*Official* 2024 South Africa tour of New Zealand: 2 tests

[Kenneth Viljoen]

I've got one and only one hope for this series - Duanne Olivier is spectacularly unsuccessful, his strike rate drops, and Shane Bond regains his rightful place as third best of all time.

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Will probably happen, Olivier got the biggest karma slap when he quit SA cricket to go Kolpak..
Kolpak fell away, had a serious injury that cut his pace by atleast 10kph ..
Now a shadow of what he used to be , still accurate though .

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

I am actually very positive , i firmly believe we will see some old school test cricket that people refer to as "Boring" However if we are able to pull it off I'm foreseeing a series win to SA or potentially a drawn series . We have enough batting depth to bat 140+ overs and with the amount of spinners in the lineup this dictates the method this SA team might approach . Time will tell , but still a die heart SA fan . Many selected in this tour has had enough success to warrant a full call up but never got a fair opportunity or any opportunity .

I think the only chance is to go ultra conservative, make ourselves hard to beat and hope NZ make mistakes like they did in one of the tests vs Bangladesh..

Brand and De Swardt are useful bowling options so that should allow us to play an extra batter ..

I'd go with this line up :

1.Brand
2.Moore
3.Van Tonder
4.Bedingham
5.Hamza
6.Petersen
7.De Swardt
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Piedt
10.Paterson
11.Olivier

 

[James]

This SA team really has nothing to lose, they're expected to lose and come in with little to no pressure on them. Given its not exactly a rookie side, and the bulk of the squad has a lot of first-class cricket behind them, perhaps they shouldn't be written off.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Will probably happen, Olivier got the biggest karma slap when he quit SA cricket to go Kolpak..
Kolpak fell away, had a serious injury that cut his pace by atleast 10kph ..
Now a shadow of what he used to be , still accurate though .

That's quite sad ...

But still

Ruin that strikerate please

 

[StephenZA]

I think the only chance is to go ultra conservative, make ourselves hard to beat and hope NZ make mistakes like they did in one of the tests vs Bangladesh..

Brand and De Swardt are useful bowling options so that should allow us to play an extra batter ..

I'd go with this line up :

1.Brand
2.Moore
3.Van Tonder
4.Bedingham
5.Hamza
6.Petersen
7.De Swardt
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Piedt
10.Paterson
11.Olivier

I would probably play Mpongwana in place of Olivier (not the bowler he once was). Paterson could surprise this tour, been doing consistently well for awhile now. And unfortunately I can see them dropping van Tonder or Moore for Zondo.

 

[StephenZA]

NZ needs to absolutely crush this joke side, as a service to cricket

Who in this side would you replace... obviously the bowling is far weaker. But the batting is pretty strong if inexperienced at this level.

 

[Dendarii]

I think the only chance is to go ultra conservative, make ourselves hard to beat and hope NZ make mistakes like they did in one of the tests vs Bangladesh..

Brand and De Swardt are useful bowling options so that should allow us to play an extra batter ..

I'd go with this line up :

1.Brand
2.Moore
3.Van Tonder
4.Bedingham
5.Hamza
6.Petersen
7.De Swardt
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Piedt
10.Paterson
11.Olivier

That does feel a bowler light. Then again, are any of the other bowling options better than Brand or De Swardt? But I think they will play another bowler, and Van Tonder might be the one to make way.

 

[StephenZA]

That does feel a bowler light. Then again, are any of the other bowling options better than Brand or De Swardt? But I think they will play another bowler, and Van Tonder might be the one to make way.

I think de Swardt is a genuine bowling option, and Brand will add a bit extra with his bowling.

 

[StephenZA]

Any chance of using Bedingham as wk option?

 

[Dendarii]

Any chance of using Bedingham as wk option?

If they were going to use Bedingham then surely they'd have had him keep ahead of the tests. Fortuin was one of the few to play all three matches against West Indies A, so I think they're going to go with him.

 

[Krypto]

I think the only chance is to go ultra conservative, make ourselves hard to beat and hope NZ make mistakes like they did in one of the tests vs Bangladesh..

Brand and De Swardt are useful bowling options so that should allow us to play an extra batter ..

I'd go with this line up :

1.Brand
2.Moore
3.Van Tonder
4.Bedingham
5.Hamza
6.Petersen
7.De Swardt
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Piedt
10.Paterson
11.Olivier

I think there is two good options with selection and one bad one . the conservative option is bordering on problematic IMO however leaning to the second pace prominent option with Brand being the 5th bowler . The bowling is clearly the area where this team looks vulnerable so that's where the major decision needs to be made . 4 frontline bowlers with Brand as the fifth is the first option and a adding Von Berg and Piedt with 3 pace options is another . Just because spin is not normally a viable option in NZ i would like us to challenge that norm and go with the below . This approach hinges on batting first and batting very long , trying to get to day 4 and 5 and having batting until 9 that can score big runs .

