We won this first test against Sri Lanka but our bowling attack is honestly a joke. We cannot hope to take 20 wickets against quality sides like Australia and India. Average sides would be able to get 350 on any surface against us in a first innings.
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The Proteas - Our Team!
- Thread starter MickeyD
- Start date
Judge this attack in 2 years time. The seam attack were all rookies, didn't have 50 test wickets between them. Can't compare them to seasoned attacks. Didn't have KG to guide them either.
A valid point - and we all have to begin somewhere. Without the benefit of seeing the attack on the telly, it did seem like the seam attack had enough variety to keep the batsmen focused.
If given a fair run, and there is no reason to believe there will be much change (KG aside, he is likely to be rested anyway), they will only grow in ability and talent.
I think KG, Nortje, Kesh are a good core for the bowling. Third seamer option is open - either Ngidi or Sipamla or one of those promising laaities that are even younger.
I liked that Dolphins spinner that played in India a few seasons ago - he would make a good option for when we need two spinners. Bonus is that he can bat better than any of our specialist batsmen in the subcontinent.
I liked that Dolphins spinner that played in India a few seasons ago - he would make a good option for when we need two spinners. Bonus is that he can bat better than any of our specialist batsmen in the subcontinent.
Maharaj is good although the gap Tahir left will be very difficult to fill. Nortje, Ngidi and Sipamla have good pace but don't have that discipline to constantly bowl that nagging 4th stump line (corridor of uncertainty) which I think is much more important in test cricket. Philander was a specialist at this. For proof of this, you just have to look at the Indian batsman dismissals when they bowled out for 36 against Australia.
The ICC World Test Championship will be over by then .
We won’t have another Tahir unless we poach another Pakistani under-19: that’s a fact.
Problem is that KG and Nortje are similar bowlers - fast, wicket-taking, and can leak runs. Agree that we need someone to fill the Philander role - accuracy, swing, and a shade slower. Maybe Sipamla if his yips subside. To be honest, I'm not even sure why Vern is retired - we could use him.
But to be perfectly honest, I think our bowling is fine - we lose test matches because of our batting.
Based on what has nortjie secured his spot? Way too erratic at this stage. He is in the same boat as all the bowlers barring kg. He is averaging 36.45 a wicket compared to Ngidi's 26.55
Linde has surpassed muthusamy imho. Also offers a batting option.
What gap did tahir leave in test cricket? He was never good in test cricket for SA. Great white ball bowler but at best below average in tests.
We were never in the running. Can't be expected to get anywhere in the test championship while in a rebuilding phase.
Disagree about being similar. The only similarity is the pace. KG is a far more skilled bowler at this stage. Offers a lot more variety then nortjie.
As for Keshav he got screwed along with the batsman during the ottis "green pitches" reign. Hardly played because of it and lost form because of it. Then expect to be the man when we tour the subcontinent. Can't just turn things on and off when you don't play.
I like fast bowlers, okay? A bowler that can break 150km/h has a place in tests. Nortje can do that. Anyways, KG is a one-in-a-generation talent and we’re not going to get two bowlers of his calibre.
Whereas the guys who bowl ~135 need to hone their accuracy and grow into McGrath/Anderson/Pollock -style bowlers.
Yeah, forgot about Linde. But still to be seen who is better between the two.
@stefan9 how long in a rebuilding stage though? First it was batting rebuilding, now bowling. Ideally there isn't supposed to be a 'rebuilding' stage with the wealth of cricketers SA produces. Rather, there should be systematic and strategic replenishment of talent to have a constant full performance side.
Graeme Smith's rebuild of the SA test side took 5 years. Before he had the side where he wanted it.
Go and look at the current side tell me how many of them have 100% established themselves at that level. Only kg,qdk,elgar and faf. Bavuma should have at 40 test caps but he hasn't. That means only 36% of the team you can currently be confident about 100%.
Not really. Smith was already working with solid guys. His rebuilding was more of a reputational one after the Cronje debacle.
Fair enough. Anyways, a good problem to have, with a bu ch of good seamers, and reinforces my view that our batting, rather than our bowling, is our main problem.
The 2003-Duckworth-Lewis debacle.
The difference was he had kallis to carry the batting lineup. During the learning years the King was putting up ridiculous nr's. That protected the inexperienced youngsters. Pollock played a similar role for the bowling attack but not to the same extent.
RunningFromFat
Executive Member
Tahir was below average in test cricket.
RunningFromFat
Executive Member
Look at the number of caps in the team mate, highest is 68, with a quite a few below or around 10 caps. It's a super young team.
Those are the results. The issue in contention is how we got to those results.
RunningFromFat
Executive Member
Players like amla,jp and faf holding on for too long imo. We also had a few kolpak players that would have more caps and bowling would be more settled ( olivier and abbott for example ). I love faf, but he had a really bad few test matches before this one.