South Africa team selection

[SeamUp]

A few thoughts from Albertus and Harro on Kuhn.

Probably the last of the Titans Richard Pybus protege's to play for SA is it ? Faf, Morkel, Steyn, Harris, Tahir - probably others.

Heino Kuhn’s maiden Test call-up is well-deserved, says an overjoyed Albie Morkel, Multiply Titans limited-overs captain.
Kuhn, opener of the Multiply Titans, could face the new ball with his regular franchise partner, Dean Elgar, when the four-match series gets underway at Lord’s on 6 July.

Aiden Markram was included in the Test squad as cover for Titans’ stalwart and South Africa captain, Faf du Plessis, who might have to return home for the birth of his first child.

Morkel said Kuhn was always known as an attacking player but his defensive lapses might have caused his undoing early in his career. The changes that Kuhn made to his game, including straightening his defensive work, has led to become such a prolific run-scorer the past two seasons.

The 33 year-old hammered 527 runs in both the 2014/15 and 2016/17 season in the first-class arena. In the former season, he managed 1126 runs in the franchise-season; more than any other player in the country.

Morkel said Kuhn is a bit like Stephen Cook, who was replaced by the Piet Refiet-born Kuhn. “They have plied their trade over several years. Kuhn can play both roles with ease, although his natural instinct is to attack.”

In the South Africa ‘A’ match against Hampshire, he struck an unbeaten 200 off 291 balls and against the England Lions in a non-official four-day Test, he blasted 105 off 118 balls.

When the chips are down and he has to defend, Kuhn can occupy the crease. He did it in the 2014/15 season when he batted for 713 minutes while struggling with a painful lower back injury, and finished unbeaten on 244 against the bizhub Highveld Lions.

His wife, Trudie Watson, and some of his friends, convinced him not to retire and he underwent a back injury during 2015 before returning with gusto the following season. Kuhn was the recipient of four trophies at the Multiply Titans Awards in 2016, including Player of the Year.

Kuhn has struck 23 first-class centuries in 133 games and has managed 9341 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 44.7, an indication of his platinum class.

“I have been stating the case the past three years that he deserves a place in the Test group,” said Paul Harris, former South African left-arm opener.

“He is predominantly a back-foot player, but has enhanced his front-foot play the past few season and has become more productive in the ‘v’ between mid-off and mid-on.”

“He is a player who can take the game to the bowlers, rotates the strike, scores in different areas and will compliment Elgar well in the test team,”

Morkel said Markram, who played in his first full season for the Titans in 2016/17 and struck 565 Sunfoil Series-runs and 508 runs in the Momentum One Day Cup, is a star with so much flair. He is a stroke-maker. He hopes that Elgar and the senior South African players will take the 22 year-old Markram under their wings and mentor him.

“He has the ability to become a future South African Test captain,” Morkel said.

 

[SeamUp]

Press reckon the following have applied for the job :

Geoffrey Toyana
Malibongwe Maketa
Rob Walter
Richard Pybus (this is my guy)
Shukri Conrad

So no former players then like Adams, Prince, Boje, Klusener, Ntini, Boucher etc Kirsten/Donald been there done that.

Rumours of foreign applications. But only rumours.

Otis Gibson
Phil Simmonds
Stephen Fleming
Host of local coaches apply for Proteas job | Sport24

 

[StephenZA]

Richard Pybus would be fantastic, but Geoffrey Toyana must be a big favourite for political reasons. I would like Prybus to get the job, but for Toyana to get a role for experience purposes.

 

[Marius]

Press reckon the following have applied for the job :

Geoffrey Toyana
Malibongwe Maketa
Rob Walter
Richard Pybus (this is my guy)
Shukri Conrad

So no former players then like Adams, Prince, Boje, Klusener, Ntini, Boucher etc Kirsten/Donald been there done that.

Rumours of foreign applications. But only rumours.

Otis Gibson
Phil Simmonds
Stephen Fleming
Host of local coaches apply for Proteas job | Sport24

Richard Pybus would be fantastic, but Geoffrey Toyana must be a big favourite for political reasons. I would like Prybus to get the job, but for Toyana to get a role for experience purposes.

Pybus as head coach, with Toyana as assistant or something, would be good.

 

[SeamUp]

Whilst it would be nice to have Pybus/Toyana together how often do two people who apply for the role outright end up together ?

All signs lead to Toyana. QdK, Bavuma, Morris, Rabada got SA chance under him.

Pybus developed Boucher and Ntini at Border + Selborne in Boucher's case. Faf, Ab, Kemp, Tahir, M.Morkel, Steyn at Titans and Vern put his game together at Cobras under him.

 

[SeamUp]

Leading wicket-takers in the County Championship

Hello Harmer and Abbott : Cricket Records | Specsavers County Championship Division One, 2017 | Records | Most wickets | ESPN Cricinfo

Harmer just took a 9-for to win the game for Essex. 14 wicketets in the game for the second successive game which hasn't been done since 1931.

 

[Marius]

Harmer just took a 9-for to win the game for Essex. 14 wicketets in the game for the second successive game which hasn't been done since 1931.

Wow.

I wonder if he could get a look-in with the Proteas again, or is he done?

 

[SeamUp]

Wow.

I wonder if he could get a look-in with the Proteas again, or is he done?

