South African Domestic Season 2008/9

[TT Boy]

I didnt watch the Cobras game (or look at a scorecard) so I cant comment on that. Im basing my comments on a season playing with him and being in the nets day in and ay out.

He was great on the back foot. In fact a little too great. A compusive hooker that teams could gameplan for.

He may have changed that and improved but his back foot problems were always mental than technical. He got on anything short very quick and had a reputation.

EDIT- Just looked at the last scorecard and I see he batted at 3 and destroyed it. Very interesting.

Cool.

Yeah he was a happy hooker last night, hit one big six without keeping his eyes on the ball. Looks to have a tremendous eye and he can slog sweep the spinners as good as anyone but just watching him he seemed uncomfortable or in two minds whenever the bowlers bowled at him. I think it was also the first time last night he has paid of at three this season, had a bit of disappointing campaign pinch hitting and there was some talk of him being demoted down the order.

Good to see him doing well though for its puts pressure on Botha who also has to contend with Imran Tahir, who according to Mike Procter is likely to be selected sooner or later despite not currently getting a gig with the Titans.

 

[superkingdave]

Have you seen much of Du Plessis this year TT boy? he seems to be doing pretty well in the short form whils this FC from leaves a bit to be desired being pretty poor outside that one big knock

 

[TT Boy]

Have you seen much of Du Plessis this year TT boy? he seems to be doing pretty well in the short form whils this FC from leaves a bit to be desired being pretty poor outside that one big knock

Seen a bit of him and he has played some good knocks and bowled pretty well, got a wicket with a top flipper last night and even his leg breaks were getting decent turn. Disappointing that his regressed in four day cricket, couple of years ago decent noises were being made about him.
But now with Marshall gone at Lancs he should be getting more chances to turn his arm over.

 

[Langeveldt]

Saw a bit of plaatjies last night, didn't strike me as speedster material, but i'll admit i didn't give him a long enough look..

anyone going to the Pro20 games in PE? I'll be there getting hammered as the cricket doesn't really interest me, but I might sneak a glimpse now and then..

 

[TT Boy]

Saw a bit of plaatjies last night, didn't strike me as speedster material, but i'll admit i didn't give him a long enough look..

anyone going to the Pro20 games in PE? I'll be there getting hammered as the cricket doesn't really interest me, but I might sneak a glimpse now and then..

He didn't play...

 

[Manee]

Anyone got any information on Roelof van der Merwe, who has got to have the best OD record of anyone in SA with 68 wickets at 19.27 and 788 runs at 31.52 (strike rate of 98.99).

EDIT: %^*£

 

[Goughy]

Anyone got any information on Roelof van der Merwe, who has got to have the best OD record of anyone in SA with 68 wickets at 19.27 and 788 runs at 31.52 (strike rate of 98.99).

Go back a few posts

 

[TT Boy]

The Eagles will face the Titans on Friday in the MTN final.

Eagles 253/8 (Bosman 95, 71 Human, Smit 3/13, Friend 3/46) beat the Dolphins 245/7 (Smit 55*, Kent 39, Mpitsang 2/47) by 8 runs.

Was a top knock from Loots, so unlucky he didn't get his first limited overs ton. I think it must have also been the third time this year Bosman has been dismissed in the 90s. The Dolphins once again underused wicket-keeper Smit, who got three wickets with his leg-spin and brought a halt to the scoring but was introduced once the horse had well and truly bolted. Smit played a top knock as well, nearly gave the Dolphins a remarkable win, considering they needed over a 100 of the last ten with only four wickets left in hand.

 

[Langeveldt]

He didn't play...

wasn't last night then, lol

 

[popepouri]

The Eagles will face the Titans on Friday in the MTN final.

Eagles 253/8 (Bosman 95, 71 Human, Smit 3/13, Friend 3/46) beat the Dolphins 245/7 (Smit 55*, Kent 39, Mpitsang 2/47) by 8 runs.

Was a top knock from Loots, so unlucky he didn't get his first limited overs ton. I think it must have also been the third time this year Bosman has been dismissed in the 90s. The Dolphins once again underused wicket-keeper Smit, who got three wickets with his leg-spin and brought a halt to the scoring but was introduced once the horse had well and truly bolted. Smit played a top knock as well, nearly gave the Dolphins a remarkable win, considering they needed over a 100 of the last ten with only four wickets left in hand.

Yeah I agree. I'd rather seem him play as a spinning allrounder and for them to find someone else to keep wicket.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Roelof van der Merwe

Dutchest name ever.

 

[TT Boy]

Trouble in the Cape...

Western Province cricket president Mohammad Ebrahim on Monday launched a stinging attack on the Cape Cobras' senior players in the wake of the crushing MTN Domestic Championship semi-final loss against the Titans.

