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*Official* South Africa in Pakistan

Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Shaun Pollock..

Batting
Career: 32.31
Last 20 tests: 31.24
Last 10 tests: 33.28
Last 5 tests: 38.00

Bowling
Career: 23.19
Last 20 tests: 31.04
Last 10 tests: 28.51
Last 5 tests: 18.80

How he can't find a place in any team is beyond me...
So much for his so-called decline as well.
 
pup11

pup11

International Coach
The tactics that Arthur and Smith are using are beyond me, why the hell are they humiliating one the best cricketers to have ever played the game for South Africa, they are giving an excuse that Pollock's bowling at this stage of his career is not suitable for sub-continental tracks, now give me a break what have South Africa achieved as a team in the sub-continent in the last 7 years that makes them point fingers at Pollock (who probably has the best bowling-record for a South African player in the sub-continent), and if anybody was to be dropped it had to be Ntini because his record in the sub-continent is just "PATHETIC" and i don't think the pitches in the sub-continent suit his bowling at all.
 
gettingbetter

gettingbetter

State Vice-Captain
If anyone has inforamtion of Hashim Amla, can you please explain to me.

I've looked at his stats and he appears to have a good FC record, but thus far his itnernational career hasn't been all that great. Is he being groomed for a full-time positon in the number 3 for South Africa, or were his Tests just a 'trial'?
 
Matt79

Matt79

Hall of Fame Member
Perm said:
http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/312993.html

Things looking up for Pollock, unfortunate for Morkel though.
Click to expand...
oz_fan said:
Really disappointed that Pollock has been dropped. It's a slap in the face to drop the most experienced and best bowler in your side because the 'conditions don't suit'. He was named earlier this year as South Africa's best cricketer of the year and had been in great test form earlier in the year. Fair enough to give the younger players a go once the series was decided or if he failed in the first test.
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Prince EWS said:
Shaun Pollock..

Batting
Career: 32.31
Last 20 tests: 31.24
Last 10 tests: 33.28
Last 5 tests: 38.00

Bowling
Career: 23.19
Last 20 tests: 31.04
Last 10 tests: 28.51
Last 5 tests: 18.80

How he can't find a place in any team is beyond me...
So much for his so-called decline as well.
Click to expand...
Quite bizarre.

That thing about having half a dozen good seamers who are all pretty much interchangeable is a bit dodgy as well. How many of them have over 100 test caps, and average 30+ with the bat?
 
Woodster

Woodster

International Captain
I was equally as shocked as everyone else when I read that Pollock was to be left out for the First Test, citing it as an opportunity to give the younger guys a go. Experience is still an essential part of a side, especially on a tough tour to Pakistan. Control and accuracy will be integral to South Africa's success on this trip surely, as it is in any series. I can understand the need for Mickey Arthur to give his younger bowlers a game, but at the expense of Pollock? I really am not sure about that at all.

If he does get a late call, you can bet your money he'll pick up at least 7 wickets in the Test.
 
pup11

pup11

International Coach
If South Africa didn't had any intention of playing Pollock then they shouldn't have selected him in the squad at all, i think it almost like insulting a senior player like him by taking him all the way to Pakistan and then saying, mate you are not good enough to play here so you sit on the bench as we want to give a youngster a chance.
I don't think Smith and Arthur are him treating him with the respect he deserves, even when Pollock was South Africa's best bowler in the home series against India and Pakistan he was brought in as 1st or 2nd change into the attack.
First the South African team management disrespected Kallis (by not selecting him in the T20 squad) and now Pollock.
 
Woodster

Woodster

International Captain
We are of course all presuming nothing untoward has taken place behind the scenes, which can never be ruled out, yet the professionalism of Pollock would make that a very slight possibility.
Not sure whether they should not have taken him mind, I know if I was in charge I would still want him there, offering an abundance of advice to the younger bowlers, and he would still be in with a chance of playing the second Test, allegedly.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
gettingbetter said:
If anyone has inforamtion of Hashim Amla, can you please explain to me.

I've looked at his stats and he appears to have a good FC record, but thus far his itnernational career hasn't been all that great. Is he being groomed for a full-time positon in the number 3 for South Africa, or were his Tests just a 'trial'?
Click to expand...
If he is playing Tests, there's no way on Earth he should be batting three, especially with three, sometimes four or even five openers in the side.

Which, with Smith, ABdeV, Gibbs, Dippenaar and Rudolph in the picture at one time, there were.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Pup Clarke said:
I honestly can't believe there hasn't been more criticism, uproar etc about this. I mean this is a test series FFS, they leave their best bowler out of a test match cause he ain't fast enough.

I seriously hope Morkel and Steyn don't take any wickets so the SA selectors have egg on their face.
Click to expand...
Just that happening wouldn't mean such a thing, though - there'd be no gurantee Pollock would have done any better.

As I say - all I'm really hoping is that Pollock - if he doesn't play here - comes straight back into the side in South Africa and resumes his outstanding duty of last season.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
aussie said:
Don't think Pollock not playing is as bad as it sounds. I remember watching SA's series in SRI last july & Pollock looked very inffective & i didn't see it but i sure most on CW remember an incident in one of the test when he forced to bowl off-spin.
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TBF, that was principally caused by a back injury rather than purely by ineffectiveness.
 
shortpitched713

shortpitched713

International Captain
Shaun Pollock's omission is definitely a farce imo. I mean, I understand that SA's has fast bowling depth in spades, but I don't buy for a moment that they think they're bowlers are nothing more than interchangeable parts. For me, if you're going to drop a guy of Pollock's caliber you should tell it to his face that you think hes washed up, as opposed to obfuscating the situation.
 
shortpitched713

shortpitched713

International Captain
It will also be interesting to see if Pak go with two spinners with Rehman, or if they go with Rao Iftikhar. Neither inspire too much confidence, tbh and if you had told me a couple weeks ago that one of these would be near enough dead certs to start the first Test I would have laughed.
 
Perm

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
shortpitched713 said:
It will also be interesting to see if Pak go with two spinners with Rehman, or if they go with Rao Iftikhar. Neither inspire too much confidence, tbh and if you had told me a couple weeks ago that one of these would be near enough dead certs to start the first Test I would have laughed.
Click to expand...
If I were you I'd be crying ;)
 
Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
gettingbetter said:
If anyone has inforamtion of Hashim Amla, can you please explain to me.

I've looked at his stats and he appears to have a good FC record, but thus far his itnernational career hasn't been all that great. Is he being groomed for a full-time positon in the number 3 for South Africa, or were his Tests just a 'trial'?
Click to expand...
He is absolutely dire. There are at least ten batsmen I can think of I'd pick ahead of him.
 
gettingbetter

gettingbetter

State Vice-Captain
The difference is that he may of been selected too early or have other factors impeding his game as opposed to being of a sub-standard quality to be successful at international level.
 
Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
gettingbetter said:
The difference is that he may of been selected too early or have other factors impeding his game as opposed to being of a sub-standard quality to be successful at international level.
Click to expand...
He was selected because they think he's the best option. He wasn't selected too early; he just isn't very good.
 
Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Perm said:
C'mon then :p
Click to expand...
Kallis
Smith
Prince
Gibbs
Rudolph
De Villiers
Dippenaar
McKenzie
Kemp
Van Wyk

I'm aware Rudolph is not available, but if they'd selected him ahead of Amla in the first place, he wouldn't have run off to England.

I'd even consider selecting Pollock as a specialist batsman ahead of him!
 
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