Best South African post-isolation XI

[Marius]

Interesting debate on Twitter about the best post-isolation XI for SA:

https://twitter.com/dawiboon/status/981143789757763584

This is a tricky one. My team would be:

Smith (c)
Kirsten
Amla
Kallis
AB
Cullinan
Boucher
Pollock
Maharaj
Donald
Steyn

KG and Vern unlucky (think KG will eventually make an all-time SA XI), as is Ntini. Also QDK and Gibbs.

 

[Dendarii]

This is a tricky one. My team would be:

Smith (c)
Kirsten
Amla
Kallis
AB
Cullinan
Boucher
Pollock
Maharaj
Donald
Steyn

That would be my team as well. Although because of the headache when it comes to choosing between Pollock and Rabada, I'd be a little tempted to pick both of them and have AB take the gloves.

 

[SeamUp]

1. G.Kirsten
2. G.Smith (c)
3. Amla
4. Kallis
5. AB de Villiers
6. Cullinan
7. Boucher (wk)
8. S.Pollock
9. Maharaj
10. Steyn
11. Donald


1. Gibbs
2. Elgar
3. N.McKenzie
4. Du Plessis (c)
5. Prince
6. McMillan
7. de Kock (wk)
8. Philander
9. M.Morkel
10. Rabada
11. Ntini

1. Markram
2. Wessels (c)
3. Rudolph
4. Cronje
5. Rhodes
6. Duminy
7. Klusener
8. Richardson (wk)
9. Matthews
10. Fanie de Villiers
11. Schultz

Could put in KG into the first XI now for Kesh if we chose no spinner there. Just felt our best XI could have a spinner in it. It's just about longevity now for KG and touch wood that should be fine.
Also Vern. Oh man. What to do.
Tough one between Morkel and de Villiers to be honest.
Even at 35+ Wessles from previous era (s) makes the 3rd team. J.Cook and P.Kirsten (test 100 at 39 still a highlight) would be in previous era (s) no doubt
Tough one's : Seamers Abbott, Nel, Hayward (what could have been for Ngam) & spinner Adams are the main one's
'bits and pieces' spinners who chipped in Boje, Symcox, Harris, Robbie P

 

[Slifer]

Smith*
Kirsten
Amla
Kallis
AB +
Cullinan
Pollock
Philander
Maharaj
Steyn
Donald

 

[Rasimione]

Smith*
Kirsten
Amla
Kallis
AB +
Cullinan
Pollock
Philander
Maharaj
Steyn
Donald

I'd also go for a team like this.

 

[srbhkshk]

Smith (c)
Kirsten
Amla
Kallis
AB
Cullinan
QDK+
Pollock
Rabada
Donald
Steyn

I think QDK is a far better bat than Boucher and it's not as if he is a poor wicketkeeper.

Rabada is well on his way to be an ATG bowler, Maharaj is a good bowler but I don't think he -
a. is good enough to outbowl Rabada on any non-sc pitches.
b. is good enough to actually make a difference in sc.

 

[Victor Ian]

For me Boucher to DeKock is as Healy to Gilchrist but with a smaller gap in the batting. I'd still go Boucher. He seemed very good at knuckling down when the team was in a bind but with a long career I could be just remembering a few isolated innings.

 

[quincywagstaff]

If it was in South African conditions Philander would be the first bowler picked; just an absolute master of knowing how to bowl on those pitches.

 

[Slifer]

Just for schitts and giggles an Oz team from the same time period :

Hayden
Langer
Ponting*
Smith
Clarke
Hussey
Gilchrist +
Warne
Gillespie
Harris
McGrath

Left out anyone who debuted before 1990 when RSA returned to the cricket fold.

 

[Shri]

Kirsten
Smith
Amla
Kallis
Abdv
QdK
Pollock
Philander
Rabada
Steyn
Donald

Spin has never been SA's strength. They should go all in with pace or go home.

 

[Rasimione]

Kirsten
Smith
Amla
Kallis
Abdv
QdK
Pollock
Philander
Rabada
Steyn
Donald

Spin has never been SA's strength. They should go all in with pace or go home.

De Kock has done nothing at 6 why have him there?

 

[StephenZA]

6 seamers and no spinners seems a bit silly...

 

[Starfighter]

Five's been done so why not one more?

 

[StephenZA]

Kirsten
Smith
Amla
Kallis
De Villiers
Cullinan
QdK
Pollock
Maharaj
Steyn
Donald

 

[Maximas]

Balance wise it seems odd to leave a spinner out with Kallis picked in all of these teams, the guy took nearly 300 wickets.

Most people seem pretty happy taking a punt of Maharaj, very much on potential given he's yet to tour the subcontinent - but given most SA spinners who've been able to hold a place in the side for any period of time were either pretty defensive, inconsistent or could bat/field, he seems a fair choice for now.

 

[SeamUp]

Kallis won't have to moan about bowling anymore

 

[StephenZA]

Kallis won't have to moan about bowling anymore

Problem for him is if the ball was swinging he would still have to bowl.... provided Donald, Steyn had not done the job.

 

[Stefan9]

1.smith
2.kirsten
3.amla
4.kallis
5.ab
6.faf
7.boucher
8.steyn
9.kg
10.keshav
11.donald

 

[SeamUp]

Problem for him is if the ball was swinging he would still have to bowl.... provided Donald, Steyn had not done the job.

If it didn't bat it bowled and if it didn't bowl it caught.

One of my favourite in jokes how the SA team described the great man to be almost robot like.

 

[Dendarii]

Most people seem pretty happy taking a punt of Maharaj, very much on potential given he's yet to tour the subcontinent

I think it's a more than simply potential as he's taken 74 wickets in 20 matches at an average of 28.36. That's a decent record already, and better than any other spinner.