@StephenZA Just my 2c below.
Batting-wise I reckon you have to get Kock into the top 4. I think he's wasted down at 6 tbh. Otherwise I don't think there's any immediate concern, though another batter would be nice.
Bowling... I reckon those orders were a little sub-optimal; that players could've been utilised a bit better - Passmore should've been bowling more than two over spells, de Klerk bowling 6 out of 12 overs meant he was tired for his 2nd spell. I see you use the same even-number fielding order strategy as I do! (though I set 3s for my economical bowlers often) My current default orders, for comparison:
It may be worth leaving de Klerk or Guliwe out depending on the pitch; you saw how their BQs dropped off occasionally. It's an interesting setup to put together, anyhow!
So the setup was such that I did not change the orders for any of the 9 matches. I just picked the 'best' team I had available and stuck with it.
On the TMOs bowling:
de Klerk and Ncanana are expensive, but they take wickets and have won me many games because of the late innings wickets. Ideally they would share a 4/5/6th bowling spot and I would have another decent allrounder in the team... currently I`m doing everything I can to develop
Coetzee and
Jupp. I am hoping Jupp and development of
Hunt solves my opening bowler problems. Unfortunately Burger and Passmore have poor stamina so longer spells become difficult. Part of this was an experiment to see the effect of two over spells for Passmore before he becomes tired. But I am likely to start increasing number over in spells for my bowlers.
Burgers lack of wickets is a huge problem at the moment. And I don't fully understand it. He is a big part of my overall high bowling rating but is not contributing. I have given him the best opportunity I can to take wickets. Giving him the new ball and setting attacking fields. I understand the argument about lack of experience etc. But compared to 80% of the opposition he bowled to in this 9 match series he is as, if not, more skilled and has as much, if not more, experience than most. Ending up with the highest BQ by a long way compared to any opposition and team bowlers, but taking less wickets. 1/2 the number of wickets that de Klerk took who has the lowest BQ. 4 of Burgers 7 wickets have come against the weakest opposition (sorry Winton!); And this has become standard, big wicket hauls against much weaker opposition but nothing but an occasional single wicket late in the innings (if at all) against similar rated opposition. Based on his skills he is a better later innings bowler long term but I do think he should be doing better than he is. Simply put he is not taking wickets, and when compared to what is going on around him it does not quite make sense why. I am hoping this stabilizes and he becomes a more consistent wicket taking bowler once his speed has maxed out (this will likely happen in a few weeks time). I am not expecting him to dominate every batting line-up every time, but as my best bowler he should be contributing more than he is.
On the TMO batting:
Largely happy, big asset has been Davidson performance. Hopefully he becomes less hit and miss in time but I like him at 3. Good enough defense and great Stamina. Basically if he stays in for most of the innings, TMOs likely be to chase most totals and/or score big. I agree that I would like to have Kock higher in the order, but he has done great at 6 and I do think his extra experience along with Ncanana has helped win TMO some games... but his experience might also help stabilize the top order.
My two biggest issues which effects the line-up is Badenhost and Mthombeni. Badenhost has been a consistent contributor to the TMO batting lineup and has scored match saving runs both when being defensive and later in the innings having to be aggressive. But I don't know where to put him in the order with the batsmen I`ve got. Mthombeni will hopefully become a great wicket keeper. But his poor stamina, gung-ho nature, high SS/Def and low Att has made it difficult for me to find a place for him in the batting order. I tried him at the top because I hoped that the 'in game setup' would prevent him from slogging to early, but also his gung-ho nature would help get me off to a faster starts. He and Levy both have strike rotator abilities. This has been hit and miss, times it seems to have worked other times not so much.
