***Official*** South African Domestic Season 2017/18

[SeamUp]

 

[SeamUp]

SUNFOIL SERIES after 6 rounds

Leading run-scorers
COBRAS
Malan 607, Hamza 377
DOLPHINS
van Jaarsveld 541 Erwee 442
KNIGHTS
Second 546 de Bruyn 456
LIONS
vd Dussen 505 Ramela 377
TITANS
Elgar 507 Markram 439
WARRIORS
Vallie 482 Ackermann 431


Best batting averages
COBRAS
Malan 67.44 Hamza 53.85
DOLPHINS
Vilas 104.25 Chetty 81.20
KNIGHTS
Second 136.50 de Bruyn 91.20
LIONS
Mulder 67.00 vd Dussen 63.12
TITANS
Markram 109.75 Elgar 84.50
WARRIORS
Ackermann 71.83 Vallie 53.55

Leading wicket-takers
COBRAS
Piedt 16 Williams 14
DOLPHINS
Muthusamy 16 Frylinck 9
KNIGHTS
de Lange 12 van Schalkwyk 10
LIONS
B.Hendricks 13 Phangiso 12
TITANS
von Berg 20 Siboto 19
WARRIORS
Harmer 18, Smuts 16

Best bowling averages
COBRAS
Cohen 35.85 Williams 43.85
DOLPHINS
Savage 25.66 Muthusamy 29.56
KNIGHTS
van Schalkwyk 25.80 McLaren 28.00
LIONS
Fortuin 17.90 Phangiso 26.80
TITANS
Ngidi 9.22 Hawken 20.50
WARRIORS
Smuts 22.75 Harmer 30.11

 

[SeamUp]

Some players may think they had a shout for SA A or T20 selection like Erwee and van der Dussen as batsman, Piedt as a spinner. Magala and Hawken potentially as older players.

But even outside all those selected can pick 2 decent future XIs with potential.

Janneman Malan
Tony De Zorzi (vc)
Raynard van Tonder (c)
Kyle Verreynne (wk)
Muhammed Mayet
Patrick Kruger
George Linde
Corbin Bosch
Lizaad Williams
Anrich Nortje
Nandre Burger


12th Fraser Jones

Ryan Rickelton
Matthew Breetzke
Jiveshan Pillay
Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk)
Marques Ackerman (c)
Wandile Makwetu (vc)
Bjorn Fortuin
Migael Pretorius
Michael Cohen
Daryn Dupavillon
Lwandiswa Zuma


12th Gerald Coetzee


This is where players feeding into the A side should come from.

 

[SeamUp]

Good feed-back for Moonsamy and Agathangelou at the Titans

Multiply Titans bowling coach Mandla Mashimbyi often calculates the run-rate while his team are in the field and the fact that the WSB Cape Cobras were able to score at least 3.5 runs per over throughout the Sunfoil Series match at Sahara Willowmoore Park shows why the home side eventually had to fight for the draw in Benoni on Sunday.
Allowing the Cobras to score 428 all out in their first innings immediately put the Titans behind in the game and, although they fought hard with the bat to reply with 346, the final day dawned with the visitors able to make the running thanks to their 82-run lead.

They eventually declared at 185 for six, an hour after lunch, leaving the Titans to score 268 in 51 overs in order to win, a required run-rate of 5.25. But the clouds building up overhead were the biggest factor and the Titans had reached 57 for two in 17.5 overs when rain forced the players from the field and killed any chance of a result. The 12.42 points the Titans gained from the match did at least keep them at the top of the four-day log, 5.40 points ahead of the Warriors.

“It was our first game back in the four-day stuff and we were a bit lacklustre with both bat and ball. We should have bowled better lengths and the Cobras had one player [Pieter Malan] who batted for a long time and got a hundred. Whereas our guys got in and then got out.

