**Official** Zimbabwe in South Africa Thread

[Richard]

If I were being hyper-critical I might ask why he didn't play like that when SA were chasing the 5th test against us.....?

Standard of the bowling, JUST POSSIBLY?

 

[twctopcat]

I wasn't, I was pointing-out, especially to marc, that most people agree that these mean precisely nothing as far a Test-cricket is concerned.

Fair enough, i never know sometimes whether sarcasm is being used or not, especially because my statement was a bit of an obvious one.

 

[PAKMAN]

i think hashim amla shud be given a chance in the next test
so he can get some runs under his belt and get goin on the international scene

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Enforcing the follow-on?
Declaring, d'you mean?

Yeah.

 

[marc71178]

He poses the threat that he might take a wicket - and it's infinately more likely that he won't.

How can you say it is infinitely more likely he won't?

He's a better bet than someone who lets the danger man play himself in without worrying about the run rate getting out of hand.

 

[Langeveldt]

I've always had a place in my heart for both SA and Zimbabwe cricket..

This was one of the worst, most depressing games of cricket I have ever seen...

 

[Langeveldt]

i think hashim amla shud be given a chance in the next test
so he can get some runs under his belt and get goin on the international scene

Very pointless.. He's shown to be out of sorts in the test arena.. Even I could score a pretty 25 against Cremer and co, that doesn't mean I am any good...

 

[SJS]

Very pointless.. He's shown to be out of sorts in the test arena.. Even I could score a pretty 25 against Cremer and co, that doesn't mean I am any good...

I agree. I dont think Amla looks like a great test prospect. One could be proved wrong but this is based on what one has seen so far.

 

[kof98]

Amla did enough to earn his place in the test team but at that highest level the flaws in his technique have been exposed. Hopefully this will be sorted out and he'll be back in the team soon.

 

[Langeveldt]

Amla did enough to earn his place in the test team but at that highest level the flaws in his technique have been exposed. Hopefully this will be sorted out and he'll be back in the team soon.

What are the alternatives?

An order of

1.Smith
2.De Villiers
3.Rudolph
4.Kallis
5.Gibbs
6.Kemp

is far better than one with Hashim Amla in

 

[Buddhmaster]

i think hashim amla shud be given a chance in the next test
so he can get some runs under his belt and get goin on the international scene

I don't think anyone should get a chance in the 2nd test, because there shouldn't even be a second test. But I guess as there will be, South Africa should play a second team, so the match can actually be a match.

 

[Pratters]

I don't think anyone should get a chance in the 2nd test, because there shouldn't even be a second test. But I guess as there will be, South Africa should play a second team, so the match can actually be a match.

Even the second team would smash Zimbabwe.

Its tests not back yard cricket. The first XI should play, make 1,000 runs, humiliate the ICC. Period.

 

[SJS]

Even the second team would smash Zimbabwe.

Its tests not back yard cricket. The first XI should play, make 1,000 runs, humiliate the ICC. Period.

I agree. Bat first, score 1500 runs in three days, win by innings and 1000 runs

 

[wpdavid]

What are the alternatives?

An order of

1.Smith
2.De Villiers
3.Rudolph
4.Kallis
5.Gibbs
6.Kemp

is far better than one with Hashim Amla in

Couldn't argue with the top 5. But leaving aside the Amla discussion for a minute, do you really reckon Kemp is a test number 6?

 

[SJS]

Couldn't argue with the top 5. But leaving aside the Amla discussion for a minute, do you really reckon Kemp is a test number 6?

Its a question of alternatives in the final analysis, isnt it. If the alternative is Amla, then why not Kemp. Just because he plays at break neck pace is no reason to rule him out. The number of success stories of this type of aggressive batsmen in tests is now becoming a bit too much for the conservative school of thought (me included) to stick to a mule headed, plodders-for-tests and sloggers-for-ODI's theories.

Jayasuriya, Gilchrist, Sehwag were the trail blazers and now we are going to get a whole crop of new aggressive batsmen and some of them will force their way into test sides. I am not saying all will succeed but they will all need to be given a fair trial from now on.

 

[Buddhmaster]

I agree. Bat first, score 1500 runs in three days, win by innings and 1000 runs

Do we really want the highest score ever recorded against this Zimbabwe team? Wouldn't look good in my opinion.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Aye. Whether Kemp is a Test number six or not, if he's the best pick available (its him vs Amla vs Prince isn't it?)

 

[SJS]

Do we really want the highest score ever recorded against this Zimbabwe team? Wouldn't look good in my opinion.

The idea is not for it to look good, but for it to look bad, really bad !!

 

[wpdavid]

Aye. Whether Kemp is a Test number six or not, if he's the best pick available (its him vs Amla vs Prince isn't it?)

Plus Dippenaar, I suppose. Does anyone know what Amla's domestic form has been like this season? Given that in the Cape Town test he was sawn off by a shocking leg before decision in the 1st inings and got out having a swing in the 2nd, he's effectively been written off after one poor test at Durban. Not that it's my problem, but it seems harsh.

As for Kemp, I genuinely don't know, hence the earlier question. I see he now comes in at 7 in the oneday side, which doesn't strike me as a good basis for a test batting spot. I wouldn't be unhappy seeing him come in at 6 against us in the tests, but I feel that way about most of SA's lower middle alternatives, to be honest.

 

[wpdavid]

Aye. Whether Kemp is a Test number six or not, if he's the best pick available (its him vs Amla vs Prince isn't it?)

Maybe another alternative is De Bruyn, who some guys were speaking highly of a few months back, but also seems to have been jetsoned after one poor test.