***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Redbacks]

How could a guy that size struggle to bowl past 130kph? The guy is humongous.

Spends all his energy trash talking the batter.

 

[social]

Lack of experience? Played probably the same amount of first class (franchise) games as Siddle did before his test debut. Ntini doesn’t have such an excuse to fall back on, his been there, done that and got the t-shirt.

Nel was dropped for Morne because was even worse then Morne. Had a shocking time of it against the Windies and played on a first day greentop at Durban and still somehow managed to get smashed when the wicket was doing all kinds of silly stuff. Nel’s pace has also gone. He bowled in Australia some years back pretty well at lively pace but he struggles to get past 130kph now.

Morne has been the big disappointment for me

I rate him as highly as any young paceman in the world talent-wise but he appears to have gone backwards in the last 12-18 months and the biggest worry is that his pace has backed off a bit

Despite that, I would've stuck with him and worked/hoped that it eventually came right

As we've talked about before, Ntini looks gone to me and bar the lack of replacements, I dont think there was much point in persevering other than to see him get 100 caps

 

[inbox24]

Just goes to show that in terms of bowling, technique and rhythm are probably more important than being buff. I mean look at Sharma, the guy is a stick and can still hit 140+.

 

[Steulen]

Spends all his energy trash talking the batter.

His tongue takes all the pace out of his action imo.

 

[TT Boy]

But again, who replaces them? Is there an obvious heir being wasted in the style of a Gilchrist with Healy, or Haddin with Gilchrist? I admit I haven't seen him play recently besides the two series vs Aus., nor checked his stats on Statsguru yet - will do in a minute, but my impression is that he's been ok with the bat - has fought some pretty good rearguard actions recently. You don't want to go down the English route of giving the gloves to every keeper who can slog his way to a couple of centuries in FC, irrespective of whether that batting form was anything more than luck and more particularly whether or not he can actually keep wicket.

If Tsonbe was fit, he'd be in for Morne. So who then replaces Ntini?

AB or Kuhn, who could even open the innings for South Africa as he opens domestically.

If AB kept wicket he could bat 7 for South Africa and then allow either an all-rounder, extra batsman or bowler to play.

At the moment anyone who replaces Ntini will be extremely raw but the good thing for South Africa is that the next test series is some months away, so if they give Parnell the gig or look towards de Villiers, Alexander et cetera they have time.

 

[pup11]

'Panic' (or decent foresight) would be axing Boucher and Ntini, not making only two changes. Australia’s selectors were in some ways helped when they lost at home that the likes of Lee and Roy had external circumstances which meant the tough decisions didn’t have to be taken and Haydos jumped before he was pushed. Not as easy with the South Africans, the likes of Boucher and Ntini (maybe) won’t jump.

The South African selectors have only dropped a guy who can’t buy a run and bowler who couldn’t string a decent over together. It is hardly panic stations. Prince opening is dodgy, hasn’t done the job since he was an U19 batsman but similarly Katich got the Aussie gig after not opening domestically in either Aus or England.

I think dropping Neil Mac and Morne Morkel is fair enough given how they have done in the last 5 tests against the Aussies, but the thing then is, have South Africa really picked guys good enough to replace them, or who are likely to perform any better than them.

Making Prince open too is pretty silly, I mean dropping him at the start of the series was pretty atrocious, but now to pick him and all of sudden make him the captain, and move him out of the his middle order position really doesn't make much sense either.

I would have rather given Boucher a break, and let AB take on the keeping duties for the 3rd test, and have Prince come in place of Boucher, would have also dropped Neil Mac, but definitely not in favour of of Khan, Morne Morkel is the bloke who, I would have persisted with, as despite his inconsistency he seems to a better test match bowler than either Albie Morkel or Wayne Parnell.

So one gets a feel, that the South African selectors are making these changes just for the sake of it, because these blokes that they have dropped, have been proven performers for some period of time, and decent contributors to all the success South Africa had over the last two years.

 

[Redbacks]

His tongue takes all the pace out of his action imo.

for some reason he thinks it's a crime if a batter hits a good ball for 4. I can remember him getting into verbals with Gilly because he charged him Join the queue, it's the way he played.

 

[Briony]

I think dropping Neil Mac and Morne Morkel is fair enough given how they have done in the last 5 tests against the Aussies, but the thing then is, have South Africa really picked guys good enough to replace them, or who are likely to perform any better than them.

Making Prince open too is pretty silly, I mean dropping him at the start of the series was pretty atrocious, but now to pick him and all of sudden make him the captain, and move him out of the his middle order position really doesn't make much sense either.

I would have rather given Boucher a break, and let AB take on the keeping duties for the 3rd test, and have Prince come in place of Boucher, would have also dropped Neil Mac, but definitely not in favour of of Khan, Morne Morkel is the bloke who, I would have persisted with, as despite his inconsistency he seems to a better test match bowler than either Albie Morkel or Wayne Parnell.
So one gets a feel, that the South African selectors are making these changes just for the sake of it, because these blokes that they have dropped, have been proven performers for some period of time, and decent contributors to all the success South Africa had over the last two years.

