***Official*** South African Domestic Season 2017/18

[SeamUp]

Also heard Dupavillon put in his first dominating performance since his steady return. Bowled out opponents for 40 taking 6/14 in KZN Premier on Sunday.

Good sign that.

 

[Marius]

Heard on the radio that the rest of Cape Town's club cricket season has been cancelled because of the drought.

Is this right SeamUp?

 

[StephenZA]

Well done. Though being 4th out of 6 and still qualifying for knock-outs makes it feel a little cheap. Titans missing Shamsi and having a rare bad day with the bat (credit to Gqamane and Nortje though...)

The apparent argument from CSA is they want one off semi`s so that players get used to playing under pressure, Supersport team don't agree with that; but I wonder if it actually may be good. A lot of the time when SA have been knocked out in the WC we were favourites to win the match and failed (refuse to use that other word)... It is much easier to go in with a carefree attitude when you are not expected to win and I am hoping this idea allows players to improve, what appears to be a mental block.

 

[StephenZA]

Speaking of U/19 WC. Having watched Breetzke properly now I'm unsure about his mental temperament; I know bad form happens but something about the way he plays makes me think lots of talent but not gonna do well at international level. Hopefully he will mature, but think he has got good dominating poor bowling but when quality improves he struggles. Ntini also does not look international quality, feel he is getting a good wrap because of his father than what he is showing.

Love the look of van Tonder and Coetzee. And a special mention for Rolfe who I had not heard anything of, looks a really good player, not as talented but has that dogged temperament that I love to see.

 

[SeamUp]

Heard on the radio that the rest of Cape Town's club cricket season has been cancelled because of the drought.

Is this right SeamUp?

Just spoke to my cousin - yes, all leagues have been cancelled. Day Zero is coming.

 

[SeamUp]

Speaking of U/19 WC. Having watched Breetzke properly now I'm unsure about his mental temperament; I know bad form happens but something about the way he plays makes me think lots of talent but not gonna do well at international level. Hopefully he will mature, but think he has got good dominating poor bowling but when quality improves he struggles. Ntini also does not look international quality, feel he is getting a good wrap because of his father than what he is showing.

Love the look of van Tonder and Coetzee. And a special mention for Rolfe who I had not heard anything of, looks a really good player, not as talented but has that dogged temperament that I love to see.

We're unable to tell who will make it.

But Breetzke and van Tonder to me had the best batting techniques for all conditions for SA and up there with Shaw/Gill of Indisa. They also look adaptable and smart thinkers how they put together that partnership vs NZL manipulating the field which is something previous stars like Rossow, Vandiar, De Bruyn, Markram & J.Smith struggled with. On top of that they have a wide range of strokes. Their ability they have shown through their school years, school weeks and SA u19s to score 100s is something that stands out for me. Just like QdK.

Rolfes to me not really compact and very loose. He is going to have to be very good to take that forward in senior cricket.

Last WC : Verreynne, De Zorzi, Mulder, Moonsamy, Galiem all didn't have great WCs. We have franchise centuries young there. During these events we don't know if players are prepared as well what Jennings was doing. I have massive doubts.

Talking pressure with Breetzke. First time he shares a dressing room with guys like AB, JP, Markram he scores runs against the full BGD team. I've been saying a while that because he has so many strokes, a risk taker to be dominant and the positive attitude I think he will be batting 3,4,5 in longer version cricket which was his position breaking into Grey's first team at 14.

 

[SeamUp]

Also pretty exciting to see 2 17 year-olds take 5-wicket hauls.

Gerald Coetzee with 5-32 with an injury vs NZL

https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/957168814906421248

Fraser Jones with 5-32 vs BGD earlier. He was bowling 140 in an earlier game but went for control this morning. The fact that his front leg collapses quite badly (takes off pace) and the size of him, Simon Doull was saying there is so much to work with him and easily can be into the 140s in 2/3 years.

 

[GRAB]

May pull through anyway after Dolphins collapse, but don't get balance of Cobras side with 5 top 6 batsmen and 6 bowlers. I think they're playing Linde as a batting all-rounder?? Is Levi injured? Jason Smith performing that poorly? Qaasim Adams still has a franchise average of 35,4 and s/r of 96 in 21 innings (over a very long career, in and out!)

 

[brockley]

Is Breetzke coming back to Lancashire again this year?

 

[GRAB]

Day off
Watching Warriors hopefully pull off something here. If Magala can stop bowling filth. Is he actually fully fit?

