South Africa team selection

[Kenneth Viljoen]

There aren't really any journeymen in the ODI side though. I'm not sure exactly who will be going to the IPL, but I'm guessing it will be De Kock, Markram, Van der Dussen, Miller, Rabada, Ngidi, Jansen, and maybe Klaasen and Shamsi. That's nearly all the core players gone.

Nortje as well

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

For odi cricket we really do need to find another wristspinner as cover ..Do we go for someone raw and young like a Seleka or a Dylan Matthews , or someone who can bat like a Von Berg or Diego Rosier ..but Shamsi really does need competition.

 

[StephenZA]

No Verreynne? He was the only batsman besides Bavuma to do anything in Australia.

Missed Verreynne was out. Probably difficult with both Rickelton and Klaasens in. But I do think Verreynne has a bit of a suspect technique compared and maybe found out at international level.
I don’t think the selection is perfect but it does feel like progress.

 

[Dendarii]

GIven the highveld venues, they may only be seaming wickets. They may be thinking Muthusamy, Mulder and 3 quicks if the wicket looks juicy.

Or maybe they're thinking Rabada, Nortje, Jansen, and Coetzee. Then Muthusamy would be there because he's the best batter of the three spinners in the squad.

 

[Dendarii]

I don’t think the selection is perfect but it does feel like progress.

Agreed. Some of the choices may appear a little odd, but they're not the completely nonsensical ones that we have been seeing.

 

[Marius]

Wow some big calls there. Verreynne can feel a little hard done by though. I would love to know more about that call. Probably looking at something like:

1. Elgar
2. de Zorzi
3. Petersen
4. Rickelton/Markram
5. Bavuma
6. Klaasen (Wk)
7. Mulder/Muthusamy
8. Jansen
9. Maharaj
10. KG
11. Nortje

I think Muthusamy is seen in competition with Mulder than with Maharaj and Harmer.

Shukri Conrad said Markram will open apparently.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Shukri Conrad said Markram will open apparently.

Look his record as an opener at home isn't a bad one , but we kinda are kicking the can down the road with Elgar and Markram opening the batting, we know how this movie ends.

 

[Rasimione]

Conrad has balls, I like that. In also pleased that pleased that Victor Mpitsang and his cabal have been fired. Utterly out of their depth. Conrad has said we'll go back to the 7-4 split. I like that. Markram opening the batting again is counterproductive for what they are trying to do, he's simply not good enough there at test level.

 

[WpGuy]

Conrad has balls, I like that. In also pleased that pleased that Victor Mpitsang and his cabal have been fired. Utterly out of their depth. Conrad has said we'll go back to the 7-4 split. I like that. Markram opening the batting again is counterproductive for what they are trying to do, he's simply not good enough there at test level.

Test

33

60

1

2009

152

34.05

3475

57.81

5

9

290

10

32

0

 

[WpGuy]

Test

33

60

1

2009

152

34.05

3475

57.81

5

9

290

10

32

0

Not worst average ever probably closer to 37 when opening .

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Not worst average ever probably closer to 37 when opening .

Yes it's very Hudson-esque that batting average ..
But the thing with Boet Andrew is that he showed some ticker away from home , Markram and Elgar are an absolute disaster away from home ..

We don't play a lot of tests so we do need a freaking good top order that keeps our standards high wherever we play ..Markram averages 22 away from home , Elgar 28 , if we are to one day reach a World Test Final we need players that can adapt to conditions .

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Wait Verreynne got dropped?

Binning one of the few guys to actually perform serviceably in Australia seems utterly insane to me

 

[Bahseph]

Reading some of Conrad's comments it does seem like he has a very clear idea of how he wants the team to play and who he wants to play. It seems like he wants all the seamers to play in Centurion,and if he favours not having a 6-5 split then I have a feeling Muthusamy is going to play at 7. So something like:

1. Elgar
2. Markram
3. Peterson
4. Bavuma
5. Rickelton
6. Klaasen (wk)
7. Muthusamy
8. Jansen
9. Coetzee
10. Nortje
11. Rabada.

If there is 3 main seamers then you change Keshav and Mulder for Muthusamy and Coetzee.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

There's an Invitational XI that will play West Indies on the 21st of Feb at Benoni , wonder who will play since there's a round of Sunfoil matches that kick off on the 19th..

 

[StephenZA]

'Temba and I are a good fit' - Conrad explains why Bavuma replaced Elgar as Test captain

Heinrich Klaasen over Kyle Verreynne as wicketkeeper, and Gerald Coetzee over Lungi Ngidi in the pace attack, new Test coach confirms

www.espncricinfo.com

Reading this article I`m more impressed with the selection. Right or wrong Conrad is putting together a team he thinks is best and he is owning it. Most I agree with some I don't, but understand. We now know why de Bruyn retired because he was told he would not be selected for the test team. Klaasen is preferred to Verreynne, which is tough on Verreynne but Conrad just thinks Klaasen is better as the wk/bat. Which is not terrible opnion. Markram is going to be given opening slot and backed. de Zorzi is in as backup. And most notably, as well as Ngidi has done at times, he is considered not as good as Coetzee.

I think Elgar will be the most interesting selection contrbution now he is no longer captain. You wonder if he does not perform if they immediately drop him for de Zorzi. It does feel like they at last doing what was needed 3 years ago.

 

[Bahseph]

Yeah I think Elgar is on thin ice but in general he has built up some credit. Genuinely think he is better just focusing on his batting and not being captain. I really like Ngidi as a bowler and I think he is definitely skilled enough to play all three formats but there are certain periods/conditions in a Test where he isn't as effective as a Nortje or Rabada at full tilt. Coetzee does have something about him so I get it. Plus Mulder is very similar to what he offers,even if not to the same skill level. I am surprised they went with Muthusamy above Linde. I guess Muthusamy is seen more as a batter than Linde?

 

[Stefan9]

Not sure how much credit elgar has left. He did only average 26 as captain with no 100's.
I think this is a last chance saloon for him especially considering his age.

 

[Dendarii]

Most I agree with some I don't, but understand.

I think that's the key. We all have our view on who should be selected, and they're not necessarily going to be the same as the coach's. But he's given good reasons for his selections, and that's really what we want. Of late the selections that have been made just haven't made sense, but it looks like they're starting to rectify that.

 

[Dendarii]

Not sure how much credit elgar has left. He did only average 26 as captain with no 100's.
I think this is a last chance saloon for him especially considering his age.

Elgar's home record gives him a fair amount of credit, but if he doesn't perform in this series then it's probably the end for him.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah I think Elgar is on thin ice but in general he has built up some credit. Genuinely think he is better just focusing on his batting and not being captain. I really like Ngidi as a bowler and I think he is definitely skilled enough to play all three formats but there are certain periods/conditions in a Test where he isn't as effective as a Nortje or Rabada at full tilt. Coetzee does have something about him so I get it. Plus Mulder is very similar to what he offers,even if not to the same skill level. I am surprised they went with Muthusamy above Linde. I guess Muthusamy is seen more as a batter than Linde?

He bats higher and has a more classical technique but he doesn't really make more runs. If anything I reckon Linde hacking away would probably be more successful a level up than Muthusamy trying to bat like a substandard #4 at #7.

Linde hasn't played much red ball cricket lately which may have factored into it.