***Official*** South Africa in England

[Briony]

I heard some mention of Ryan McLaren as being a possible future all-rounder for SA but he appears to have committed his future to England. English cricket had eroded the depth of SA cricket when you also consider the loss of the likes of Rudolph and KP. They've also been hit by the ICL players like Kemp, van der Wath and Hall being unavailable. I hear Wayne Parnell might be an all-rounder type for the future though.

 

[Richard]

Van der Wath and Hall are no losses. Kemp however was a disappointing one.

 

[gettingbetter]

If you recall, we've had this discussion before. Hall > Kemp.

Disappointed that van der Wath never played more games for South Africa, I think he could of been a really good player (better than Kemp).

 

[GIMH]

Oh yeah, of course. Duh. Well TBH I think that's overplayed. The Prior case there's never been anything to suggest it wasn't Moores' fault, but apart from him I can't think of very many other Sussex players who were around when Moores was coaching them who've wrongly appeared in the England team.

TBH I think some people believe that Moores doesn't just favour players who used to play for him at Sussex, but anybody who plays for Sussex (see Wright, Luke and the belief that if he played for, say, Northants, he wouldn't have got a look in)

 

[popepouri]

There's some great young allrounders coming through like Wayne Parnell, Faf Du Plessis, Roelof Van Der Merwe and David Weise.I don't see the problem with depth.

 

[SJS]

Smith steps down. Kallis to lead in the next ODI !!

 

[Perm]

Crushing blow for Smith, makes his 154* even better.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

He'll likely miss the entire series. Although if its 2-2 going into the last game i wouldnt be surprised to see him back in.

 

[Goughy]

He'll likely miss the entire series. Although if its 2-2 going into the last game i wouldnt be surprised to see him back in.

It would be a risk.

Lose 2 with an unfit Smith

then win 2 without Smith.

Its a brave man that would bring him back to captain when he is unfit with the difference in records (of course, all hypothetical at the moment).

 

[GIMH]

I read step down and thought he had resigned!

 

[aussie]

Bell - don't rate.

Agreed, but he is batting out of position. He probably would make a decent # 3 if Trescothick where still around though.

But i'm willing to tolerate him until maybe Denly steps up next season or if Marcus by the grace of god gets some mental healing & takes an international u-turn.

Prior - don't rate at all.

Ha, its funny how you are so quick to condemn players to the dust. The only thing about Prior that you should have reservations about is his glovework. His batting has always been good. For England's sake i think its better of backing him to come good since he obviously has the goods to a competent ODI opener.

We don't need him to be Gilly like, since the lower to middle to lower order is very strong the best the ENG side has probably had in history.

Shah - don't rate.

Yea because you don't like him i know.

Seriously though thought KP was a bit OTT when he said the other day that Shaw was wasted @#6. Will be interested to see how he bats @ 3 though.

Collingwood - getting there, maybe.

Ha, i wonder what more he has to do..

Patel - yet to really form much of an opinion on him.

Same, I hope he has the ability to smash it since he would be the perfect ODI player coming in @ 7 & bowling left-arm spin.

Bopara - don't rate terribly currently, especially batting that low down
Wright - even worse than Prior.

Bopara obviously is a top-order batsman full-stop play him anywhere else he would be wasted. While the selectors seem to have the roles of Wright mixed up.

Anderson and Harmison - useless.

Plus Mascarenhas, Swann, Sidebottom on the immediate sidelines.Pretty strong crop to me once they play to potential (except fro Bresnan don't know why the hell is around the side, why is Mascarenhas in the squad BTW?).

From now on ENG ODI side has no reason to play garbage ODI & let it just ride, since once the correct XI is picked we should be challenging the best in world consistently.

 

[sledger]

Haha, balls, England have not turned into a world beating ODI team overnight.

 

[aussie]

Nothing in my post insinuate that idea young man. Its fairly obvious the base in solid ATM the best since around the 2001/02 period.

Was simply picking out Richard's usual unwaranted rose tinted criticism of certain players.

 

[sledger]

Rose Tinted Critisism eh? Thats a load of balls as well.

 

[sledger]

the lower to middle to lower order is very strong the best the ENG side has probably had in history.

*facepalm*

 

[Scaly piscine]

Ha, its funny how you are so quick to condemn players to the dust. The only thing about Prior that you should have reservations about is his glovework. His batting has always been good. For England's sake i think its better of backing him to come good since he obviously has the goods to a competent ODI opener.

We don't need him to be Gilly like, since the lower to middle to lower order is very strong the best the ENG side has probably had in history.

Err there's probably only you on this entire forum who rates him. His batting in ODIs has always been awful. Him fluking a couple of 40s against pretty average bowling doesn't change this. His Test batting would be passible if his wicket-keeping was solid/good - but it isn't. Personally I think his Test average flatters him, I don't see him averaging much more than 30 over the long term.

 

[sledger]

To further condemn him I would also like to point out that a lot of his test runs, have also come against poor opposition.

 

[aussie]

To further condemn him I would also like to point out that a lot of his test runs, have also come against poor opposition.

Son what cricket do you watch, yes he smashed a poor windies attack at home last summer, but he made runs in SRI had looked ENG most sound batsman last winter. His batting at the highest level has never been a problem its his glovework.

Regardless if someone like Foster maybe a better glovesman than him, its is fairly obviously once Prior can prove he has some dependability to his glovework that would very good for the ENG side especially the tendancy the push for Freddie @ 6 to accomodate 5-bowlers.

 

[sledger]

Son what cricket do you watch, yes he smashed a poor windies attack at home last summer, but he made runs in SRI had looked ENG most sound batsman last winter. His batting at the highest level has never been a problem its his glovework.

Regardless if someone like Foster maybe a better glovesman than him, its is fairly obviously once Prior can prove he has some dependability to his glovework that would very good for the ENG side especially the tendancy the push for Freddie @ 6 to accomodate 5-bowlers.

Oh dear.

And I'd rather I you didn't refer to me as son, thanks.

 

[aussie]

Err there's probably only you on this entire forum who rates him. His batting in ODIs has always been awful. Him fluking a couple of 40s against pretty average bowling doesn't change this. His Test batting would be passible if his wicket-keeping was solid/good - but it isn't. Personally I think his Test average flatters him, I don't see him averaging much more than 30 over the long term.

I don't rate Prior, the only keeper in the land i rate is Pothas. My defending of Prior is simply due to the stupid ridiculing he gets from many of you on CW. But then again you are campaiging for Mustard..

His weaknesses are obvious but i can see his strenghts & what he can give the to the national side once he proves his glovework his dependable for two simple reasons:

- the ODI side top-order is lacking cutting edge & currently Prior is the best man in the land to possibly make use of the power plays so the the very strong middle-order can cash in later.

- with new skipper KP obviously looking balance the test side with 5-bowlers (although i don't agree with him) Prior @ 7/6 is key.