“If we had bowled on the first day the way we bowled in the second innings, then the Cobras would have been in trouble. But we didn’t bowl as well as we would have liked, right from the new ball, so we were playing catch-up. A run-rate of 3.5 on the first day was too high,” Mashimbyi said after stumps on Sunday.

Mashimbyi said that it was pleasing that debutants Rivaldo Moonsamy (76) and Andrea Agathagelou (51) both scored half-centuries and that the lower-order contributed vital runs, the last four wickets adding 92 and keeping the Cobras in the field for an extra couple of hours that might have been crucial.

“I have to commend the tail for the way they fought to the end. As coaches, we’ve made sure we’ve given them our two cents worth in terms of preparing them for batting. Last year we lost the competition by one-and-a-bit points, so we will never take those runs down the order for granted.

“It’s also been the story through the season that guys have come in and looked like they belong, and it was nice to see Rivaldo and Andrea get runs. The new guys coming into the team really buy into the culture and that helps a lot,” Mashimbyi said.

 

[SeamUp]

Cobras squad for tomorrow.

Cohen in for Paterson.
Linde probably in for Smith.

Ominous form. That would be the appropriate phrase to describe the performance of the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras in the first match of the second round of Sunfoil Series against the Multiply Titans last week. But ominous form and individual brilliance must be converted into 20 wickets per game for the next four Sunfoil Series clashes.

Ashwell Prince makes no bones about the performance in Benoni and the quality available for the Sunfoil Series match against the bizhub Highveld Lions at Eurolux Boland Park starting on Thursday.

“I think if it was a boxing match, it would have been stopped,” he said about the performance against the Titans.

“I have no doubt that if we were not denied by bad light, we would have won that game.”

Probed about the strength of the Lions, Prince says they will be missing Aaron Phangiso and Reeza Hendricks to call-ups to the South African T20 squad, while Dwaine Pretorius is also not available.

Yet, those call-ups create opportunities for younger players eager to please and to throw their hats into the franchise arena.

The hosts will be without Vernon Philander, who had a cortisone injection into his ankle two weeks ago. Yet, in the build-up to the match against the Lions, he has not had sufficient time in the nets to be selected for the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras.

Dane Paterson was justly rewarded for his excellence in the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge with a call-up to the South African T20 squad.

Prince feels upbeat about the form of his fast bowlers.

Lizaad Williams was excellent in Benoni. The 19-year old fast bowler Michael Cohen has nipped out 17 wickets in five three-day games for Western Province despite having indifferent spells and being dropped once. And in his second match for the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras, he nipped out 5-107.

There is a general consensus that he is a fast bowler who can capture wickets with his pace, the skiddy nature of his bouncers and his ability to swing the ball late. If managed cleverly and unleashed at the moment critique, he can run through any team.

Prince was not extremely pleased with the batting in Benoni.

He said ideally he would have liked to see two batsmen score centuries, as this is a global trend if you want to score 550 in the first innings.

There were enough double figures scored, but a few batsmen did not convert like Pieter Malan.

Malan, in his individual post-mortem report on the match, said the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras have a realistic chance for Sunfoil Series trophy success if they can win three of their last four matches.

The match at Paarl gives the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras the opportunity to make it the first win against a slightly out-of-sorts opposition.

World Sports Betting Cape Cobras squad: Dane Piedt (capt), Michael Cohen, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Khomari, George Linde, Pieter Malan, Aviwe Mgijima, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Jason Smith, Stiaan van Zyl, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams

Dolphins must put an end to 'rear-guard situations'

The Dolphins head to Port Elizabeth this week and they are determined to finally break their Sunfoil Series victory duck after six draws on the trot.

“Six draws is not as frustrating in the context of where the competition is going. A couple of these draws were hard-fought,” coach Grant Morgan said.

The Dolphins are fresh off a strong fightback against the Knights, but Morgan wants to see his side start matches better, rather than always clawing their way back into the contest.

