***Official*** Australia in South Africa 2018

[SeamUp]

SA 'A' squad for Australian 3-day warm-up match



First call-ups for Hamza, Malan, Muthusamy

Probably

Second (wk)
Malan
De Bruyn
Hamza
Zondo
Mulder
Muthusamy
Von Berg
Siboto
Olivier
B.Hendricks

With Kolpaks and some players in T20 squad at same time it isn't the worst opposition to be playing in a warm-up.

Malan in form.

Second & De Bruyn always score 4-day runs.

Hamza break through season but still to be tested. 1 sunfoil series century to his name.

Muthusamy's last match with the bat impressive but before that averaging 17 on flat wickets. His spin bowlinghelping him get in as all-rounder.

Likewise Mulder at 19 only has 2 sunfoil series 100s but generally started 4-day career for Lions strongly.

 

[StephenZA]

Probably

Second (wk)
Malan
De Bruyn
Hamza
Zondo
Mulder
Muthusamy
Von Berg
Siboto
Olivier
B.Hendricks

With Kolpaks and some players in T20 squad at same time it isn't the worst opposition to be playing in a warm-up.

Malan in form.

Second & De Bruyn always score 4-day runs.

Hamza break through season but still to be tested. 1 sunfoil series century to his name.

Muthusamy's last match with the bat impressive but before that averaging 17 on flat wickets. His spin bowlinghelping him get in as all-rounder.

Likewise Mulder at 19 only has 2 sunfoil series 100s but generally started 4-day career for Lions strongly.

Bit harsh on Mulder there ... think he will be making a pretty good 7 for SA sooner rather than later.

Would probably put Hamza at 3 and de Bruyn at 4 .... long term I still think Hamza may be a good replacement for Amla at 3, but needs to do more.

 

[SeamUp]

Wasn't trying to knock Mulder as such, just more he is being picked early but in saying that he deserves it in this format most.

Probably right on Hamza. Was trying to see which way it would be best to break up experienced and less experienced. De Bruyn at 4 probably better.

 

[Gob]

Pick him before he get abducted

 

[Second Spitter]

As much as I rate Renshaw, it would simply have been too soon to recall him for South Africa. Had no real scores of note at the time the squad was selected as selection had already occurred before the resumption of the Shield season. There were signs during the most recent game he is returning to form, but still more Shield runs under his belt are what is required to come back into calculations for the test team.

Still be a better option than promoting Shaun Marsh to open though.

Smarsh should never be moved from his current batting position even if a deadly virus that only infects opening batsmen spreads throughout the country.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Khawaja and Warner would be a pretty awesome opening partnership, on paper at least

 

[Tangles]

Didn't both Burns and George get boned for records better than Bancroft? Should be entertaining to watch him push away from his body against Vernon.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Burns was quite serviceable, very unlucky to get dropped (also unlucky not get reselected at a few stages)

 

[Gnske]

Tbf I imagine Burns would have been re-selected had he not wounded himself at the worst possible time.

 

[stephen]

Burns was dropped during the Hobart culling. He should be in the frame though.

I don't see what Bancroft is doing in South Africa. He would be better off in the shield. He's coasting on two shield matches. I'd be happy enough to promote Khawaja and Smith and S Marsh up one place each and being Handscomb/Maxwell in at 5.

Honestly I'd rather Maxwell over in south Africa than Bancroft.

 

[the big bambino]

Maxi been batting at 3 for Vic, just sayin'.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Khawaja
Warner
Maxwell
Smith
S.Marsh
M.Marsh

looks a lot better without Bancroft

 

[the big bambino]

I think they should have picked him.

 

[Daemon]

Khawaja
Warner
Maxwell
Smith
S.Marsh
M.Marsh

looks a lot better without Bancroft

Swap Smarsh and Maxwell and I agree.



Anyways are we all convinced MMarsh is a good #6? Personally I don't think he is. Like India and SA showed recently you can't really get away with 5.5 batsmen (even after accounting for TPC h4x).

 

[stephen]

Swap Smarsh and Maxwell and I agree.



Anyways are we all convinced MMarsh is a good #6? Personally I don't think he is. Like India and SA showed recently you can't really get away with 5.5 batsmen (even after accounting for TPC h4x).

Unconvinced but he needs to get a run now that he's turned the corner with his batting.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

This series is rather critical for MMarsh as a test cricketer, there were definitely signs in the Ashes that he has developed into the batsman many long hoped he would be, but batting away from home against a much stronger pace attack will be a tricky challenge. Still a touch unconvinced he is our long term option for 6, but he certainly deserves the opportunity to keep his place, especially considering his bowling will likely be required at various times.

 

[Second Spitter]

Didn't both Burns and George get boned for records better than Bancroft? Should be entertaining to watch him push away from his body against Vernon.

Burns and George didn't have a magical Brown Nosed Gnome pimping him to his mates.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Swap Smarsh and Maxwell and I agree.



Anyways are we all convinced MMarsh is a good #6? Personally I don't think he is. Like India and SA showed recently you can't really get away with 5.5 batsmen (even after accounting for TPC h4x).

No but we can't leave him out after he basically made 100 every time he batted in the Ashes

 

[Daemon]

Of course. Just wondering what peoples thoughts on him are.

 

[Second Spitter]

Since "credits" seems to be the preferred buzzword of Australian selectors these days, MMarsh apparently has enough "credits" to fail continuously until the next Ashes.

Seriously, I think MMarsh will be exposed against a much stronger bowling attack and the Australian line-up is more solid with Maxwell and Handscomb for MMarsh and Bancroft.