South Africa team selection

[SeamUp]

Awesome

Australian players prioritise South Africa Test tour over New Zealand T20

Sean Abbott is the latest to commit to the March tour despite South Africa battling a contagious new strain of Covid-19

www.theguardian.com

 

[Dendarii]

Well done ladies on series whitewash.

The match was a more comfortable victory than I thought it would be, but the women's team have also got their selection issues as Luus and Goodall really don't look the part at 3 and 4. Then again, we are missing Van Niekerk and Tryon, and the former especially is a difficult player to replace.

 

[SeamUp]

Especially with Mignon batting 5 who whilst being class likes to build her innings fairly slowly but it was a newbie today as well.

 

[SeamUp]

Readable thread. How bad is it. Pretty bad.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1354070811003543553

 

[Heboric]

Readable thread. How bad is it. Pretty bad.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1354070811003543553

Oh great, lower than Zimbabwe

 

[Bahseph]

As has been discussed before, the batting is very much in limbo. They haven't decided whether it's time to completely rebuild; or hold on to hope that players like Bavuma and Rassie will come good and that veterans like Faf and Elgar play above their career means and carry the team. It seems unsustainable.

I know Markram has flattered to deceive of late but he has proven that he can score Test 100s and is young. I agree with StephenZA about Hamza. I'm more inclined to afford younger players a longer rope.

I've also begun to rethink the whole idea of QDK being a top 5 specialist batsman. I think he needs to be keeping and playing lower down the order. He is never going to play traditionally.

 

[SeamUp]

We got to start in baby steps. We can't just drop 3 okes in one go.

1. Bavuma goes first. Hopefully the new player can be a success before Faf retires.
2. Markram and vd Dussen are on watch. Only thing I would say is there isn't exactly many openers of the same quality as 3-6 waiting in the wings.

 

[Bahseph]

I agree. Bavuma definitely has the least rope. I'm not a big stats guy but I genuinely feel like his career stats tell a good story about the player he is.

I just want to tip my hat to Elgar. He looked good against Sri Lanka and although he didn't convert today he seems to be playing more fluently than I've ever seen him. Perhaps it's a mental shift. I don't know if I'm comfortable with a fluent Elgar!

 

[SeamUp]

Chuffed for Deano too. Under appreciated.

After Pakistan we only have 11 tests in 18-19 months. Going to be so **** for a new guy coming in with the gaps.

And those 11 tests are against the 4 ahead of us in Australia, India, New Zealand, England

 

[StephenZA]

I am tired of this team now. This continuation of making poor selection decisions and holding on to players that need to be let go and playing players that might be a stop gap. If we are honest right now there is only 2 players that are in the current team that you can still see being in the team in 3-4 years time and that is Rabada (if we don't bowl him into the ground) and QDK (if he is not on stress leave). Markram is a possible close 3rd but needs to soften his hands.

Not surprisingly (cause I have been going on about it long enough), I am now firmly of the position that this teams needs to be ripped down and rebuilt from scratch using youngsters and looking towards 3 or 4 years time.

 

[StephenZA]

I must not forget Mulder who should have been playing this match.

 

[SeamUp]

So tiring and disappointing.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1354410011812892673

 

[SeamUp]

Wouldn't mind seeing that next test.

1. Elgar
2. Markram
3. Petersen
4. du Plessis
5. de Kock
6. Verreynne
7. Mulder
8. Maharaj
9. Rabada
10. Ngidi/Shamsi (depends on the wicket)
11. Dupavillon

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Wouldn't mind seeing that next test.

1. Elgar
2. Markram
3. Petersen
4. du Plessis
5. de Kock
6. Verreynne
7. Mulder
8. Maharaj
9. Rabada
10. Ngidi/Shamsi (depends on the wicket)
11. Dupavillon

I know you are a Dupav fan, but I really don't think Nortje deserves to be canned

Back in South Africa I wouldn't mind seeing both in the same team tbh, although that seems unlikely

 

[SeamUp]

I know you are a Dupav fan, but I really don't think Nortje deserves to be canned

Back in South Africa I wouldn't mind seeing both in the same team tbh, although that seems unlikely

It won't be canning him like it will be for Temba.

We play so little tests it is hard for our guys to get a feel for players. I just think Nortje can go back to the drawing board and we can see Dupav. I honestly think Dupav would have been a handful with reverse on this pitch now sadly.

I fully expect Nortje to play first test v Australia.

But it won't happen anyway.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

It won't be canning him like it will be for Temba.

We play so little tests it is hard for our guys to get a feel for players. I just think Nortje can go back to the drawing board and we can see Dupav. I honestly think Dupav would have been a handful with reverse on this pitch now sadly.

I fully expect Nortje to play first test v Australia.

But it won't happen anyway.

Fair enough. Despite many (mostly outsiders) saying South Africa has no depth, I very much disagree on fast bowling. Dupavillon is vastly better than an Abbott/Steketee tier bowler imo

 

[StephenZA]

Wouldn't mind seeing that next test.

1. Elgar
2. Markram
3. Petersen
4. du Plessis
5. de Kock
6. Verreynne
7. Mulder
8. Maharaj
9. Rabada
10. Ngidi/Shamsi (depends on the wicket)
11. Dupavillon

Much better more balanced team.

Have you heard anything on Coetzee and/or Van Tonders injuries will they be available soon?

 

[Dendarii]

We play so little tests it is hard for our guys to get a feel for players.

I'd say this is a big part of the problem. It's not unreasonable for to want to give players a decent chance, but for some players there will come a point where it's necessary to accept that a player been backed for long enough and he's just not up to it, and it's not always that easy to make that sort of judgement based on only a handful of games.

And long gaps between series don't help either as there's a danger of picking the guys who did duty the last time around and going back to the beginning of a "give them a chance" cycle. Obviously, we've had recent exceptional circumstances that resulted in a longer period than normal without playing, but even shorter breaks can give rise to this.

 

[SeamUp]

Fair enough. Despite many (mostly outsiders) saying South Africa has no depth, I very much disagree on fast bowling. Dupavillon is vastly better than an Abbott/Steketee tier bowler imo

It was why I asked the other day in the Australian domestic thread. Right now it does seem Jhye and Patto then ................. the rest.

I'm pretty stoked with Rabada, Nortje, Ngidi, Dupavillon, Stuurman, Sipamla (WIP) then the 4 youngsters. But they clearly still have Beuran in the mix.

 

[SeamUp]

Much better more balanced team.

Have you heard anything on Coetzee and/or Van Tonders injuries will they be available soon?

Gerald just missed out on selection for the Pool matches and Raynard went to see a specialist but not sure when he will be back.