**Official** New Zealand in South Africa

[Zinzan]

Interesting decision to bat first from McCullum with both history and the dew factor suggesting otherwise. Du Plessis actually looked stoked to be chasing.

 

[_Ed_]

Runs for Guptill!

 

[MrPrez]

Lol@them focusing on that woman and then she starts pulling down the top of her top.

 

[_Ed_]

Oh dear, Martin. Not the same player who hit that match-winning T20 ton last month.

 

[Bahnz]

Guptill...pity he doesn't have more time to get himself right before the England series. Looks an utter mess even in his preferred format.

 

[Daemon]

Don't get what makes Tsotsobe and McKay so successful in one dayers. So damn effective for no apparent reason.

 

[Bahnz]

Oh dear, Martin. Not the same player who hit that match-winning T20 ton last month.

You mean the one in which he was dropped about 4 times?

 

[Zinzan]

Fair amount of swing around for both of these bowlers

 

[MrPrez]

Don't get what makes Tsotsobe and McKay so successful in one dayers. So damn effective for no apparent reason.

Tsotsobe is actually really underrated. Accurate left-armer who swings it back into the right hander and gets awkward bounce. I still reckon he'd have become a decent enough test bowler had philander not burst onto the scene.

 

[_Ed_]

You mean the one in which he was dropped about 4 times?

Ha, true. Still a quality innings, though.

 

[Zinzan]

I can only imagine the blueprint McCullum was talking about was to see if they can get to 19/1 after 10 overs again on what looks to be a cracking wicket ...

Very very strange decision to bat first.

 

[Briony]

Tsotsobe is actually really underrated. Accurate left-armer who swings it back into the right hander and gets awkward bounce. I still reckon he'd have become a decent enough test bowler had philander not burst onto the scene.

When he's on song but tends to be a bit inconsistent. One of his problems is lack of pace so on the flat tracks he has to be accurate or he can travel.

 

[_Ed_]

Well, this hasn't started ideally.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Was dire at Essex, tbh. Word is he had refuelling and penis issues too.

 

[TT Boy]

That's some seriously ordinary batting lineup South Africa have today. Faf is the captain, averages less than 30 in ODIs, Smith is the old head but for two years has averaged nothing and hasn't scored a ODI hundred in years and then you have the cow corner brigade. Chuck Virus and Neil Mac into the side and this game wouldn't be a dead rubber.

 

[Cabinet96]

Don't get what makes Tsotsobe and McKay so successful in one dayers. So damn effective for no apparent reason.

They're tall and really hard to get away in limited overs games. On the other hand, people like Steyn who are much skiddy are much easier to hit in limited overs cricket. Tsotsobe and McKay are both people who will continue to benefit form two new balls as well IMO, as they both get quite a bit of seam movement in helpful conditions.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Isn't McKenzie Kolpaking it just now?

 

[Briony]

That's some seriously ordinary batting lineup South Africa have today. Faf is the captain, averages less than 30 in ODIs, Smith is the old head but for two years has averaged nothing and hasn't scored a ODI hundred in years and then you have the cow corner brigade. Chuck Virus and Neil Mac into the side and this game wouldn't be a dead rubber.

Didn't Smith score a ton against Lanka last summer? Agree he struggles in this format these days though. Not sure the point of McKenzie though when Kirsten says he's trying things out. He's yesterday's man. Don't think de Kock is as bad as you think either. He hit some nice straight blows the other day.

 

[MrPrez]

SA must have the fattest cricketers in the world.

 

[Briony]

Was dire at Essex, tbh. Word is he had refuelling and penis issues too.

They were not impressed with his attitude at all.