Albertus or Parnell haven't played a test match yet so on what grounds do you judge that?

 

[Briony]

Morne seems to have as good a physique as the Aussie bowlers but maybe not the ticker, temperament or willingness to work hard. Time will tell. Nel looked gone last summer and during the last test against England. But I can't believe they keep picking Ntini, he offers them nothing with bat or ball but has been a good servant. He's used up the credit points he had.

 

[Matt79]

What has keeping done to AB's batting in the past? In Amla, AB, and Duminy, you have a core of a batting line up that should keep SA a power for the next 10 years. You'd hate to hobble ABs batting attempting to turn him into a de facto allrounder. He's your future IMO.

Also, is he a test standard keeper?

There seems to be a desire to use AB to plug every hole in SA's top 7, be it as opener, middle order or keeper. But from what I've seen, an extended stint in the middle has allowed him to grow into a different player. Why mess with success, esp. if there is a viable encumbent?

 

[Briony]

What has keeping done to AB's batting in the past? In Amla, AB, and Duminy, you have a core of a batting line up that should keep SA a power for the next 10 years. You'd hate to hobble ABs batting attempting to turn him into a de facto allrounder. He's your future IMO.

Also, is he a test standard keeper?

There seems to be a desire to use AB to plug every hole in SA's top 7, be it as opener, middle order or keeper. But from what I've seen, an extended stint in the middle has allowed him to grow into a different player. Why mess with success, esp. if there is a viable encumbent?

I agree with that summation of AB's position.

 

[pup11]

Albertus or Parnell haven't played a test match yet so on what grounds do you judge that?

Its more a case of me rating Morne Morkel as a better bowler then either Albie or Parnell, on the basis of whatever, I have seen of each of them.

 

[Briony]

Its more a case of me rating Morne Morkel as a better bowler then either Albie or Parnell, on the basis of whatever, I have seen of each of them.

Which obviously doesn't say much for Parnell or Albertus. At 19, Parnell has a big future in front of him if they manage him properly but he may not be ready for tests.

 

[SquidAU]

Its been a while since I posted on here but I could not resist....

DAMN! How is that for a series win? I bet most Aussie supporters wrote them off before the tour....

Even I did. I would have been ecstatic with a series draw....

I would liken this series win almost with the '94/95 Windies tour win....similar inexperience, similar predictions from alot of supporters and media...

I look forward to the Ashes tour to see how the new boys really stack up..

 

[Rant0r]

i have to say kudos to the aussie selectors for siddle, i know a lot of us were thinking 'what the ****?' when he was picked in india, but he's got the goods.

leave AB where he is, i'd love to see him open, but i'd hate to tinker with the middle order.

boucher stays, still a class keeper and makes runs often enough, the world has been spoiled by gilchrist. and boucher >>>>> haddin as a keeper.

ntini is probably just about done, but will get his 100, what a servant, he does still bowl the odd jaffa though.

morne will be back, he has endless talent, but seems a bit slack, his brother may come in.

prince as skipper ? give me a break

 

[popepouri]

prince as skipper ? give me a break

Kallis will captain. Prince will concentrate on opening.

 

[oldmancraigy]

Lack of experience? Played probably the same amount of first class (franchise) games as Siddle did before his test debut. Ntini doesn’t have such an excuse to fall back on, his been there, done that and got the t-shirt.

Nel was dropped for Morne because was even worse then Morne. Had a shocking time of it against the Windies and played on a first day greentop at Durban and still somehow managed to get smashed when the wicket was doing all kinds of silly stuff. Nel’s pace has also gone. He bowled in Australia some years back pretty well at lively pace but he struggles to get past 130kph now.

Ah!

Thanks (helps to have someone who knows filling me in!)

I remember Nel out here in Aus - he was struggling to get past 130kph out here too. We took note of the fact that he was consistently in the 120s, but tough to play because he was bowling a fantastic line and had the ball cutting around a fair bit.

 

[howardj]

Congratulations Australia!!!

Punter's finest hour!!!

 

[Top_Cat]

A good 2008 with the bat in test cricket? And a great tour of England? Prince before injury was arguably South Africa's most inform batsman whilst his form domestically has been good recently and has played a few of his trademark innings (back-to-the-wall).

I'll admit I don't rate him as highly as I do someone like Kat.

Asking him to open isn't great but making him captain for me is worst after his experiences in Sri Lanka, where he didn't like being captain one bit. Surprised Amla or AB were not asked.

Maybe they were? Who'd want to be captain right now anyway? Besides, they have less incentive, already in the side. This is Prince's ticket back in, he'd have been nuts not to jump at it.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Apparently Kallis is captain now and Prince is being allowed to just concentrate on his batting.

Kallis to captain South Africa Cricket - News - Yahoo!7 Sport