• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

South Africa team selection

SeamUp

International Coach
I have a concern that something happened while he was in camp with the SA team. Since that season he has not played more than 4 or 5 matches a season at franchise/fc level. Was he injured? Did someone say something to him and he has tried to adjust his technique? Or is it just a case of going through the doldrums?
There was a lot of criticism at the time when he got selected he was just scoring his runs on the Bloemfontein road but doubt that effected him. Maybe Free States struggles didn't help his confidence. Also wonder if not being considered T20 player effects someone like him and he wants to try change his game for 'improvement'. Or like what you've said. Could be so many things.

I chatted to Breetzke a few years ago and he was frustrated that right out of school the only place they could fit him in red-ball cricket was opening when he believes he is 3/4. Moving ball, opening on the coast for a young player can be tough. He goes to 3/4 and scores buckets of runs but guess where he plays for SA A, as an opener. Weird. He also said to me the pressure of expectation was tough. Good to see he has come through all of that.
 

StephenZA

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I hope Mpongwana plays next match. For know other reason, than give him a shot and see what he can do. Otherwise it will have been pointless for him to even go. And can someone explain the purpose of Fortuin in NZ. He is never going to make it into any serious selection process either, Bedingham should have kept or else take some promising youngster that has not been picked up for the SA20.
 

Bahseph

International Debutant
I hope Mpongwana plays next match. For know other reason, than give him a shot and see what he can do. Otherwise it will have been pointless for him to even go. And can someone explain the purpose of Fortuin in NZ. He is never going to make it into any serious selection process either, Bedingham should have kept or else take some promising youngster that has not been picked up for the SA20.
I really would like to know how we got the nod over some other prospects.
 

WpGuy

U19 Cricketer
I hope Mpongwana plays next match. For know other reason, than give him a shot and see what he can do. Otherwise it will have been pointless for him to even go. And can someone explain the purpose of Fortuin in NZ. He is never going to make it into any serious selection process either, Bedingham should have kept or else take some promising youngster that has not been picked up for the SA20.
I think a Shukri selection, they know each other from Shukris cobras days.
 

SeamUp

International Coach
Still in search of test match 100s

With Faf (2012), Elgar (2012) & de Kocks (2014) retirements from test cricket, batsman and keepers to debut since those 3 did. Amongst those 3 there are 10, 15 & 6 test match hundreds respectively.

Debut 2014
S Van Zyl 12 (1)
T Bavuma 57 (2)
2015
Vilas 6 (0)
2016
S Cook 11 (3)
2017
T De Bruyn 13 (1)
H Kuhn 4 (0)
A Markram 37 (7)
2019
Z Hamza 7 (0)
W Mulder 12 (0)
H Klaasen 4 (0)
R vd Dussen 18 (0)
2020
P Malan 3 (0)
2021
K Petersen 13 (0)
2022
K Verreynne 16 (1)
S Erwee 10 (1)
R Rickelton 4 (0)
K Zondo 5 (0)
2023
T de Zorzi 4 (0)
D Bedingham 3 (0)
2024
T Stubbs 1 (0)
N Brand 1 (0)
E Moore 1 (0)
R van Tonder 1 (0)
R De Swardt 1 (0)
C Fortuin 1 (0)
 
Last edited:

Kenneth Viljoen

International Regular
Still in search of test match 100s

With Faf (2012), Elgar (2012) & de Kocks (2014) retirements from test cricket, batsman and keepers to debut since those 3 did. Amongst those 3 there are 10, 15 & 6 test match hundreds respectively.

Debut 2014
S Van Zyl 12 (1)
T Bavuma 57 (2)
2015
Vilas 6 (0)
2016
S Cook 11 (3)
2017
T De Bruyn 13 (1)
H Kuhn 4 (0)
A Markram 37 (7)
2019
Z Hamza 7 (0)
W Mulder 12 (0)
H Klaasen 4 (0)
R vd Dussen 18 (0)
2020
P Malan 3 (0)
2021
K Petersen 13 (0)
2022
K Verreynne 16 (1)
S Erwee 10 (1)
R Rickelton 4 (0)
K Zondo 5 (0)
2023
T de Zorzi 4 (0)
D Bedingham 3 (0)
2024
T Stubbs 1 (0)
N Brand 1 (0)
E Moore 1 (0)
R van Tonder 1 (0)
R De Swardt 1 (0)
C Fortuin 1 (0)
Our batting has been bang average for a while , especially away from home ..
Quinton De Kock retiring hasn't helped either.

What CSA fails to realize is that if they keep failing to invest in red ball cricket in terms of adequate FC preparation, A tours and so forth, that the quality of batsmen we produce will decline and that will effect the other formats as well, and soon you'll end up with a problem like the West Indies ..

That hundreds list is extremely concerning, then you also realize that none of those batsmen who have debuted, even with a small test match sample average over 40 in Test cricket.

10 years worth of debutants that don't average above 40 is an indicator that we are not a good test team.
 

Nintendo

Cricketer Of The Year
Our batting has been bang average for a while , especially away from home ..
Quinton De Kock retiring hasn't helped either.

What CSA fails to realize is that if they keep failing to invest in red ball cricket in terms of adequate FC preparation, A tours and so forth, that the quality of batsmen we produce will decline and that will effect the other formats as well, and soon you'll end up with a problem like the West Indies ..

That hundreds list is extremely concerning, then you also realize that none of those batsmen who have debuted, even with a small test match sample average over 40 in Test cricket.