Titans top-order batsmen Gulam Bodi and Roelof van der Merwe pulverised the Cobras attack to all parts of Centurion last Friday night to drive the defending champions to a nine-wicket victory.

The Cobras batsmen posted a fair target of 183/9, only for the bowlers (four out of the five used at Centurion have international experience) to produce their most inept display of the season.

However, Ebrahim, who was at SuperSport Park, has not singled out the bowlers for criticism, instead opting to run the rule over all the senior players.

"I am very concerned by the performance of the senior players and this does not apply only to the bowlers," Ebrahim told the Cape Times. "Rory (Kleinveldt) was disgraceful (on Friday night), I mean he missed a full toss. Vernon (Philander) has just been disappointing. What has Andrew Puttick done all season?

"Justin Ontong is not far behind. Since being dropped from the Proteas team, he's just gone backwards. Claude Henderson was downright awful on the night. Only Charl Langeveldt has been superb all season, but even he went missing on Friday."

"We are getting together to discuss the way forward," said Ebrahim. "Don't be surprised if a few big names are surprised by the outcome. There are lots of questions being asked at the moment, so we will try our best to find the answers. We have a collective responsibility for what has happened."

Ebrahim claims his frustration with the team's performance is because of the demoralising effect it has on the Cape cricketing public.

"A lot of people in the Western Cape look up to the Cobras, and they let a lot of people down on Friday night. But we were concerned before that loss already.

"We get 7 000 people at Newlands for an ordinary MTN league game. There were 6 500 fans at SuperSport Park on Friday. If we had a home semi-final, we would easily have had over 10 000 people. People in Cape Town love their cricket, and more so a winning team.

"We started becoming worried after the home defeats to the Dolphins and Titans. These type of losses chase people away from the cricket."

The executive meeting is therefore expected to see heated debate, but one topic that will not be on the agenda is the future of head coach Shukri Conrad, says Cobras chief executive Andre Odendaal.

"We back our team and coach," Odendaal said. "There is no talk about getting rid of the coach. We are hurt and disappointed by the loss, but there is still another competition, the Pro20 series, and another opportunity for us to lift some silverware."

Ebrahim, however, does not seem to share the same view as Odendaal, despite Conrad being just one year into his two-year contract, which was extended at the beginning of the season.

"It will be an expensive exercise (firing the coach), but part of his contract is that it has many performance review aspects," said Ebrahim.

"I'm not saying that is where we are, as you don't go from hero to zero in three weeks. The team was unbeaten a short while ago, but we are concerned."

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=17&art_id=vn20090113051529197C382492

 

[Langeveldt]

Stinging stuff, always nice to see the Kaapies doing poorly

 

[popepouri]

Interesting bowling changes from the Titans with them bowling 2 spinners in the first 10 overs. Unheard of in SA.

 

[TT Boy]

Interesting bowling changes from the Titans with them bowling 2 spinners in the first 10 overs. Unheard of in SA.

Yeah real culture change going on. Paul Harris and Martin van Jaarsveld were bowling with the new ball in SuperSport only a few months ago. No real surprises as Titans coach, Richard Pybus is a big fan of the slower bowlers.
The wickets are also playing a part, most of the MTN games I've seen this year have been played on such slow and low surfaces.

 

[Goughy]

Can someone tell me what Farhaan Behardien does? Ive watched him play a number of times and I still dont know.

 

[Something_Fishy]

Can someone tell me what Farhaan Behardien does? Ive watched him play a number of times and I still dont know.

Yeah, sure. You shoulda seen him a couple of times, he can be explosive with the bat. Like van der Merwe, but he can also graft it out when necessary. Sure, he hasn't been his greatest this season but give him time, the kid's got talent. Mayeb not SA quality, but good enough. And he can bowl a few decent leggies.

He's a LOT better in the 45 over game though.

 

[Goughy]

Yeah, sure. You shoulda seen him a couple of times, he can be explosive with the bat. Like van der Merwe, but he can also graft it out when necessary. Sure, he hasn't been his greatest this season but give him time, the kid's got talent. Mayeb not SA quality, but good enough. And he can bowl a few decent leggies.

Are we talking about the same guy? Behardien bowls dodgy medium pace.

 

[popepouri]

Well that's that. 25 overs and it's done and dusted. Well played Harro.

 

[TT Boy]

Can someone tell me what Farhaan Behardien does? Ive watched him play a number of times and I still dont know.

I was wondering a similar thing when watching Mandla Mashimbyi... It is a credit to the Titans in that they can be so successful yet whilst seemingly 'carrying' average provincial cricketers and Martin van Jaarsveld aside they haven’t got too many cricketers presently playing who I would call class. Harris, van der Merwe, Mbhalati, Joubert et cetera are just honest hard-working players but they do the job.