Player Strength and weakness

[Swervy]

Personally I don't think he's that good.
Put him on seaming wickets and he's good, but only for an average of 35-40ish.
Hopefully, given that he's not even 30 yet, we might see a few more of them in the rest of his career.

some of the best players of all time have had problems at one time or another on a seaming pitch

 

[Richard]

Of course, there is such thing as an RUD (something no batsman, no matter how good, will ever have a realistic chance of playing) - but still, some get themselves into trouble so often when others don't.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

He is the second best timer of a cricket ball I have ever seen... But he does have problems when the ball moves around, and his defence isnt the best...

Maybe not the ideal opener?

Many have suggested that he move to the number 4 spot for Tests.

 

[Richard]

ATM not neccesary. The flat wickets mean he's easily good enough as an opener.
If we suddenly (and I mean suddenly) got some nice green seamers all over everywhere and Gibbs started failing all the time, then I'd certainly give consideration to:
Smith
Kirsten
Kallis
Gibbs
McKenzie
etc.
but Kirsten's only got a short time left in him and the risk would be huge as you can't really change your batting order relative to pitch conditions and Smith and Gibbs have proven several times to be rather good at compiling massive partnerships when the road (and the track) is flat.

 

[marc71178]

Many have suggested that he move to the number 4 spot for Tests.

But who would open in that case?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

van Jaarsveld or Rudolph perhaps.

 

[Craig]

What's wrong with Kirsten opening. He would still be opening if I had my way and Smith at 3.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

How long will Kirsten be around though? He could probably play for another 5 years, but I'll give him 1-2 tops.

 

[Craig]

So do you mean after Kirsten gives the game away? Until then, he would open.

But give credit to Gibbs and SMith they have formed a good combination together.

 

[Swervy]

So do you mean after Kirsten gives the game away? Until then, he would open.

But give credit to Gibbs and SMith they have formed a good combination together.

too true...if it aint broke....

 

[Richard]

van Jaarsveld or Rudolph perhaps.

Both of those would be very bad ideas indeed.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Both have reasonable technique.

 

[Richard]

Yes, but both have been middle-order players all their careers.
Don't assume someone would make a reasonable opener just because he has a good technique. There are more important things.
Anyhow, Gibbs has been an opener all his life; the only way you could find an excuse for moving him down is if there was unquestionably someone else who could do the job as opener. No point making a middle-order player open just for the sake of getting an opener into the middle-order, where he might do better.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

On the contrary, Jacques Rudolph has made a living opening the batting.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

 

[Craig]

Liam did you look up every FC game Rudolph has played to see if he has opened?

 

[Andre]

Just for the record I did this over a week and this from the last Test they played.

Just a suggestion - holf off on it for a little while, because 1 Test isn't enough to judge with complete certainty. Maybe wait till after a few of the NZ Tests.

 

[Craig]

Re: Re: Player Strength and weakness

Just a suggestion - holf off on it for a little while, because 1 Test isn't enough to judge with complete certainty. Maybe wait till after a few of the NZ Tests.

No, no, I should have said that it was the team from the last Test they played.

My error.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Liam did you look up every FC game Rudolph has played to see if he has opened?

No I knew that Rudolph opened, so I just searched up some examples.

 

[Richard]

On the contrary, Jacques Rudolph has made a living opening the batting.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

These are presumably just examples of a trend, rather than anomalies?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Yes, a trend stating that he's quite an accomplished opener.