in this match and got wickets at the end, nothing really special about 200/5, But yes I do believe he is the best spinner we have next to Tahir, how and why they opted for Harmer is beyond me, but he also did not do that bad....

 

[MyBBOutkast]

But yes I do believe he is the best spinner we have next to Tahir, how and why they opted for Harmer is beyond me, but he also did not do that bad....

But but but Tahir is worse than Gogga, Boje, Botha & Harris. How can he be better than Harmer, who could argue to be better than all those 4? Tahir is good against the tail. Unfortunately, there are those 7 guys whose job is to score the runs for the opposition. So away from these Indian style wickets, the timing of a delcaration is what might render Tahir relevant or irrelevant in most contests - damage already being meted out. Therefore to call him a Test spinner is rather opportunistic don't you think.

South Africa is in the middle of its richest ever period of depth of quality spinners, most of them very young. Picking Tahir is counter-productive.
-Piedt
-Harmer
-Leie
-Maharaj
-Deeb
-I forget the other one

 

[Noob-Noob]

But but but Tahir is worse than Gogga, Boje, Botha & Harris. How can he be better than Harmer, who could argue to be better than all those 4? Tahir is good against the tail. Unfortunately, there are those 7 guys whose job is to score the runs for the opposition. So away from these Indian style wickets, the timing of a delcaration is what might render Tahir relevant or irrelevant in most contests - damage already being meted out. Therefore to call him a Test spinner is rather opportunistic don't you think.

South Africa is in the middle of its richest ever period of depth of quality spinners, most of them very young. Picking Tahir is counter-productive.
-Piedt
-Harmer
-Leie
-Maharaj
-Deeb
-I forget the other one

Tahir had a major setback against Aus, but he is a better bowler then what his test average shows. He is a attacking spinner and will always be a attacking spinner.
Those other guys are good prospects, but Tahir is the best we have now.

 

[WaxLyrical]

/snip

Oh please god not again.

 

[DanDango]

.

South Africa is in the middle of its richest ever period of depth of quality spinners, most of them very young. Picking Tahir is counter-productive.
-Piedt
-Harmer
-Leie
-Maharaj
-Deeb
-I forget the other one

Tabraiz Shamsi Bowling style Slow left-arm chinaman, I like watching left handed wrist spinners (left handed leg spinner).

 

[Noob-Noob]

Oh please god not again.

Lol
Think he is treading on thin ice, Pretty sure a banned user cant come back as a clone account.
But hopefully his time off has given him time to look at himself, and he thinks twice before making any racist comments

 

[Unhappy438]

Now where is MyBBOutkast for a frank opinion of this performance?

 

[WaxLyrical]

Biff. I'm sure he's over his divorce now so he needs to come back

Smith retired too prematurely. So much unnecessary hate directed at this guy it paved the way for our future failures.

All can be redeemed if we deal with the English and Aussies. Home and away.

 

[WaxLyrical]

Lol
Think he is treading on thin ice, Pretty sure a banned user cant come back as a clone account.
But hopefully his time off has given him time to look at himself, and he thinks twice before making any racist comments

And he comes back with a variation of his banned account.

Should've been LoserOutkast.

 

[MickeyD]

But but but Tahir is worse than Gogga, Boje, Botha & Harris. How can he be better than Harmer, who could argue to be better than all those 4? Tahir is good against the tail. Unfortunately, there are those 7 guys whose job is to score the runs for the opposition. So away from these Indian style wickets, the timing of a delcaration is what might render Tahir relevant or irrelevant in most contests - damage already being meted out. Therefore to call him a Test spinner is rather opportunistic don't you think.

South Africa is in the middle of its richest ever period of depth of quality spinners, most of them very young. Picking Tahir is counter-productive.
-Piedt
-Harmer
-Leie
-Maharaj
-Deeb
-I forget the other one

Tabraiz Shamsi (Lions) ??

 

[MickeyD]

Lol
Think he is treading on thin ice, Pretty sure a banned user cant come back as a clone account.
But hopefully his time off has given him time to look at himself, and he thinks twice before making any racist comments

He has served his time.


Note to all: Play the ball...

 

[Noob-Noob]

He has served his time.


Note to all: Play the ball...

Why doesn't he come back with his old account then?