South Africa team selection

[trundler]

Any venue is a dry venue when Nathan Lyon is there

 

[Heboric]

Will you guys have enough dry venues for the series at that time?

Good question, can be okayish inland like Wanderers and Centurion, not so sure about Cape Town

 

[Bahseph]

Having watched some of the NZ vs Bangladesh series,I think spin is going to be marginalized yet again. Even though Keshav did well last time,perhaps it is a better option to get Linde/Muthusamy in at 7 and play KG,Ngidi,Jansen and Nortje.

My preference would still be Mulder at 7 and Keshav playing but I can't see them dropping Jansen at all. My fear is that SA are immediately out of the game when it's a 350 vs 350 first innings pitch.

 

[PakhuisTillite]

I live 3km from Newlands. Rainy season from June to September and Newlands is right in the middle of the rainiest suburb in the Western Cape. It has a micro-climate caused by the Table Mountain Range ramping up moist North Westerly winds which then dump rain in its shadow. August cricket in Cape Town would be a huge risk.

 

[StephenZA]

Having watched some of the NZ vs Bangladesh series,I think spin is going to be marginalized yet again. Even though Keshav did well last time,perhaps it is a better option to get Linde/Muthusamy in at 7 and play KG,Ngidi,Jansen and Nortje.

My preference would still be Mulder at 7 and Keshav playing but I can't see them dropping Jansen at all. My fear is that SA are immediately out of the game when it's a 350 vs 350 first innings pitch.

You only need to play 5 genuine bowlers if and only if you think that the pitch is going to be that flat and you could end up bowling 120+ overs an innings. And that is an already negative mindset. NZ is a 2 test series should not be protecting bowlers from workload in that circumstance.

As well as Jansen has done, Still think that Rabada, Ngidi and Nortje are our best fast bowler combinations. Jansen can bring batting depth so may get the nod, but that should be over Nortje then for my mind. People drastically underestimate how good Ngidi is at getting wickets and keeping it tight with that awkward angle he uses and the way he brings the ball in, with then an occasional out-swinger. But I don't really mind which of these 3 bowlers we pick because they all showed class. I never like dropping Maharaj because he brings an important balance to the setup. He has been treated terribly by selection and captain at times, and still come back and done a brilliant job and helped us win games with his contribution. But none of this is really the SA teams problem its all about the batting.

Obviously with Bavuma continuing his little contributions he will continue onwards. People know how I think of VDD. I really don't dislike the guy, but he is not the future and I feel he is holding the team development up. I don't think Verreynne is good enough to be a top 6 bat. He would be great at 7/wk and maybe that can still work, but his technique does not give me confidence at international level. Mulder needs to be selected, give him as much exposure as possible and lets see if he sinks or swims. He is the generational talent that needs to be given maximum opportunity. Provides perfect balance to the team. (On a side note we do have a plethora of allrounders coming again, Bryce Parsons specifically). Markram is a problem Needs to bat 4 but seems to be entrenched as an opener. A number of the domestic openers are contributing big runs, so its not that he can't move lower but will replace one of the incumbents that SA seems to want to cling to.

If you asked me to pick a team (and squad) tomorrow, I would probably go with:

Elgar
Breetzke
Petersen
Markram
Bavuma
Mulder
Verryenne
Maharaj
Rabada
Nortje
Ngidi

van Tonder
Rickelton
Linde
Jansen
Sipamla

 

[PakhuisTillite]

I think we made a mistake blooding Verreynne before Rickelton who I think is capable of holding down a top 6 batting position. We're in a good place with wickie talent though. Grant Roelofson is also doing well at the Dolphins. I agree with you about Jansen. We need an enforcer and Marco looks like one giant stress fracture just waiting to happen. He'll need to be managed very carefully.

 

[Dendarii]

I think we made a mistake blooding Verreynne before Rickelton who I think is capable of holding down a top 6 batting position.

Verreynne's selection is one of those that doesn't appear to have worked out, but wasn't unreasonable. He'd already put in some decent ODI performances and he does average over 50 in first-class cricket. So on paper at least, not a ridiculous decision to pick him.

