The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Thread

[Polymathic]

The gamble on Amla backfired horribly. He has half a leg into retirement.
Reeza would've been a better option to groom him for the next cup.

Problem is that Reeza is already 29 years old. I feel we need to think more long term than him.

Always thought Duminy was a marginal selection even at his best, he hasn't been at his best for years now...

He was a spinner who used to take wickets and handy with the bat. He isn't an AB or Faf with a bat nor an Tahir with the ball but he used to get the job done especially when AB used misfire. He should of retired from 50 overs a couple years ago though.

 

[Agent_Smith]

If ever there was a prime example of a has-been it is dumminy. I would rather have milked broke down stain for 5 overs than carry this dead weight.

In fact if I was in charge, I would have left stain and dumminy at home and taken some of the younger franchise players with. Sure they may fail, but look how the old farts turned out, at least start exposing the new players at a younger age instead of waiting till they're about to retire to let them get a taste of international cricket.

You know, there's merit to your points regarding blooding new players but respectfully, I don't know if the World Cup is the place to do it. Despite what we as the supporting public may now say or think, World Cup success is still in the forefront of our collective consciousness. We want it; we almost need it. It's almost a case of it being the missing piece of our cricket jigsaw puzzle. But to throw a bunch of untried youngsters into the ultimate cauldron of international cricket and ask them to do what no squad before them has done is grossly unfair. Each player, no matter how young, exuberant and dynamic they may be will carry with them a legacy of failure that with each passing world cup becomes harder and harder to overcome. They know the pressure on their shoulders. They know the weight of expectation.

I don't know what the solution is and I am glad that I am not the person who has to come up with one. I think that right now, our players, when compared to the other squads in the world cup, just aren't that good enough as a unit. It's a case of the individuals being better than the sum of their parts and not vice versa.

 

[Sinbad]

The WC should be a win-at-any-cost thing for SA cricket. **** the rules, **** the quotas, **** the politicians.
Winning world cups brings this nation together like nothing else, and we sorely need it right now.

Or maybe that's actually part of the problem .......

 

[ShloshMalosh]

You know, there's merit to your points regarding blooding new players but respectfully, I don't know if the World Cup is the place to do it. Despite what we as the supporting public may now say or think, World Cup success is still in the forefront of our collective consciousness. We want it; we almost need it. It's almost a case of it being the missing piece of our cricket jigsaw puzzle. But to throw a bunch of untried youngsters into the ultimate cauldron of international cricket and ask them to do what no squad before them has done is grossly unfair. Each player, no matter how young, exuberant and dynamic they may be will carry with them a legacy of failure that with each passing world cup becomes harder and harder to overcome. They know the pressure on their shoulders. They know the weight of expectation.

I don't know what the solution is and I am glad that I am not the person who has to come up with one. I think that right now, our players, when compared to the other squads in the world cup, just aren't that good enough as a unit. It's a case of the individuals being better than the sum of their parts and not vice versa.

Couldn't have said it better.

IMO, I think our players are as good as any in the world.
We can definitely ask questions about preparations leading up to the WC.
It has influenced the attitude and approach.
And it shows in the results.

 

[lkswan747]

My money is on South Africa beating Afghanistan.
Judging from their "fine performance" could be the only game they win.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Couldn't have said it better.

IMO, I think our players are as good as any in the world.
We can definitely ask questions about preparations leading up to the WC.
It has influenced the attitude and approach.
And it shows in the results.

And there's the problem. Our rugby counterparts have a policy in place of resting key players during the current Super Rugby tournament. Whether that bears fruit in Japan in September we'll only find out later. The point is, they are looking ahead to a bigger goal and taking the necessary steps to ensure that players are ready, at the possible expense of their current franchise, results-wise.

There seems to be no such policy in place with CSA. As I said in a previous post, the players should've been barred (or at least severely limited) from playing IPL. Tahir, Rabada, Miller, du Plessis, QdK etc have all been on the go non stop since the start of the year (Steyn to a lesser extent). In addition to the physical strain, the mental taxation of playing so much cricket has taken its toll.

 

[pinball wizard]

And there's the problem. Our rugby counterparts have a policy in place of resting key players during the current Super Rugby tournament. Whether that bears fruit in Japan in September we'll only find out later. The point is, they are looking ahead to a bigger goal and taking the necessary steps to ensure that players are ready, at the possible expense of their current franchise, results-wise.

There seems to be no such policy in place with CSA. As I said in a previous post, the players should've been barred (or at least severely limited) from playing IPL. Tahir, Rabada, Miller, du Plessis, QdK etc have all been on the go non stop since the start of the year (Steyn to a lesser extent). In addition to the physical strain, the mental taxation of playing so much cricket has taken its toll.

You would have seen an exodus of kolpak players then. You can't take away such a massive source of income. I don't see CSA stepping in to cover the losses. Also, I don't see this IPL being an issue for the Indian team (or any other team), everyone is playing the same amount of cricket these days.

