South Africa team selection

[Borges]

He would be the greatest pace bowler ever, to have played hundred test matches. A truly unique record.

 

[SeamUp]

First ever FTP that includes The Test Championship has been released

South Africa's Test Championship starts with a high-profile season in which they will play Tests in India, host England for a full tour and Australia for white-ball matches. The England series is the only four-Test engagement on the FTP. In total, South Africa play 31 Tests, split as 16 at home and 15 away, including includes three-Test series against India and Australia. The summer of 2022-23 should see South Africa play their first festive season tour in Australia since 2008-09, which could bring a return to the MCG and SCG. The other Test tours are two-Test encounters against Sri Lanka and West Indies at home and Pakistan and New Zealand away. South Africa will play 45 ODIs and T20s each, including a home ODI series against Netherlands and away in Ireland but do not have any fixtures scheduled against Zimbabwe or Afghanistan. All their T20 series are three matches each.

Who plays whom? Where? All you need to know about your team's schedule from 2018 to 2023 - ESPNcricinfo

 

[SeamUp]

Theunis de Bruyn out for a duck to you guessed it SPIN of Dom Bess on Surrey debut.

His ceiling may be higher than Bavuma but serious weaknesses are exposed the higher you go. It is what makes domestic cricket world wide as weak as it has ever been.

It would be unfair to give Klaasen a go first but I would be tempted.

 

[SeamUp]

On the plus side Steyn says he is getting better with each ball he bowls and currently 19 4-38 vs Yorkshire : Yorks 253/6 (74.0 ov, TT Bresnan 3*, JA Leaning 29*, DW Steyn 4/38) - Live | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

 

[StephenZA]

On the plus side Steyn says he is getting better with each ball he bowls and currently 19 4-38 vs Yorkshire : Yorks 253/6 (74.0 ov, TT Bresnan 3*, JA Leaning 29*, DW Steyn 4/38) - Live | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

Ends with a 5-for.

Hampshire's overseas star Steyn finished the day with fiery figures of 4 for 48 from his marathon 25 overs, as his fitness ahead of South Africa's tour of Sri Lanka continued to increase.

This makes me a happy South African.

 

[Bolo]

25 overs in a day, 29 in an innings.

That actually makes me feel better than the 5-for

 

[StephenZA]

Aiden makes his mark | The Cricket Monthly | ESPN Cricinfo

Nice little article on Markram. Also shows the importance of Jennings.

 

[Heboric]

Agree there would be no point in him continuing in those formats after 2019:

Steyn likely to quit ODIs, T20Is after World Cup - ESPNcricinfo

 

[Pup Clarke]

I love Dale but he shouldn't really be in the selectors discussion for the WC. Concentrate on Tests plz

 

[SeamUp]

We just so bad in 50-over cricket.

Less than a year to the WC we giving young players experience. I read Gibson will consider Steyn/Philander but only for last 10 ODIs before WC.

 

[SeamUp]

Aiden makes his mark | The Cricket Monthly | ESPN Cricinfo

Nice little article on Markram. Also shows the importance of Jennings.

This tour has been a learning curve.

Definitely good enough to get things right. Got the character but also the ability to do it.

 

[StephenZA]

This tour has been a learning curve.

Definitely good enough to get things right. Got the character but also the ability to do it.

Markram is one of the few I'm not worried about long term.... it was no real surprise that he struggled against quality spin. He will learn.

 

[StephenZA]

Repeat what I said in the tour thread.....

So in other words after 5 more ODI's we have the same problem that we've had for the last 4 years with still no solution, but now we don't have ABdV and Morkel..... I suppose Duminy's performance has granted him a WC spot.

 

[SeamUp]

Repeat what I said in the tour thread.....

So in other words after 5 more ODI's we have the same problem that we've had for the last 4 years with still no solution, but now we don't have ABdV and Morkel..... I suppose Duminy's performance has granted him a WC spot.

Yup knowing what our best batting line up and best all rounders are still an issue.

Do we have 15 ODIs left before WC ?

Problem also is as tournaments go on the pitches become more tired and weakness in trying to hit or score off spin under pressure is just heightened.

Personally I wouldn't go Philander. Ngidi & KG strike up front and that is what wins you games and probably the reason SRL got away with good starts. Would take Steyn for experience and depending on form he may get in too.

But long tails can't be afforded anymore too. Ngidi, Steyn & 1 spinner (Shamsi/Tahir)

 

[StephenZA]

Yup knowing what our best batting line up and best all rounders are still an issue.

Do we have 15 ODIs left before WC ?

Problem also is as tournaments go on the pitches become more tired and weakness in trying to hit or score off spin under pressure is just heightened.

Personally I wouldn't go Philander. Ngidi & KG strike up front and that is what wins you games and probably the reason SRL got away with good starts. Would take Steyn for experience and depending on form he may get in too.

But long tails can't be afforded anymore too. Ngidi, Steyn & 1 spinner (Shamsi/Tahir)

While I agree about the long tail for me there is no point playing bits and pieces players either. Only one of Andile, Mulder, Morris play, and my preference would be Andile he his the better striker low down at the moment and can be hopefully improved as a death bowler with change of pace and off cutters etc. Would bring Steyn. Duminy may have to bowl. Could bring along Maharaj if we worried about to long a tail.

Right now Amla, QDK, Markram, Faf, Duminy, Miller/Reeza (with a changed batting order posible) Andile, Rabada, Steyn, Ngidi, Shamsi/Tahir is my choice, purely because the extra allrounder has not done enough.

 

[Dendarii]

Could bring along Maharaj if we worried about to long a tail.

That's something I was wondering about. Most of the talk about the spinner has been around Tahir and Shamsi, but if the feeling is that we can only go with one allrounder then Maharaj has to come into consideration because he's a better batsman than either of them.

 

[StephenZA]

I'm actually not against playing 2 spinners, particularly later in the tournament when as SeamUp mentions the pitches get tired.

Ultimately though our bowlers are not likely to contain batsmen, but will take wickets, so I think that's what we go for our strength, easier to chase 250 than 350 if you can bowl the opposition out.

 

[SeamUp]

I would definitely consider Maharaj as an all round option but his batting too has gone off the boil of late !

Here we are talking about a 50-over series win so badly but the test series hurt me more.

In re-building our test side we have a lot of planning and work to do.

1) Elgar needs to find dominant form again.
2) Markram needs to nail down he is as good as we think he is.
3) Amla and Faf don't have long. How close is retirement ?
4) QdK needs to find his dominant form again. No question he scores important runs fast but the average is dropping below his ability.
5) De Bruyn & Bavuma need to match SA crickets high standards in test cricket. Like Mickey Arthur got Amla, Ab through to World class ability we need our current coaching staff to do the same. No excuses we have the talent.

I don't want things to drift along. We got to see performance of the high standard we expect.

I'm fine with the bowling for now.

 

[Bolo]

I'm actually not against playing 2 spinners, particularly later in the tournament when as SeamUp mentions the pitches get tired.

Ultimately though our bowlers are not likely to contain batsmen, but will take wickets, so I think that's what we go for our strength, easier to chase 250 than 350 if you can bowl the opposition out.

Normally I'd argue against a team that is relying on taking wickets at the expense of containment. One partnership and you are out the tournament.

This team is weak though. Rolling the dice might be the smart play.

 

[StephenZA]

Normally I'd argue against a team that is relying on taking wickets at the expense of containment. One partnership and you are out the tournament.

This team is weak though. Rolling the dice might be the smart play.

That's always true.... and you are better at trying to take the wickets of an inform batsman than contain them. You will have a bad day with the ball and the you need the batsmen to step up, and the reverse.