 

[GRAB]

Apt that MODC ended in a damp squib (and almost inevitable with a final @ Kingsmead!)

What would you say was the team of the tournament? And, is anyone actually looking like they can hope to make the step up to the next level?

My choices:
P Malan (COB)
Cloete (WAR)
Klaasen (TIT), Wk
Duminy (COB)
J Smuts (WAR), Cap
Behardien (TIT)
Linde (COB)
Magala (WAR)
Olivier (KNI)
Paterson (COB)
Shamsi (TIT)

Bit heavy on Warriors (guess they were a side with a few players doing very well, and quite a few passengers) and light on Dolphins (all-round contributions, but few consistent). Could see an argument for Tahir above Shamsi (though excluding him entirely would be grossly unfair), Frylinck above Linde, and Vilas above

Malan had a breakthrough season before which he averaged 21 in 6 franchise matches over an 11 year first class career! Not convinced he or Cloete are remotely near to international batsmen though... Magala may be getting an ODI call up soon, but I think he will be Paterson 2.0. His extra pace compared to the average franchise bowler (high 130's to low 140's) won't threaten international batsmen, and he neither does enough with the ball or is accurate enough to trouble them in other ways...

 

[SeamUp]

Couldn't argue with any of that.

I feel like the SA rugby team and limited overs cricket team is falling behind and lacking in skill-set.

We know QdK has his demons and solutions needto be found fast but generally our top 4 is quite good. Hash, QdK, Faf, AB.

Our other strength is strike-bowlers but I'm starting to wonder if the game requires less caught behind the wickets and more wicket to wicket bowling. Whether it is pace or change-ups it has be straight line bowling with the field set accordingly.

Tahir is 39 and not at his best but still good enough to hold on and that is why it is disappointing Shamsi can't step up to dominate enough yet and challenge him more.

The other problem is having to long a tail ie KG, Morkel, Tahir, Ngidi, Shamsi, Steyn, Abbott


That then looks at 5-9 skill sets.

The number 5 & 6 need to be adaptable but up to speed with the modern game of power and creativity. Reason why I can stomach Miller is because his innings have x-factor and can win games and proven to be good under pressure in major tournaments. It doesn't mean he can go through bad patches of poor technical issues either.

Duminy is Duminy. Probably my biggest frustration with Rudolph and Schultz for various reasons since re-admission. I don't know where to put him. Where is he as a player ? His ODI form is worse than Fudge and Miller.

Fudge still hasn't played the wonder knocks to win us a game and get us over the line. He is more the sort of player with limitations to make the best of it and not the sort to say I'm going out there to win you the game.

Zondo and Klaasen have to be seen still.

Then our all-rounders aren't consisent. What made our previous ODI all-rounders like Klusener, Pollock so great was sustained excellence in either of the disciplines where they didn't give you wishy-washy performances but quick 50s/100s and 4/5 wicket hauls instead of 20s/30s and in-accurate or powder-puff bowling with release balls for 4.


I don't know who we have to look at this overall picture of where our ODI cricket is going.

 

[SeamUp]

2nd phase of 4-day Sunfoil Series Kicks-off this week.

Actually excited to see batting talent hopefully tested a bit more and also our young fast-bowling stocks and how they keeping up.

Looks like Dupavillon is with the Dolphins squad but tough to say whether he will play but got to love this report. This time it looks like they didn't rush him back because the Dolphins/KZN rushed him back twice because they need a strike-bowler and it had consequences.

Fiery Dupavillon upsets the rhythm

WITH remarkable figures of 6/14 off a mere 45 balls, King Cetshwayo pace machine Daryn Dupavillon ripped through the DHS Rhythm batting line-up to lead manager Bryan van Aswegen’s side to an emphatic victory at Addison Park on Sunday.

At the same time, the Dolphins selectors will have been alerted to the fact Dupavillon is back to his best and ready to rejoin the provincial outfit.

While there was no speed stick available, he was clocking into the 140s and bowling with impeccable line and length.

And there was no respite for the ducking-and-dodging visiting batsmen as Niel Jordan blasted his way to 3/26, bowling powerfully into the wind from the other end.

Bowling unchanged, the pair skittled their opponents for a paltry 40 runs in only 87 balls.

But their batsmen simply had no answer to the wrath of Dupavillon and Jordan as spectators were treated to one of the finest new ball pairing attacks ever seen at the ground.

