*Official* South Africa in Pakistan

[Corli]

He is absolutely dire. There are at least ten batsmen I can think of I'd pick ahead of him.

AWTA. And I have to cheer for him.

 

[NUFAN]

Is it true that Nel is going to bat at number 8? FFS South Africa used to have the best batting lower order, now the bottom 4 will be lucky to make more then 20 combined..I too would pick Pollock ahead of Amla..

 

[Prince EWS]

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!

Also Duminy who I just remembered.

 

[NUFAN]

Bosman is a dire test option but he is a better option then Amla also.

 

[andyc]

Just noticed this. Why the **** would you drop Pollock? The SA selectors seem to be usupring England's mantle of stupidity; first they don't take their best batsman to the Twenty20 WC, and now they're not playing their best bowler, and the best tailender (feel dirty calling him that) going around, in the first test of a series. GTFO.

 

[Prince EWS]

Bosman is a dire test option but he is a better option then Amla also.

Nah, I'd take Amla before Bosman. Just.

 

[Perm]

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!

I thought you were meaning in place of Amla, in which case the top four and de Villiers wouldn't count. Rudolph shouldn't count either, he is no longer available for South Africa.

 

[Perm]

Bosman is a dire test option but he is a better option then Amla also.

No way. That's just ridiculous.

 

[NUFAN]

No way. That's just ridiculous.

You think Bosman couldn't average atleast 26?

 

[Perm]

Pakistan opt for Abdur Rehman ahead of Rao Iftikhar Anjum, good choice. Also, apparantly Mohammad Yousuf isn't match fit, so Faisal Iqbal takes his place in the starting line up. Mohammad Hafeez gets the opening job with Salman Butt and Misbah-ul-Haq's strong showing at the World Twenty20 have pushed him ahead of Yasir Hameed.

 

[Prince EWS]

I thought you were meaning in place of Amla

I didn't though. I meant what I said - that there'd be 10 batsman I'd take ahead of him.

Rudolph shouldn't count either, he is no longer available for South Africa.

But he would be if they hadn't picked Amla in the first place. Replace him with Duminy if you must.

 

[Prince EWS]

You think Bosman couldn't average atleast 26?

He'd average around 20 IMO.

 

[Perm]

You think Bosman couldn't average atleast 26?

Early days for Amla yet, not saying he's going to be a world-beater, or even a decent batsman, but an average of 26 doesn't do him just. Also, no I don't think Bosman would get near that mark. He only just averages over that in First Class cricket, let alone Test cricket. Amla atleast has performed in domestic cricket, and put runs on the board. Bosman is a slogger and one of the worst specialist batsman in South Africa.

 

[Perm]

I didn't though. I meant what I said - that there'd be 10 batsman I'd take ahead of him.

But he would be if they hadn't picked Amla in the first place. Replace him with Duminy if you must.

Fair enough, but there are batsman who aren't competing for Amla's slot in the side, which is what you were getting at IMO. Anyway, doesn't matter too much. I reckon Amla has some potential, but I don't think he should be a regular fixture. Neil McKenzie would be a much better option, as would either of the van Jaarsvald brothers.

 

[Prince EWS]

Fair enough, but there are batsman who aren't competing for Amla's slot in the side

But there are those that are. Dippenaar, Kemp, McKenzie, Van Wyk and Duminy were listed.

 

[Perm]

But there are those that are. Dippenaar, Kemp, McKenzie, Van Wyk and Duminy were listed.

Tis four. Personally I can't see Kemp being much of a sucess as Test level, nor Dippenaar. However, you obviously really don't like Amla, so I can see where you are coming from.

 

[Prince EWS]

Tis four.

Which is four more than zero.

 

[Nishan]

So Pakistan decided to drop their best batsman? whats going on is Moyo injured

 

[pasag]

Might be an administrative/legal thing more than anything. Good start from SA, although I'm annoyed they are showing the ODI and not this, although I guess that is better than nothing so I shouldn't complain.

 

[haroon510]

read in cricinfo that he (moyo) wasn't match fit and he wanted to be out of the first test.....

wow just feeling soo sad the way pollock is being treated..