its not our fault if england players want to celebrate christmas with their familly ..unlike when they are in austrlia during ashes
we seem to have stepped back a year here..
If you had half a brain, you'd realise that Ponting more than likely was referring to the entire team (himself included) apart from Johnson & Haddin re: there being to many passengers. Alas, it seems you don't.
I was there on Day 3, in the East Grassbank. T'was awesome!
One day from five (a Sunday no less when most don't want to go to the cricket or have junior sport or something). The other four days had very good crowds - I'd kinda know cause I was there.
You need new spies. Or at least spies who can get all the changes right.
Nathan Bracken an't no Test Bowler
Jeez, quite surprised to see Gibbs in there because i got a feeling that his international career was all but over, but anyways good to see the Proteas giving a few new blokes a chance....South African 20/20 side announced...
Graeme Smith (capt), Johan Botha (vice-capt), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Vaughn van Jaarsveld
Great to see both Parnell and van Jaarsveld feature. VB has been awesome this year, lost a ton of weight as well whilst Parnell should have got a gig against the Bangla boys and Kenya.
Even better, no Louw, Cackdeki or Kleinveldt.
Roelof van der Merwe, the leading wicket taker in domestic one day cricket could probably count himself unlucky not to be there but Botha has actually done rather well in the past six months.
"“The new caps are all young players we have identified as having the potential to take us forward,” commented selection convener Mike Procter. “Van Jaarsveld has been the outstanding performer in the MTN Domestic Championship this season with his consistent big-hitting scoring. He is also an outstanding slip fielder.
“Wayne Parnell was one of the stand-out performers at this year's ICC under-19 World Cup where he impressed with his maturity in being the leading wicket-taker in the tournament (18) as well as leading South Africa to the final which they were unlucky to lose.
“Tsotsobe has impressed by the manner in which he has settled into the Proteas' squad both on and off the field. His combination of swing and bounce makes him a good wicket-taking prospect,” added Procter.
The 23-year-old Van Jaarsveld has scored 435 runs in seven innings with a century and four 50s at an average of 72.50 with a strike rate of 113.87 this season. He has hit 15 sixes which is far more than any other player has achieved and he is one of only two batsmen to have hit more than 50 boundaries (15 sixes and 36 fours). He is also the leading non-wicketkeeping fielder.
Although a specialist slip, he has also kept wicket for the Lions on occasion.
In T20 cricket Van Jaarsveld has a strike rate of 130.84.
Both the 19-year-old Parnell and 24-year-old Tsotsobe were part of the training camp that the Proteas held at the start of this summer to prepare for the various limited overs series and had been earmarked for selection sooner rather than later.
Parnell's best performance at the under-19 World Cup came in the semi-final against Bangladesh when he made 57 and then took 6/8."
http://www.supersport.co.za/cricket/article.aspx?headline=Proteas name three new ODI caps&id=282317
Neither is hammo666 tbf.
There are no other batsmen to replace him in the squad. I would have a very different team otherwise.