 

[ShloshMalosh]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_...-rebuffed-ab-de-villiers-offer-play-world-cup

we do not need this right now

Last thing the team needs is to be kicked while they are down

 

[pinball wizard]

And there's the problem. Our rugby counterparts have a policy in place of resting key players during the current Super Rugby tournament. Whether that bears fruit in Japan in September we'll only find out later. The point is, they are looking ahead to a bigger goal and taking the necessary steps to ensure that players are ready, at the possible expense of their current franchise, results-wise.

I'll put a marker down now that the springbok rugby team is going to be even more at sea than the cricketers in September.

 

[ShloshMalosh]

You would have seen an exodus of kolpak players then. You can't take away such a massive source of income. I don't see CSA stepping in to cover the losses. Also, I don't see this IPL being an issue for the Indian team (or any other team), everyone is playing the same amount of cricket these days.

CSA and the players are both to blame.
CSA for not impressing the importance of the WC
And the players for not realising it themselves.

Dalla Dalla bill y'all

 

[pinball wizard]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_...-rebuffed-ab-de-villiers-offer-play-world-cup

Makes perfect sense. Across the board (business and sport) management in SA has a very pinched, narrow and spiteful mindset.

 

[pinball wizard]

CSA and the players are both to blame.
CSA for not impressing the importance of the WC
And the players for not realising it themselves.

Dalla Dalla bill y'all

I hear you, BUT, the other teams in the world cup have players making money in the IPL and still performing at the world cup.

 

[ShloshMalosh]

Makes perfect sense. Across the board (business and sport) management in SA has a very pinched, narrow and spiteful mindset.

What do you mean?

AB has said one thing but his actions have been oposite. He aint tired if he can go play T20 all the time. He definitely isnt spending more time with his family. And he certainly was not committed to the titans.

Now to be dropping hints and alluding to stuff is a d*ck move on his part.

If he was really interested in the good of SA cricket, him and CSA would have found a way to make it work.

CSA is right in saying that its not fair on players that have worked hard to get into the team.

 

[ShloshMalosh]

I hear you, BUT, the other teams in the world cup have players making money in the IPL and still performing at the world cup.

Each case has its own merit. Bowlers or batters? What was the workload prior to IPL? etc.

It does come back to CSA and their understanding and prep of players in the lead up.

Did they sit down with Dale and say: "look, after the WC you are going to retire from ODIs and you can pretty much go bos and make zillions in T20 tourneys. Rather stay home, rest and go into the WC 100%"

We dont know if dale told them to Eff off and go get his paper.

An after effect of this T20 explosion...

 

[ShloshMalosh]

https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/C...cket-system-for-teams-world-cup-woes-20190606

 

[Nibiru]

Makes perfect sense. Across the board (business and sport) management in SA has a very pinched, narrow and spiteful mindset.

Lost all my respect for AB (he was my cricket idol growing up so not saying this easily), a true leader would have made sacrifices and continued working on the system, at least to ensure that future generations don't have to struggle with team management blunders like he had to.

He gave us a fluff reason for retiring playing the passive aggressive game. Never commentated or supported the proteas after he left, kind of just going his own way. As soon as they announce quotas are removed from selection he is interested again?

Why could Faf push for that change but he could not?

 

[rietrot]

We needed a second spinner on the account that Duminy does want to bowl 10 overs anymore.

Who are the players in the squad based on their race and not their performance or history?

Your questions is exactly the problem. WTF knows? Only the selectors, not even the players.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_...-rebuffed-ab-de-villiers-offer-play-world-cup

we do not need this right now

Last thing the team needs is to be kicked while they are down

Fck that tosser, I'd rather we lose with okes who want to play for their country, than some money whore who only rocks up for the glory.

Where was he when we were struggling in the past year to build a balanced and competitive squad? Hung us out to dry while he's been travelling around the world collecting $$$.

Who would have made way for him anyway? Markram probably would have been the obvious choice and I would have been strongly against that because he's one of our future stars who we can't afford to lose to another country. And he worked his way into the team...

 

[Cius]

Hopefully after the world cup the older members retire and cricket SA gives some young talent a go. Remember how young Kallis and Pollock where when they where given their shot? They matured into the protea side.

We need to start from the ground up and build up new talent now. A few players could stay for the next WC. The only 3 in the current side I would back for the next WC are Rabada, Phehlukwayo, and de Kock. If guys like van der Dusen or Faf are still showing good form they can stick around for a year or two to bulk up the side but we need a lot of new players before 2023. So many of our players this WC are 32 or older. We aimed at experience and it has not really paid off.

Squad for India game with ages:
Amla, 36
De Kock, 26
du Plessis 34
van der Duusen 30
Miller, 29
Duminy, 35
Phehlukwayo, 23
Morris, 32
Rabada, 24
Tahir, 40
Shamsi, 29

 

[pinball wizard]

Who would have made way for him anyway? Markram probably would have been the obvious choice and I would have been strongly against that because he's one of our future stars who we can't afford to lose to another country. And he worked his way into the team...

Huh?

Dummminy is the obvious choice to leave out seeing as he isn't even bowling, and bats at a primary schoolgirl level.