“We are spending a lot of time on the back foot, fighting our way back into games. We can’t keep on having these rear-guard situations because we are losing out on first innings points in batting and in bowling,” he said.

“We are getting to the stage now where we need a win, but if we don’t get that, we need to stay in touch with our batting and bowling points.”

The problem for the Durban franchise this season has been their inability to combine the key disciplines in the same fixture. Their bowling in Bloemfontein allowed the opposition to run away in the first innings, while the batting eventually came good in the follow-on.

“In all competitions, we haven’t been able to put together our batting and bowling at the same time. We have only shown hints of our ‘A game’,” Morgan lamented.

“Our fielding was excellent in the One-Day Cup, and our bowling and batting has got us through at times. But we owe it to ourselves to put together our ‘A game’ in at least three of our last four games this season.

“The big thing for me is that we lose small portions of the game badly,” he added.

A few good men

Those small portions have left the Dolphins with mountains to climb, and survival has then taken priority over success. In the midst of that, however, they have found a few good men who thrive in that environment.

At the top of the order, Sarel Erwee has already notched three Sunfoil Series centuries, while Senuran Muthusamy’s steady hand in the middle order has seen them through some sticky situations.

The batting all-rounder has been rewarded for his responsibility this season with a call-up to the South African A side for the upcoming visit of Australia A.

Looking ahead to Port Elizabeth, Morgan said he expected a result.

“The Warriors are coming off a 29-run victory over the Highveld Lions, in a match that barely lasted two and a half days in East London.

“PE is a results wicket. It is a bit harder to pierce gaps there because the pitch can be a bit slower. It will be interesting to see what they give us to play on because they have to be sure that their batters can outgun ours,” he warned.

The Dolphins and the Warriors enjoy a respectable rivalry, and Morgan said he was looking forward to this latest instalment.

“We play the Warriors twice in the next four matches, and things like sharing the one-day trophy, them being party poopers to us once or twice, it all comes into play.

“There is a nice edge on the game,” he explained.

“Their coach Rivash (Gobind) is a lovely guy, and he used to be with the Dolphins. I used to be Warriors assistant coach so there is a lot to play for,” Morgan ended.

With six draws from their first six games of the Sunfoil Series, the Hollywoodbets Dolphins head to Port Elizabeth hoping to claim a victory that has eluded them throughout the four-day season when they clash with the Warriors from Thursday to Sunday.

The Dolphins began the second half of the Sunfoil Series last week in Bloemfontein and Grant Morgan’s men started the game slowly which put them well and truly on the back foot.

A strong rear-guard effort in their follow-on innings helped them secure a draw, however if they are to push for overall series honours they need to play on the front foot more often.

“I would say that we have only shown hints of our A game here and there throughout the season,” coach Morgan stressed. “We owe ourselves our A game at least three times out of the next four games.

“For me the thing is that we lose small portions of a four day game badly in both batting and bowling.

“The frustrating part is that we are spending too much time on the back foot in games and have to recoup games through some massive fightbacks.

“We can’t carry on like this because we are losing crucial first innings points and we are getting to a stage where we need to win but if we can’t we need to stay in touch and get those first innings points.”

Despite battling to get wickets against the Knights last week, Morgan has gone with the same bowling line up with the inexperience not being a problem for the Durban sides mentor.

“Our attack can nip the ball around and I am hoping that we can improve on our performance last week.

“I think there might have been some nerves for the guys but we are going to back them and see what they can come up with down in PE.

“We are taking down the same eleven that played last week and we have added Prenelan Subrayen and Daryn Dupavillon to the squad.

“Daryn has a bit of an injury and probably won’t play but we want him to be back in the mix after such a long time and he can work with the trainer and maybe bowl a bit as well,” the coach added.

The Durban-based outfit’s last trip to St George’s Park yielded a bonus point victory in the Momentum One Day Cup and with Morgan’s knowledge of the conditions and the wicket, his side should be confident they can break their streak of drawn matches.