Supposedly he spoke to Domingo before he took up the deal.

But he along with Levi and another have already extended their deals.

It would take too many assurances to get him to give up this deal.

I've basically come to the idea we can never have a white spinner purely because of other vital positions.

Magical Simon Harmer takes Essex 29 points clear | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Marius]

Supposedly he spoke to Domingo before he took up the deal.

But he along with Levi and another have already extended their deals.

It would take too many assurances to get him to give up this deal.

I've basically come to the idea we can never have a white spinner purely because of other vital positions.

Magical Simon Harmer takes Essex 29 points clear | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Yeah, probably.

But what white spinners are there at the moment?

Only guys who come to mind are Shaun von Berg and George Linde.

EDIT: See that there's another Saffa (or Saffa-born at least) in the Middelsex side, the Eskinazi fellow. Interesting name, wonder what the national origin is?

 

[SeamUp]

Yeah, probably.

But what white spinners are there at the moment?

Only guys who come to mind are Shaun von Berg and George Linde.

EDIT: See that there's another Saffa (or Saffa-born at least) in the Middelsex side, the Eskinazi fellow. Interesting name, wonder what the national origin is?

Those 2 + Harmer. But a successful system needs competition that we've lost. Von Berg on form was unlucky to miss out to Shamsi at Titans last season as an example.

Fortuin v Linde is also a very close battle but we've seen Bjorn get SA A selection. Both up-and-comers. Another is Kyle Simmonds at Academy now.

Also seen that Eskinazi. Not sure on origin but think he got to Middlesex via Australia.

 

[StephenZA]

https://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/170630/Fantastic_Rabada_excites_Richards

Enjoyed this article.Talking about Rabada coming in just as Steyn started getting injured was truly fantastic and has lessened the pain. Still hope to see Steyn again sooner rather than later.

Talking about Amla.

"He's starting to realise that everything that used to work so well at 25, doesn't work so well at 34," said Richards, who himself once scored 325 runs in a day's play during a first-class match for South Australia against Western Australia at Perth in 1970/71.

"One of the key parts of the series is Hashim Amla versus the fast bowlers and Hashim Amla versus himself."

I thought this was great as well.....

 

[StephenZA]

Russell Domingo reapplies to be South Africa coach | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo
So Domingo did put his hat in the ring.... I think he will keep the job at this stage. Maybe have a long-term plan with Toyana as an assistant coach?

 

[StephenZA]

Basic errors disguise South Africa's structural flaws | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

First time I`ve seen Moonda directly criticize Duminy, she has always been positive that he should be in the team. If even she is saying he must go then we know he should be truly done for....

 

[Dendarii]

Rabada being out for the next test match means that we're down to one black player, so how far-fetched is the notion of Phehlukwayo making his debut? It's not a selection I'd be in favour of as I do think it's too early for him to play test cricket, but political considerations might come into play, and it's not like he can do much worse than Duminy if he were to replace him.

 

[StephenZA]

Rabada being out for the next test match means that we're down to one black player, so how far-fetched is the notion of Phehlukwayo making his debut? It's not a selection I'd be in favour of as I do think it's too early for him to play test cricket, but political considerations might come into play, and it's not like he can do much worse than Duminy if he were to replace him.

Phelukwayo was picked to gain experience it would be truly poor decision making (not impossible) to pick him in front of Morris or Olivier.

Faf should replace Duminy, Olivier/Morris in for Rabada should be the team. We shall see what happens.

 

[91Jmay]

From what I've seen from Phelukwayo he isn't ready for Test cricket, but most all rounders aren't when they get picked. He seems to have a very good character so if could be a pretty underrated move to bring him in. Would he be a better batsman than Morris.

 

[StephenZA]

From what I've seen from Phelukwayo he isn't ready for Test cricket, but most all rounders aren't when they get picked. He seems to have a very good character so if could be a pretty underrated move to bring him in. Would he be a better batsman than Morris.

I think that Phelukwayo has a higher ceiling batting wise than Morris, but he is not there yet. Needs a few more years. He could not play in a 3 man seam attack, we would have to drop both Duminy, de Bruyn and Rabada sitting out. To then play Morris/Olivier and Faf as well.

 

[Bahseph]

I think Phelukwayo has tons of potential and could eventually be our premier LO all rounder, but if he gets selected for the Test team now there will be no way they can pass it off as a selection based on merit.

Duminy really has to go but I have this weird feeling that he will be given another test. Oliver or Morris won't embarrass themselves but man will we miss KG. Gonna need a big effort from Morne and Big Vern in the next game.

 

[91Jmay]

Yeah he isn't ready but I've got a gut feeling he'd go well. England struggle with that type of stock bowler + Trent Bridge could help him out. I would play him and Morris. 7/8/9 with Vern probably makes up for not having a proper 7.

 

[Bahseph]

I see your logic, and it could theoretically happen if they are worried about meeting the quota. But de Bruyn hasn't done anything droppable yet so he would feel hard done by.

1. Elgar
2. Kuhn
3. Amla
4. Faf
5. de Kock
6. Bavuma
7. Morris
8. Philander
9. Phelukwayo
10. Keshav
11. Morkel

It doesn't seem like a big downgrade because JP hasn't been a consistent source of runs. I'd still like de Bruyn in there but I don't see us going in with four POCs.