 

[PakhuisTillite]

Oh I don't doubt Verreynne is potentially a very useful bat. In a series where 200 was a par score I don't think we can judge him on his batting performance. Lower order batting contributions seems to be fairly scarce across the board in test cricket nowadays. Bowler friendly wickets and a strong generation of pace bowlers are the main cause I suspect. I don't remember an era where there was such a depth and spread of fast bowling talent. Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and India all have seriously good attacks.

 

[Dendarii]

People drastically underestimate how good Ngidi is at getting wickets and keeping it tight with that awkward angle he uses and the way he brings the ball in, with then an occasional out-swinger.

Yeah, people seem to be very quick to drop Ngidi when trying to figure out the South African bowling line-up. I know that Jansen is the flavour of the moment and Nortje is the sort of express bowler who always attracts attention, but Ngidi has 47 wickets at 20.65. Granted, he's played most of his tests at home on helpful wickets, but it's still a good record. And while he perhaps doesn't pose as much of a run through the side threat as some of the other South African bowlers, he's always amongst the wickets and is the most economical, which shouldn't be overlooked.

 

[andruid]

The time has come to rehabilitate (checks notes) Loots Bosman

 

[honestbharani]

Yeah, people seem to be very quick to drop Ngidi when trying to figure out the South African bowling line-up.

You would have lost the series to India 3-0 without Ngidi. He was immense.

 

[Heboric]

You would have lost the series to India 3-0 without Ngidi. He was immense.

Yes he was fantastic but, never forget:

Elgar was saying the Indian team was more focused on sledging after the DRS incident than the two batsmen

 

[Test Master]

Never agreed with the whole horses for courses thing.

One thing the greatest teams have in common is that they have a core group of players that can perform home and AWAY.

I feel Marco Jansen has a greater wicket taking ability than Ngidi. I feel on flatter decks Ngidi will be targeted. But time will tell. Gut feel says go with Jansen.

Rabada and Nortje should be
automatic selections in any conditions.

Not against the idea of Markram slotting in at 4 ... should he ragain some form and consistency. Otherwise drop him for a consistent performing batsmen on the circuit...or a more promising one.



As it's stands VDD holds his spot in the team and should be given the chance to find some freedom in his game.

Veryene keeps his place. Can't be realistically critiqued on his batting. Still a novice, deserves more time. Has shown skill in the shorter format for SA as well.

Best 11

Elgar
Erwee
Peterson
Markram
Bavuma
VDD
Vereyene
Maharaj
Jansen
Rabada
Nortje

SA success in the past especially away from Home is a result of having a long batting lineup, with genuine wicket takers.

I believe this is the most potent SA team to tour NZ. Looks solid.

 

[Stefan9]

Will you guys have enough dry venues for the series at that time?

It doesn't rain on the highveld in the winter. Centurion and Wanderers perfectly save to play at that time as far as rain goes.

 

[StephenZA]

It doesn't rain on the highveld in the winter. Centurion and Wanderers perfectly save to play at that time as far as rain goes.

Yeah, but we want to play Aus at the coast! Aus love playing at Port Elizabeth.

 

[Stefan9]

Good question, can be okayish inland like Wanderers and Centurion, not so sure about Cape Town

If they want to avoid rain the options for the third Bloemfontein, kimberley or Potch very safe.

PE and Durban may work.

Cape Town is very risky.

 

[StephenZA]

If they want to avoid rain the options for the third Bloemfontein, kimberley or Potch very safe.

Lets play at these three... Aus will feel like they in the subcontinent!

 

[Stefan9]

As for the side going forward I want beddingham and rickelton included.

1.Elgar
2.Erwee
3.Petersen
4.markram
5.Bavuma
6.Beddingham
7.Rickelton
8.Jansen/Maharaj
9.Kg
10.Nortje
11.Ngidi

Depending on the conditions play Jansen or keshav.

 

[karan_fromthestands]

Don't know where to post this, but baby AB is so bloody good! I guess he should be fast-tracked into the side in a couple of years.

 

[Rasimione]

Don't know where to post this, but baby AB is so bloody good! I guess he should be fast-tracked into the side in a couple of years.

Brevis? Yeah he's talent.