“You can really get any kind of wicket there and I definitely see it as a result wicket,” Morgan said.

“The Warriors do have an ability to bowl well against us and with our recent relationship with the Warriors; that gives the game a nice little edge too.

“We can put a lot of pressure on them by getting our batting right in the first innings and we have various ways of getting 20 wickets, but that’s going to be the challenge.”

HOLLYWOODBETS DOLPHINS SQUAD:
Sarel Erwee, Morne Van Wyk, Vaughn Van Jaarveld, Senuran Muthusamy, Sibonelo Makhanya, Dane Vilas, Keshav Maharaj (Captain), Robert Frylinck, Athi Maposa, Kerwin Mungroo, Zakariya Paruk, Daryn Dupavillon, Prenelan Subrayen

Lions staying focussed on Sunfoil Series, blocking out boardroom rumblings

While a cloud continues to hang over him as coach, and the players’ futures, Highveld Lions mentor, Geoffrey Toyana, said the drama behind the scenes had nothing to do with his team suffering its second defeat of the Sunfoil Series to the Warriors last Saturday.

“We didn’t bat well enough, again, same story, like it’s been all season,” a despondent Toyana replied.

The Lions, chasing 161, were bowled out for 131, losing the match by 29 runs.

“It was a difficult pitch, it did spin a lot, which we were surprised by, but we should have made 160. To turn up on the third morning and lose three wickets for one run, was disappointing,” said Toyana.

It’s been a season of disappointment for the Lions, and the pressure on Toyana and the players has grown rapidly in recent weeks, particularly after their poor One-Day Cup campaign.

The Gauteng Cricket Board’s chief executive Greg Fredericks, has already outlined that “systemic changes” will occur in the coming weeks, but he’s been reluctant to say if those changes will include removing Toyana as head coach. It is believed that a director of coaching will be appointed, but that is likely to be on a region wide basis, while specifics around the Lions team are set to be discussed at a Board meeting next week.

The message to Toyana and the players from the "suits" has been to knuckle down and get on with it, and not pay attention to the rumours swirling around concerning changes.

“To be honest, we are all professionals and in all professional spheres of life there is pressure,” said Toyana.

“What has been nice is seeing how the guys have kept working and going about their business. We can’t control what is going on outside, we must focus on the jobs that we are paid to do.”

'Learning lessons'

Out of 26 matches in the three major domestic franchise competitions, the Lions have won just five times this season and for the most part it’s been their batting which has stood out as a glaring weakness.

“We are just not starting well, (Stephen) Cook is struggling this season, and then in East London, he gets two unplayable deliveries. Our other batsmen, with the exception of Rassie van der Dussen, who is playing really well this season, are just not taking responsibility,” Toyana said.

“We had two bowlers (Aaron Phangiso and Beuran Hendricks) take ‘five-fers and I really feel for them, they did not deserve to be on the losing side."

Another frank meeting was held following the defeat in East London, and while the players keep talking about learning lessons, they have failed to apply, that which they claim to be learning.

“This season has been tough, but we can’t keep talking about learning, we’ve got to go out there and make the franchise proud,” Toyana said.

While Toyana maintains that the Lions are not out of the running in the Sunfoil Series - despite being rooted to the bottom of the standings - the gap to the table-topping Titans is now 30 points.

The Lions are the only team to have lost this season and their next match - another away encounter - is against the Cape Cobras, who gave the Titans a run for their money in a tough drawn encounter in Benoni last week.

The Lions will bring Dominic Hendricks back into the squad to replace Reeza Hendricks, who was called up to the national T20 squad for the three matches against India. Phangiso has also been recalled to the Proteas T20 side, and the Lions are hoping, Bjorn Fortuin, who has been injured will be available.

 

[SeamUp]

Some other squads.

Fortuin currently injured. Wonder if the same for Dwaine Pretorius.