 

[SeamUp]

Also looks likely that Toyana & Parsons will be getting the chop at the Lions : https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/toothless-lions-likely-to-see-major-shake-up-20180203

 

[StephenZA]

Think our LO/ODI team seems to be suffering from the lack of quality all-rounders in SA. Phehlukwayo should be playing in the ODI. Mulder should also play, think he is more a test player but think he needs exposure to international cricket and is quality. As said, our top 4 is fine, but the age old Duminy and Miller problem keeps popping up with their inconsistency. I agree regarding wicket to wicket bowlers and think that Ngidi may fit that well, also having pace and ability to take wickets. Assuming everybody is fit my ODI team would be for now.

Amla
QDK
ABdV
Faf
Miller
Duminy
Mulder
Phehlukwayo
Rabada
Ngidi
Tahir/Shamsi

I would also look at von Berg if we wanted to extend batting line-up. Markram, de Bruyn, Morris (instead of Mulder if you wanted) as backup for now. Morkel, Steyn always in with a shout.

New guys; Klaasen looking good, have been impressed with de Zorzi, Erwee and Moonsamy.

 

[SeamUp]

New guys; Klaasen looking good, have been impressed with de Zorzi, Erwee and Moonsamy.

Those new guys are my case and point.

Generally you look for your best batsman to bat as high up as possible. But what about preparing #5s & #6s. We need to produce these sorts. I actually thought Moonsamy could be a long term solution but it looks like he has tightened his game up to be a 'proper batsman' in our conditions and it seems like that is what we try to prepare and look for in SA. To become better batsman.

Really liked what Makwetu was about but he obviously has a long way to go. But he looked a pure limited overs batsman at #5/#6 moving forward and not a test option. Is he ok with that ?

Be great to have a Hansie or a Jonty now or a Kuiper.

 

[StephenZA]

Those new guys are my case in point.

Generally you look for your best batsman to bat as high up as possible. But what about preparing #5s & #6s. We need to produce these sorts. I actually thought Moonsamy could be a long term solution but it looks like he has tightened his game up to be a 'proper batsman' in our conditions and it seems like that is what we try to prepare and look for in SA. To become better batsman.

Really liked what Makwetu was about but he obviously has a long way to go. But he looked a pure limited overs batsman at #5/#6 moving forward and not a test option. Is he ok with that ?

Be great to have a Hansie or a Jonty now or a Kuiper.

I think 5 is alright to still have genuine batsmen.... 6 maybe you want a bit of a slogger/batsmen type. Unfortunately our closest prepared #6 in SA is Behardien. If you have an aggressive players in the top 4 then 5 needs to be stable as well. That is part of the issue, our 5/6 are not stable at all but need time to get in as well. Would be nice to have a Maxwell type player at 6. But also think the lack of allrounders hurt; Morris is a great hitting 8 but we playing him at 7 with inconsistent 5/6? Hence why I would prefer Mulder. Maybe Frylink as a short term number 7, in many ways I prefer him to Morris.

We are totally dependant on our top 4 at the moment, thus when we end up 50/4 the game is pretty much over.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Duminy is Duminy. Probably my biggest frustration with Rudolph and Schultz for various reasons since re-admission. I don't know where to put him. Where is he as a player ? His ODI form is worse than Fudge and Miller.

Fudge still hasn't played the wonder knocks to win us a game and get us over the line. He is more the sort of player with limitations to make the best of it and not the sort to say I'm going out there to win you the game.

Is 'Fudge' Behardien?

Do you think 2 spinners could be employed by SA? Maybe introduce Maharaj to the shorter form? Guy just looks like belongs in international cricket and has a great temperament but that's my perceptions. Sometimes you can just tell with players I feel

 

[StephenZA]

Is 'Fudge' Behardien?

Yes

Do you think 2 spinners could be employed by SA? Maybe introduce Maharaj to the shorter form? Guy just looks like belongs in international cricket and has a great temperament but that's my perceptions. Sometimes you can just tell with players I feel

Maharaj is not a bad call.... but wrist spinners do seem to do better in the LO format, orthodox does not seem to work out quite as well, 2 Spinners for SA is fine, but does depend on conditions.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Yeah cheers for your thoughts.

Regarding Duminy, I've always been a major fan of his (more attributed to his style rather than output) ,but isn't there a time the selectors just say 'Thanks JP for your services, but we're moving on now'?. Guys had a very good career, but even at his best he's always been a bit inconsistent, and in ODI's bowlers during the middle overs can just suffocate him through dot balls or just put men back on the off side (a very noticable strength)

Had a small renaisssance when England toured a couple of years ago in the test arena. To be honest, i didn't initially realise he had been selected for this series. Thought he was out of the picture in ODI's