South Africa & Quotas

[Richard]

Just after, that's why it caused such uproar.

Oh, no, we can't have that. Gotta change the format from something simple and quite transparent to something utterly unfathomable to the majority of the cricket-watching public.

All it needed was a bit of patience. Another few months and Australia would have regained the top-spot all cricketdom was howling in protest at them not occupying.

 

[Goughy]

Oh, it's an absolute nonsese, and I can see why they've done it (rested Ntini & Pollock, that is). But the whole situation renders the league table meaningless, which is maybe not such a bad thing.

Coming into the 2nd test they were thinking of resting 1 (eg Pollock) in the 2nd and 1 (eg Ntini) in the 3rd. However, they gambled on winning the 2nd test by playing both, knowing they would have to leave both Ntini and Pollock out in the 3rd.

Obviously this is where it is interesting. The coach wants Ntini rested desperately and Gibbs is suspended. I personally think quotas will win out and Ntini will play to make sure there are more than 2 PDPs in the team. But I am willing to say Ive been overly harsh if that doesnt happen

I see Pollock being rested but the coach will not get his way with Ntini. Im actually intrigued to see if Arthur dares go in with only 2 'target' players and gives Ntini the rest they had planned and he deserves.

 

[Richard]

Surely he risks being overruled (a la Ford and Sonn with Ontong in 2001\02) if he tries?

Unless he gets Smith to borrow Lara's idea from 2003\04 and take a pen to the toss, change one of the names at the last second, and take it from there.

Mind, if Majola and co. were to take exception to that, could see it costing both their jobs.

 

[Beleg]

Cricinfo pretty much confirming Ntini will play in the third test.

 

[marc71178]

1970?

No, I know what you meant. Wasn't it just before Aus mullah'd them about 5 years ago?

No, it was after that.

Showed the folly of counting series wins rather than actual results.

 

[Craig]

Isn't it funny how SA's quota players (amla, prince, Ntini) won them the game against pak? Maybe, (whisper it) they were chosen on merit

Well Ntini, a no brainer, Prince, I'm so convinced, but he is scoring runs, so it must mean something, up until Sydney 2006 I didn't rate him a all and felt he was only in the tem because Kallis and/or Kemp were injured during that series and cashed in against Zimbabwe and a road at St Johns so I don't know with my limited cricketing knowledge compared to other members.

Amla has a good FC record and he has a solid record at Test level and will probably get better in time, although when I first saw him play the way he played the short ball outside off stump was a bit 'how your going' (ie dodgy), but I haven't the chance to watch him bat fully since then (or sustained periods) so he could have fixed it I don't know.

Amla doesn't look up to much in OD cricket so he probably won't get picked, but then again he probably will at some point.

 

[Craig]

Coming into the 2nd test they were thinking of resting 1 (eg Pollock) in the 2nd and 1 (eg Ntini) in the 3rd. However, they gambled on winning the 2nd test by playing both, knowing they would have to leave both Ntini and Pollock out in the 3rd.

Obviously this is where it is interesting. The coach wants Ntini rested desperately and Gibbs is suspended. I personally think quotas will win out and Ntini will play to make sure there are more than 2 PDPs in the team. But I am willing to say Ive been overly harsh if that doesnt happen

I see Pollock being rested but the coach will not get his way with Ntini. Im actually intrigued to see if Arthur dares go in with only 2 'target' players and gives Ntini the rest they had planned and he deserves.

But couldn't they rest Ntini from some of the ODIs and if Arthur went against what he was told, I guess he will be told to update his resume and find another job?

 

[luffy]

At the rate that Ntini's going he will need a rest soon. He has been playing brilliant and deserves at least 1 game off.

 

[Richard]

No, it was after that.

Showed the folly of counting series wins rather than actual results.

Even though series wins are all that matters to pretty much anyone?

 

[Richard]

At the rate that Ntini's going he will need a rest soon. He has been playing brilliant and deserves at least 1 game off.

At least he's not had to bowl too much so far this game.

 

[marc71178]

Even though series wins are all that matters to pretty much anyone?

Oh really?

So the Ashes this winter was exactly the same as the one in 2005 then?

Pull the other one - most people expected an England series defeat and would've accepted it, but a 5-0 meant a hell of a lot more than that.

 

[Richard]

5-match series whitewashes are a bit different.

There wouldn't be much difference between 4-0 and 3-0, and there certainly wouldn't be any real difference between 1-0 and 2-0 in a 2- or 3-Test series.