R.Hendricks out D.Hendricks in
Phangiso out and either Craig Alexander or Dyllan Matthews in. Like for like will bring in the spinner. Interesting selection young leg-spinner Matthews who like Fortuin is from the Cape but went to Pukke Uni. I've seen Matthews. He has the lot but very raw so numbers in his few NW fc games not showing much (limited overs produced more). May be risky but it is the sort of talent that needs to be harnessed. If they play Craig Alexander (who has basically been on cricket pension for 5 to 6 years they really should go have a sleep).

If the team fails hopefully some new faces like Rickelton, Malan, Mayet, Burger.

For the Warriors. Captain Smuts out so would assume Breetke in unless maybe a team balance shift for Birch to come in. Not sure why Moore batted down the order in 2nd innings of last game.

Warriors

Colin Ackermann (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Edward Moore, Gihahn Cloete, Yaseen Vallie, Lesiba Ngoepe, Clyde Fortuin, Simon Harmer, Aya Gqamane, Tladi Bokako, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Andrew Birch

Same for the Knights

The Knights squad is: Rudi Second (capt), Mbulelo Budaza, Werner Coetsee, Theunis de Bruyn, Marchant de Lange, Eddie Leie, Patrick Kruger, Luthando Mnyanda, Grant Mokoena, Duanne Olivier, Keegan Pietersen, Pite van Biljon, Shadley van Schalkwyk.

 

[StephenZA]

Who the hell is Zakariya Paruk? Never heard of him or anything about him?

 

[StephenZA]

Harmer ends up with 6 wickets day 1 against the Dolphins.... I think Aus can expect dry pitch in PE this coming series.

 

[SeamUp]

Who the hell is Zakariya Paruk? Never heard of him or anything about him?

Nothing to serious talent wise. Him being selected really is out of the blue. His bowling was about 115-120 kph when I saw him in African T20. Considering where they playing I am shocked Subrayen didn't play.

Breetzke just dismissed. Would have batted him at 4 with Cloete remaining as opener. But I suppose Cloete hasn't scored much opening in FC this season so felt they needed to try something different.

Harmer ends up with 6 wickets day 1 against the Dolphins.... I think Aus can expect dry pitch in PE this coming series.

That is for sure. Result wicket. Late season in PE. If they don't leave any form of grass on then we can expect massive reverse too.

 

[SeamUp]

I always look out for hundred making ability. I've mentioned a little while back that David Bedingham is back from a year out from a car accident. But up till that point he was a fading talent who got starts and through it away. He was considered above Jason Smith (same year and same school) and Zubayr Hamza at school level for a period of time.

Since he has come back the hundred making ability has stood out.

Since 9 December he has made 5 centuries combined in the two formats for Boland. 104*, 113, 147, 122, 101

Potentially one to just monitor. When you watched him bat you thought ah man what a natural talent and timer of the ball but he would then give it away so meekly.

Interesting to see if the Cobras just involved him in the squad in these last 3 Sunfoil Games as those are the types of numbers that gets you recognised.

 

[SeamUp]

Love how Parnell went to Dubai on holiday during the cricket season. Well and truly finished with the Proteas.

 

[SeamUp]

8th Round of Sunfoil Series starts tomorrow.

Dolphins v Cobras @ PMB

DOLPHINS

Phehlukwayo gets a break

Erwee
van Wyk
van Jaarsveld
Muthusamy
Zondo
Vilas
Makhanya
Frylinck
Subrayen
Mungroo
Engelbrecht

Nhelbela

The Cobras are only announcing their squad tomorrow. Supposedly Puttick has returned to the squad. There may be a surprise debutant in leg-spinner Junaid Dawood because of conditions. Would really like the Cobras to get Bedingham involved especially after scoring 5 centuries in 14 innings across formats for Boland standing out in games. But will probably have to work harder.

