South Africa tour of Australia, Oct - Nov 2016

[Mike Hoxbig]

Not fair to drop any of the existing incumbents unless you do something interesting like convert AB into an opener

Yeah, if everyone in a team is performing, injured players need to earn their way back. Otherwise don't get injured.

And I don't think it's fair to drop Cook after a couple of bad matches. The guy debuted this year with a century. How many chances did JP get?

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

in the current test team, there is only 1 place for AB, and that is cutting JP. and I am a big fan of JP, and we do need the part time bowler.

the other option is cutting Cook and moving Amala to open.

I think the ideal team would be 4 seamers, one part time spinner (JP) and 6 dedicated batsmen.

so:
1) Elgar
2) Amala
3) AB
4) JP (he performs best at number 4, just leave him there...)
5) Faf
6) QDK
7) Bavuma
8) Philander
9) Morkel
10) Abbot(or stein if he ever plays again, but maybe not...)
11) RAbada


but we like Cook, and want him to stay, that means cutting JP, and removing a seamer for a spinner.

Amla*, Steyn*

Been meaning to correct you for a while...

 

[PsychoCC]

The recent victories without AB almost makes me think his time is up(certainly as captain). I don't think guys coming back from injuries should just have an automatic place in the team purely based on reputation.

I think AB warrants a spot in the team...

 

[Baxteen]

Amla*, Steyn*

Been meaning to correct you for a while...

appologies, I have typed it incorrectly so many times its saved in my phone's dictionary.

 

[modern10]

I feel Bavuma could open. But he personally wouldn't want what happened to van Zyl to happen to him too

Nooo, he's our rock in the middle order. Don't fix what's not broken.

 

[Stefanmuller]

AB simply has to be in the team. Without him we dont have our best possible team. I also like JP. Bavuma also did well. But AB is miles better than both of them. Cook is the weak point, but of all the current SA squad players he is the only opener. Unless Bavuma goes for that spot, or if you give it to Rilee.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Making Themba open would be a disaster IMO. He's just what we need in the middle order and the perfect guy to stick around with QdK.

If we really have to drop Cook for AB, I'd say Amla should open. When we lose an opener early, he basically opens anyway.

Faf/AB at 3, JP at 4, Faf/AB at 5...

 

[curbs2012]

Nothing like that. I think we won't see him playing again because of his recent book and attitude towards management.

I think his current injury is a sham.

Have to disagree, his book does very little to harm his relations with CSA, who, would go out of their way to ensure that along with Temba and KG, they are able to attract enough income from the marketing of the 3.

Doubt very much the injury is a sham.

 

[curbs2012]

Do we feel sorry for the Aussies ?



Hell no !!!

Credit has to be given to a poor Aussie Team ,that do not know that a test match lasts 5 days....

Watching Smith's post match interview I found myself having a moment of weakness where I looked at his face, and his eyes, and thought that perhaps, just perhaps, and then I managed to snap right out of it....
LOL!!!
Beat them again I say!

 

[curbs2012]

Making Themba open would be a disaster IMO. He's just what we need in the middle order and the perfect guy to stick around with QdK.

If we really have to drop Cook for AB, I'd say Amla should open. When we lose an opener early, he basically opens anyway.

Faf/AB at 3, JP at 4, Faf/AB at 5...

Agree that Amla could open, but having him at 3 is precisely one of the reasons we have such balance in the batting line up.

Cook - genuine opener (much needed)
Elgar - managed to adapt and looks a solid opener now.
Hash - enough said
AB - at 4, you need a player that can be solid, but yet, when needed, take the game to the opposition, score quickly, and take the game away. Look at the players that have tended to bat there, Lara, Ponting, Sachin, Mark Waugh to name a few. All players that and did turn a game, quickly.

Faf - difficult to drop him, but if his form doesn't hold, I think he is in danger. Does no more than JP / Temba, and doesn't bowl as well as JP. Don't get me wrong, I think he can be a rock, and I would rather drop JP because I think he is far too inconsistent, but in the current climate, Faf might be under pressure if his form slips. Btw, I think his captaincy has been brilliant! I'd give it to him.

Temba - been superb since his first match.
Quinny
Harmer / Maharaj / Shamsi - take your pic. I prefer Harmer, better fielder and batsmen. Also a more attacking spinner. But he doesn't get a look in. Maharaj too similar to Harris, holding up an end. Shamsi will be the attacking option, but like Tahir, can be all over the place. Spinners develop later with their craft.
Vern
Dale
KG

 

[pinball wizard]

Why would anyone want Steyn in their line-up?