10 years worth of debutants that don't average above 40 is an indicator that we are not a good test team.
I mean, batting has always been hard in SA, with the home decks being extra juiced up around FAF's captaincy, and post 2016 batting everywhere in the world has been harder, bar new zealand and sri lanka I think. You look at SA's batting post the start of 2016, and the only guy who averages of 40 is AB de villiers, who only played 20 innings at pretty much the peak of his batting powers. Amla averaged under 40, so did quinny, so did faf. I have no doubt that political influences and a lack of investment in A-tours plays a part in all this, but it's also probably partially down to the fact that batting everywhere is hard now. It's difficult to establish yourself as a test batsmen when your home conditions are some of the hardest in the world to bat on, and you don't get many flat decks to statpad on away from home either.
 

StephenZA

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Top players stand up and learn to build innings on difficult wickets. But you need to be playing enough to get the opportunity. The players lack game time. But more importantly I think that they are lacking continuity, and older more experienced players giving them help. Lack of quality coaching etc. and that is all down to the erosion in the system. Failure at grassroots level, and slow destruction of the FC and club system is ultimately the problem. And that is a direct administrative and governance failure by CSA.
 

StephenZA

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
What has truly disheartened me this series, is that few to none of the batsmen have stood up. Nobody has shown an actual true skill and desire to make it at the Test level. I didn't get to watch and I`m basing it more on the score board than anything, but that nobody has really shown anything is truly sad. In the end runs count.
 

SeamUp

International Coach
I'm not sure there is a solution. Not enough cricket people in senior position that understands the nuances of the sport at all levels. Over to you coaches, do what you can as long as you meet the CSA and political demands. It's just unprofessional and lazy.

I like Conrad and Walter. Both decent choices. They've got all the domestic coaches together for joined up thinking. They also trying to fix the SA U19 system as well as improve the SA A scheduling (Sri Lanka away + Windies/India at home already this year).

I think both know how important the SA20 is & I just get the impression everyone is building their hopes around it.

I don't think much can change at face value at domestic level until we produce more players who make the targets null and void.
 

WpGuy

U19 Cricketer
I'm not sure there is a solution. Not enough cricket people in senior position that understands the nuances of the sport at all levels. Over to you coaches, do what you can as long as you meet the CSA and political demands. It's just unprofessional and lazy.

I like Conrad and Walter. Both decent choices. They've got all the domestic coaches together for joined up thinking. They also trying to fix the SA U19 system as well as improve the SA A scheduling (Sri Lanka away + Windies/India at home already this year).

I think both know how important the SA20 is & I just get the impression everyone is building their hopes around it.

I don't think much can change at face value at domestic level until we produce more players who make the targets null and void.
I think it is kind of what Rassie did in rugby in spite of administrators he succeeded, the coaches need to try get that going.
 

StephenZA

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I think it is kind of what Rassie did in rugby in spite of administrators he succeeded, the coaches need to try get that going.
The difference in rugby is that a real serious effort was made at grassroots level... along with things like the 7s game that brought in lots of players of colour. And rugby had more monies to accomplish that. What Rassie did was shake up the top level to get those players into the game and shut the top level administrators up.

The failure of cricket to work at grass root levels right from the outset. They sat on their laurels of already being a game played across demographic populations and not hated, (like rugby was), back in 94'. And rather than using that they sat around twiddling their proverbial thumbs; And then later CSA was hit by gross misgovernance as a direct result of the political issues and interference. Recovering from this is going to take a colossal effort. Because it will take 10 years if they start right now and do that work at school and club level. While simultaneously fixing the FC system.
 

Dendarii

International Debutant
The difference in rugby is that a real serious effort was made at grassroots level... along with things like the 7s game that brought in lots of players of colour. And rugby had more monies to accomplish that. What Rassie did was shake up the top level to get those players into the game and shut the top level administrators up.
And it took time. Rassie joined SARU for the first time in 2012. We're now reaping the benefits of the things he put in place back then, but it certainly didn't happen overnight.
 

SeamUp

International Coach
I suppose the interesting thing will be, what the futures of that batting line-up is in limited overs cricket. De Kock (T20s), Hendricks (both), Bavuma & Vd Dussen (both 50 overs). Markram, Klaasen & Miller are the locks.

De Zorzi, Breetzke, Brevis, Verreynne, Stubbs, Ferreira all in recent limited overs squads in the last year. Rickelton now into the equation. Hermann too.
 
Last edited:

Kenneth Viljoen

International Regular
I suppose the interesting thing will be, what the futures of that batting line-up is in limited overs cricket. De Kock (T20s), Hendricks (both), Bavuma & Vs Dussen (50 overs). Klaasen & Miller are the locks.

De Zorzi, Breetzke, Brevis, Verreynne, Stubbs, Ferreira all in recent limited overs squads in the last year. Rickelton now into the equation. Hermann too.
We desperately need to identify an all rounder this year as well. Hopefully Wiaan Mulder can make the step up this year..

I would also try to phase out squad players like Hendricks in odi cricket , he'll be 37 by 2027 the year we host the WC, better off giving De Zorzi a bit of a run ..I'd phase out Bavuma, Miller, Rassie and Klaasen by the end of the Champions Trophy in 2025..
 
Last edited:

SeamUp

International Coach
We desperately need to identify an all rounder this year as well. Hopefully Wiaan Mulder can make the step up this year
Big time. It's currently Marco Jansen and then a massive gap.

Mulder is the most likely and Phehlukwayo still hanging about shows you the lack of options.

Swanepoel & E Bosch have potential but maybe 8s at highest? It's tough to fit them in when you have spinners and all the quicks around too. Bosch is better with the bat than he showed this season. Was very good last.
 

Top