Knights v Lions @ Kimberley

KNIGHTS

Mokoena
Mnyanda
Second
Miller
Petersen
Kruger
Coetsee
de Lange
Olivier
van Schalkwyk
Budaza

du Plooy
Baartman

LIONS

Nandre Burger in the squad for the first time

Cook
R.Hendricks
Ramela
van der Dussen
D.Hendricks
Pretorius
Mosehle
Fortuin
Phangiso
Jamison
Burger

Pongolo

Warriors v Titans @ East London

WARRIORS

Smuts back in for Breetzke

Moore
Cloete
Ackermann
Vallie
Smuts
Ngoepe
Fortuin
Harmer
Gqamane
Nortje
Bokako

Birch
Sipamla

TITANS

Looks like Steyn may be back according SA Cricket Mag but Titans OS say no.

De Zorzi
Agathangelou
Kuhn
Behardien
Davids
Moonsamy
Morris
von Berg
Siboto
Shamsi
Dala

Hawken

 

[SeamUp]

More on Junaid Dawood

“We have to be brave in terms of possibly selecting two spinners,” he said.

“The 21-year-old leg-spinner Junaid Dawood is considered seriously for the role of second spinner and match-winner,” he said.

When JP Duminy faced Dawood in the lead-up to the previous T20 Internationals, he was very impressed and said he cannot believe how much he has grown as a leg-spinner in two months at Western Province, Prince said.

Instead of just offering a loopy, slow leg-spin, he has added quicker variations to his game, and he was also bolstered by the help of Robin Peterson, who operated as Cricket South Africa consultant.

Nice article on Sen Muthusamy

https://www.iol.co.za/sport/cricket...-relishes-his-crisis-management-role-13465096

 

[SeamUp]

Perhaps take the discussion from SA Team selection here. This is just batting. Balancing a team will effect bowling too. I mean I look at Moreki/Nabe keeping out Cohen/Williams for the Cobras now and I shake my head. Same with Birch missing out to Gqamane/Bokako

I think Dendarii hit the nail on the head with this mainly. But it is just disappointing we have to keep bringing up because we have to accept it. As a nation we should be honing our coaching skills to produce the best players no matter the colour of skin. We will reap results with hard work.

That does seem to be a symptom of something I know we've discussed in the past - the lack of black batsmen coming through the system. That means that those who get picked in order to meet the quota requirements are not only on the older side but also probably shouldn't be in the side, as if they're not averaging 30 after having been around for some time they never will.

On face value it may seem who is out there that could help. But we not maximising our chances of developing talented players early and letting them tell us they good enough or not or perhaps got that next level talent with the right people around them. Basically are they being challenged early enough ?

Out talented young players come from dominating lower levels and need to go through adversity early to come through it.

Not everyone will be Elgar, van Zyl, Rossouw and more recently de Kock/Markram/de Bruyn who basically dominated franchise 4-day from the word go.





COBRAS

Pieter Malan
Andrew Puttick
Zubayr Hamza
Stiaan van Zyl
Kyle Verreynne
Aviwe Mgijima

Simon Khomari
Jason Smith

Qaasim Adams
Dayyaan Galiem

David Bedingham
Ricardo Vasconcelos
Ferisco Adams

Mgijima and Khomari should be nowhere near franchise cricket. Malan who has struggled at franchise level is now in the SA A team. Puttick was chased away due to spot limitations and now Prince has called for 2 of their top 6 to score 100s they call him back for the first time since October. Hamza and Verreynne have been afforded opportunities and grabbed them with FC averages 45+ whilst Smith, Galiem, Q.Adams, F.Adams couldn't. I wonder how much more Bedingham will have to do to be noticed.


WARRIORS

Edward Moore
Gihahn Cloete
Colin Ackermann
Yaseen Vallie
JJ Smuts
Lesiba Ngoepe
Clyde Fortuin

Matthew Breetzke
David White

Baring in mind this is without Ingram and Jonker in the mix. We all know they've identified Breetzke. To hopefully fast track his development he will go through tough stages early on which he has in his initial 4 appearances. Without Ngoepe he gets a chance. Gihahn Cloete is a weird case but averages in the 20s over a number of seasons.