Backing spin

1.Brand
2.Moore
3.Van Tonder
4.Hamza
5.Petersen/Zondo
6 Bedingham
7.De Swardt/Mpongwana
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Von Berg
10.Piedt
11.Olivier/Paterson

Just for sake of transparency this is the second option and one more likely

1.Brand
2.Moore
3.Van Tonder
4.Hamza
5.Petersen/Zondo
6 Bedingham
7.De Swardt/Mpongwana
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Moreki/Piedt
10.Paterson
11.Olivier

The conservative option and the one that worries me with 6 bowling options .


1.Brand
2.Moore/Van Tonder
3.Hamza
4.Petersen/Zondo
5.Bedingham
6 De Swardt
7.Mpongwana
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Moreki/Piedt
10.Paterson
11.Olivier

 

[StephenZA]

They will play Petersen. He has been in and part of the main batting line-up, for him not to play for this tour would a kick in the face as one of the few incumbents.

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

I would probably play Mpongwana in place of Olivier (not the bowler he once was). Paterson could surprise this tour, been doing consistently well for awhile now. And unfortunately I can see them dropping van Tonder or Moore for Zondo.

Yeah good shout, plus Mpongwana can bat a bit..Very Jason Holder like in playing style and appearance..

I hope they don't go with Zondo ..he's 34 so not a long term solution going forward , would have made more sense to give Qeshile a place given that he got runs in the last domestic round and was picked vs India A.

 

[Krypto]

They will play Petersen. He has been in and part of the main batting line-up, for him not to play for this tour would a kick in the face as one of the few incumbents.

Agreed on second taught it will be between Zondo and Bedingham , probably my Bias as i want Bedingham in the squad .

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

I think there is two good options with selection and one bad one . the conservative option is bordering on problematic IMO however leaning to the second pace prominent option with Brand being the 5th bowler . The bowling is clearly the area where this team looks vulnerable so that's where the major decision needs to be made . 4 frontline bowlers with Brand as the fifth is the first option and a adding Von Berg and Piedt with 3 pace options is another . Just because spin is not normally a viable option in NZ i would like us to challenge that norm and go with the below . This approach hinges on batting first and batting very long , trying to get to day 4 and 5 and having batting until 9 that can score big runs .

Backing spin

1.Brand
2.Moore
3.Van Tonder
4.Hamza
5.Petersen/Zondo
6 Bedingham
7.De Swardt/Mpongwana
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Von Berg
10.Piedt
11.Olivier/Paterson

Just for sake of transparency this is the second option and one more likely

1.Brand
2.Moore
3.Van Tonder
4.Hamza
5.Petersen/Zondo
6 Bedingham
7.De Swardt/Mpongwana
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Moreki/Piedt
10.Paterson
11.Olivier

The conservative option and the one that worries me with 6 bowling options .


1.Brand
2.Moore/Van Tonder
3.Hamza
4.Petersen/Zondo
5.Bedingham
6 De Swardt
7.Mpongwana
8.Fortuin (WK)
9.Moreki/Piedt
10.Paterson
11.Olivier

I personally wouldn't go in with 3 spinners. The hosts gave us a big clue in that regard by not picking Ajaz Patel their greatest spinner since Vettori ..If he can't get a game I can bet my house that it's not going to spin

 

[StephenZA]

Agreed on second taught it will be between Zondo and Bedingham , probably my Bias as i want Bedingham in the squad .

More likely to drop von Tonder than Bedingham. I am hoping both of these play.

 

[cnerd123]

I'm keen to see if SA can keep the underdog vibes going and add to the West Indies and England wins

NZ have an ageing side too and it wasn't that long ago they dropped a test at home to Bangladesh

 

[Krypto]

I personally wouldn't go in with 3 spinners. The hosts gave us a big clue in that regard by not picking Ajaz Patel their greatest spinner since Vettori ..If he can't get a game I can bet my house that it's not going to spin

Yea hence i want it more

If they back the batting and we are able to bat for 2 days in the first innings it brings spin into the equation regardless of conditions . 4 and 5th day . I am fully aware I'm dreaming , but i am allowed to .

 

[Immenso]

I personally wouldn't go in with 3 spinners. The hosts gave us a big clue in that regard by not picking Ajaz Patel their greatest spinner since Vettori ..If he can't get a game I can bet my house that it's not going to spin

Mt Maunganui usually the best spinning pitch in NZ. And the forecast for the next week in the lead-up is unusually hot and windy for the upper North Island. The pitch will potentially be quite dry.

 

[Immenso]

I'm keen to see if SA can keep the underdog vibes going and add to the West Indies and England wins

NZ have an ageing side too and it wasn't that long ago they dropped a test at home to Bangladesh

Replace the work "keen" with "worried" and it would be my exact thoughts. But if I posted that I'd be told to put in the gambhiring thread ....

NZ as ripe for the picking as ever they have been for a decade. No red ball cricket. Batsmen are all in terrible form, or no games, or hobbling on 1 leg. Ironically I reckon Nicholls might actually look to be the most in-form batter in the country at the moment.