 

[Neoprod]

Why would anyone want Steyn in their line-up?

Based on what we saw this morning, good question. Dale would be handy in the sub-continent though KG has shown he can reverse the ball and be a threat.

If he doesn't come back strongly from this shoulder injury, I hope the selectors are brave enough to persist with whoever is in form.

 

[curbs2012]

Why would anyone want Steyn in their line-up?

Why would you not want him in your team?

 

[Sinbad]

Fabulous result. Woke up this morning expecting to see them maybe 4 down and level with us. Was certainly NOT expecting to see an innings victory by 80 runs. Excellent performances all round!

Now to wrap it up in Adelaide.

Test series whitewash to follow the odi whitewash will taste so sweet

 

[Baxteen]

JP performs best at number 4. Keep him there, we will see better results from him, and he will make us all want to keep him included. I believe at least.

Faf should be capitain, and bat at 5. he is solid there,

Temba needs time in the middle, he has a lot of potential and in a few years he can be an opener. but not now.
QDK is just a player in a different class. the SL ODI series will see him get to 3000 runs faster then Kholi. and in tests he will break even more records. he does well low down the order.

Elgar is adapting well. keep him there.

we all want Cook to do well, but he is litrally the only weak spot (and going by recent form Hash is also a weak spot #justsaying)

so if we want to bring AB into this team, we have only one option, drop Cook or Hash. Hash is too good not to play, so down goes Cook, Hash opens. AB at 3.

its the only way to do it.

 

[Neoprod]

Why would you not want him in your team?

The other guys were more than good enough...we didn't lose anything when Dale went missing. How much could he have improved on what happened in this series?

 

[pinball wizard]

Why would you not want him in your team?

Because he'll breakdown after a few overs, and if it's against a team with some batting depth that will place immense pressure on the other three bowlers plus some part-timers.

He really should consider stepping out of the test arena and playing T20 and one day only for SA. I'd trust him to get through ten overs, but not 20.

 

[curbs2012]

JP performs best at number 4. Keep him there, we will see better results from him, and he will make us all want to keep him included. I believe at least.Faf should be capitain, and bat at 5. he is solid there,

Temba needs time in the middle, he has a lot of potential and in a few years he can be an opener. but not now.
QDK is just a player in a different class. the SL ODI series will see him get to 3000 runs faster then Kholi. and in tests he will break even more records. he does well low down the order.

Elgar is adapting well. keep him there.

we all want Cook to do well, but he is litrally the only weak spot (and going by recent form Hash is also a weak spot #justsaying)

so if we want to bring AB into this team, we have only one option, drop Cook or Hash. Hash is too good not to play, so down goes Cook, Hash opens. AB at 3.

its the only way to do it.

Unfortunately, that has been the sentiment with JP since the beginning. Sadly, he hasn't delivered on a consistent basis. The odd hundred here and there is not good enough to take over such and important spot in the batting line up, especially if it means the line up has to be re-shuffled to accommodate him. Five hundreds in over 3 tests I think it is...not consistent enough.

Cook is the only genuine opening batsman we have... forcing Temba to change and having to adapt to another role, when he is already doing so well in the role that suits him, doesn't sound like a good idea.
Just my 2c.

 

[curbs2012]

Because he'll breakdown after a few overs, and if it's against a team with some batting depth that will place immense pressure on the other three bowlers plus some part-timers.

He really should consider stepping out of the test arena and playing T20 and one day only for SA. I'd trust him to get through ten overs, but not 20.

You're assuming.
But lets consider when they are all fit. Who is the better bowler, Dale or Kyle, since I think its between them right?

 

[Baxteen]

the argument has always been JP performs best at number 4.

he should not be moved anywhere else in the order. his big scores are all while he is at 4.

let him bat at 4, then he performs. we need a part time bowler, and JP is much better now that he changed his bowling action.
the confidence he gets from batting at 4 makes him score runs.

regarding Dale:
he is considered the best test bowler. yes he has suffered from injuries, and maybe it is time for him to retire, but he will do that when he feels he will not recover from injury.

the best team on paper will include AB(6), Philander(11), Dale(3), Morne(13) Hashim(5), KG(20) and QDK(20).

Elgar is also stepping up and is sitting 25.

with that we should argue that until they retire, or play so badly that they drop massively due to injury we play them all.

Abbot is sitting at number 56 at the moment, but I see him climbing quickly in the near future, he is performing really well.