DOLPHINS

Sarel Erwee
Morne van Wyk
Vaughn van Jaarsveld
Khaya Zondo
Senuran Muthusamy
Dane Vilas
Sibonelo Makhanya

Cody Chetty

Marques Ackerman

Grant Roelofsen

I don't think there is any main issues with the Dolphins bar the fact that Ackerman/Roelfosen have had to wait longer to get provincial chances and have put in the hard yards in provincial cricketer averaging 40+ but Makhanya keeps playing.

I like Muthusamy but whilst he has talent he has been afforded the opportunities to fail hence the average of 33. Zondo has a FC average of 32 that was in the 20s in his mid 20s still. Chetty is not fit at the moment but if the Dolphins had Dupavillon available and wanted to play him and Frylinck then one of Erwee, van Wyk, VVJ, Vilas miss out. All guys in form and have strong FC Careers.

LIONS

Stephen Cook
Reeza Hendricks
Omphile Ramela
Dominic Hendricks
Rassie van der Dussen
Wiaan Mulder
Magaliso Mosehle

Dwaine Pretorius
Nicky van den Bergh

Ryan Rickelton
Janneman Malan


Whilst I understand Rickelton and Malan getting on chances in limited overs cricket at this point the Lions franchise is a big union in SA but they don't act like one. 19 year-old Mulder called out the other day for the union to stop politics. van der Dussen & D.Hednricks took seasons to actually score FC 100s for the Lions and will stagnate opportunities. Ramela barely averages 30 and is worse though but yet in SA A mix. Mosehle has got away with murder. Cook is aging and out of form and R.Hendricks'4-day game has been poor for 4 seasons now and even when it was decent it was inconsistent.

de Zorzi is a player afforded opportunity though with an average of 30 but we have Rickelton dominating both formats and keeping at the same time averaging 50 & 40 but not got much franchise experience at his age of turning 22 later in the year. Rickelton and Moonsamy played youth cricket together and Rickelton was the one dominating age group level but is well behind Moonsamy in development now too because of opportunities.

I'm happy with the Knights and Titans for different reasons.

The Knights do seem to find ways to get their young talent through (altough van Tonder will have to work hard to get past du Plooy, van Biljon, Gous, Botha) - obviously competing for 5 spots makes it tougher for him to get the initial opportunity.

The Titans have been producing a lot of their own talent. Their pathway from Tuks to Northerns to Titans to SA is the best ie Markram, de Bruyn, Klaasen, Ngidi. Their best young batsman are all from other provinces and are non-white in de Zorzi, Pillay, Makwetu although Moonsamy is Notherns boy but he didn't come through the Tuks pathway.

The funny thing is though whilst their pathway has proved successful opportunities for de Bruyn, Markram and Klaasen were difficult. de Bruyn had to move whilst Markram was seriously thinking about it. I suppose there is a certain level of trust at the union at developing successful players and teams that other unions don't have. I still believe and u19 WC performing and winning captain in any other country would have been looked after to play higher level cricket sooner.

 

[Rasimione]

Can we honestly say black players would have emerged in the numbers we seeing now without qoutas being enforced? I don't like qoutas but I understand why they exist. Social engineering is what the previous government did for many years. This has affected sporting codes greatly. That has to be redressed.

It's frustrating for some posters here that some promising white players are not getting chances at domestic level but imagine the millions of people basically denied an opportunity because they are black. For centuries actually.

Sport should never mix with politics but given our past things can't continue like before. It's just not feasible to have teams dominated by one race.

Change is painful. It hurts knowing that a white player could find it difficult to gain a sport because of transformation but surely the needs of a changing social landscape outweigh everything else. I generally avoid talking about qoutas /transformation thing because it's an emotive subject. I'm genuinely hoping that in the coming years a lot of quality cricketers of colour will emerge and this won't be an issue. One can only hope.

 

[SeamUp]

I really don't like to talk about specifics as well but Stephen wanted it.

I honestly believe good cricketing people in the correct positions will makethe right decisions. Especially talking cricketing authorities.

I honestly believe without quotas Bavuma, Rabada, Ngidi and many others will go where their talent and performances take them. I don't think there will be anyone stopping them this day and age. This should be for all players.

The past sickens me but letting it effect our current and future only lets those buffoons win with what they did.

I just want a successful cricket system where you can trust more performances at face value and players challenged as much as possible before an international chance.

We will get places with hard work. That is to CSA and their grassroots coaching.

 

[akilana]

Can we honestly say black players would have emerged in the numbers we seeing now without qoutas being enforced? I don't like qoutas but I understand why they exist. Social engineering is what the previous government did for many years. This has affected sporting codes greatly. That has to be redressed.

It's frustrating for some posters here that some promising white players are not getting chances at domestic level but imagine the millions of people basically denied an opportunity because they are black. For centuries actually.

Sport should never mix with politics but given our past things can't continue like before. It's just not feasible to have teams dominated by one race.

Change is painful. It hurts knowing that a white player could find it difficult to gain a sport because of transformation but surely the needs of a changing social landscape outweigh everything else. I generally avoid talking about qoutas /transformation thing because it's an emotive subject. I'm genuinely hoping that in the coming years a lot of quality cricketers of colour will emerge and this won't be an issue. One can only hope.

Better players should get opportunities regardless of colour. Right now the system is stacked against white players. How’s this fair to the younger generation of white players that wasn’t even born during the time of apartheid. It is also racism when a non-deserving black player gets into the team at the expense of a more talented white player simply because of colour.

 

[StephenZA]

I really don't like to talk about specifics as well but Stephen wanted it.

I do normally try avoid it as well, but the perception versus reality of what happens because of the quota system is important. I don't like the implied rhetoric that comes about and was just liking to get more definite facts.

I honestly believe good cricketing people in the correct positions will makethe right decisions. Especially talking cricketing authorities.

I honestly believe without quotas Bavuma, Rabada, Ngidi and many others will go where their talent and performances take them. I don't think there will be anyone stopping them this day and age. This should be for all players.

The past sickens me but letting it effect our current and future only lets those buffoons win with what they did.

I just want a successful cricket system where you can trust more performances at face value and players challenged as much as possible before an international chance.

We will get places with hard work. That is to CSA and their grassroots coaching.

I agree with everything that you have said here and I think that quotas, are used as political tools which I hate.

The problems in cricket in SA, not having enough players of 'colour' are more fundamental to SA as a whole across the work spectrum.... for any sport, and for many things in life, opportunity is everything and unfortunately opportunity comes down having available facilities and, brutally, the right economics. Your chances of success increase dramatically when money is involved. I think quotas done in the right way can help give opportunities to people in less fortunate positions just because of life. But nothing is going to change in this country regardless of quotas without the bigger issues being addressed at fundamental level; and with regards to cricket I`m not sure that CSA (and indirectly government) is doing enough.

 

[SeamUp]

Big knock for Zubayr Hamza. Would love to see him get a 100 and get the Cobras to victory. It will be massive for his confidence and career. Time at crease with van Zyl very nice too.

COBRA 95/2 (31.5 ov, S van Zyl 8*, Zubayr Hamza 44*, S Muthusamy 1/42) - Live | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

Probably our big batting hopes after Markram, Bavuma, de Bruyn, de Kock are these guys below. CSA need to do everything to make them maximise that potential.

Rickelton
Breetzke
Hamza
Van Tonder
Bedingham
Muthusamy
Mulder

 

[SeamUp]

Well, Zubayr did it. 109 not out with Stiaan 66 not out

2nd Sunfoil Series hundred for Hamza.