South Africa team selection

[MrPrez]

We were beaten by India on seaming pitches in India last tour ? So no biggie. It is the norm.

That's exactly what I do consider to be the "biggie." We really can't be getting destroyed in pacer-friendly conditions by India. If we expect to be a top team, pace-friendly conditions have to be a dominant space for us.

 

[OverratedSanity]

espncricinfo_/india-a-vs-south-africa-a-1st-unofficial-test-sa-a-tour-of-india-2019

ffs.... ****ing terrible

Interesting. How's the pitch? Siraj is a potentially excellent bowler but I don't much rate thakur who's done most of the damage.

 

[StephenZA]

Interesting. How's the pitch? Siraj is a potentially excellent bowler but I don't much rate thakur who's done most of the damage.

We speculating that something must be in the pitch for the fast men; based on the decisions that the Indian team decided to field first. We shall see after SA bowl. Likely sooner rather than later.

 

[Dendarii]

Malan bothers me less, because he had a decent season last year. But then again he is 30 years old and is he a future for SA? Don't think so.

Janneman also had a decent first-class season from what I remember, so shouldn't he have been the one chosen rather than Pieter given their ages?

Isn't Moore a batsman? What is going on there?

There are twelve names on the scorecard, so I think Cricinfo's got something wrong.

 

[StephenZA]

There are twelve names on the scorecard, so I think Cricinfo's got something wrong.

Must have been 12th man... I just got a bit confused. Easily done at the moment.

 

[StephenZA]

Macro Jansen 45 not out. The powers that be must have very serious belief in this young man. Hopefully comes true for SA. Would be wonderful to have a quality batting (Mulder) and bowling (Jansen) allrounder.

 

[SeamUp]

The Proteas test batting coach : Azol Muzumdar

 

[StephenZA]

The Proteas test batting coach : Azol Muzumdar

Had to look that one up!

https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/Proteas/proteas-name-little-known-indian-as-batting-coach-20190909

Seems to be just for the Inidan series(?), which may make sense if we trying to improve that part of the batsmen game. Picked him up during the spin camps?

 

[StephenZA]

The game not looking good for the SA A team... but Jansen just picked up a wicket.

 

[SeamUp]

Current SA players SA A records by average with at least a 50+ score.

Before todays game.

1. Faf 111.00
2. De Bruyn 72.88
3. Elgar 57.11
4. Rossouw 54.12
5. Hamza 45.60
6. Markram 45.11
7. Second 45.09
8. Van Zyl 40.81
9. Bavuma 34.52
10. Klaasen 24.12
11. Hendricks 23.76

Zondo & P.Malan previously mentioned. Muthusamy and Mulder don't have 50s yet for SA A.

 

[SeamUp]

Had to look that one up!

https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/Proteas/proteas-name-little-known-indian-as-batting-coach-20190909

Seems to be just for the Inidan series(?), which may make sense if we trying to improve that part of the batsmen game. Picked him up during the spin camps?

Like wise.

Just saw that he has been with Rajasthan Royals and a former Indian domestic player.

 

[SeamUp]

The game not looking good for the SA A team... but Jansen just picked up a wicket.

In the selectors minds I guess this is their hierarchy for quicks for SA Test cricket.

1. Rabada
2. Philander
3. Ngidi
4. Nortje
5. B.Hendricks
6. Jansen or Sipamla

If we being realistic. Only Dupavillon , Eathan Bosch (possibly Gerald Coetzee) can break into that ?

Only really Rabada, Nortje, Dupavillon and maybe Gerald Coetzee are the run with your tails up strike bowler type ?

 

[SeamUp]

Yeah I don't think we are going to get 2015 pitches in India this time. The Indian pace attack is good enough to give our batters trouble, Bumrah especially. So these guys getting knocked off by a pacer isn't a good sign.

Dane Piedt has really improved his batting btw, good to see a player go back to Franchise stuff and make himself more rounded.

Massive tour for him. Could be loads of pressure or could take it he is 2nd choice any way.

But with Simon Harmer's performances it will probably highlighted he needs to step up. You could See Piedt's reaction on twitter - he wasn't happy he missed out on MSL.

 

[StephenZA]

In the selectors minds I guess this is their hierarchy for quicks for SA Test cricket.

1. Rabada
2. Philander
3. Ngidi
4. Nortje
5. B.Hendricks
6. Jansen or Sipamla

If we being realistic. Only Dupavillon , Eathan Bosch (possibly Gerald Coetzee) can break into that ?

Only really Rabada, Nortje, Dupavillon and maybe Gerald Coetzee are the run with your tails up strike bowler type ?

Ignoring Philander, I think the order should be.

Rabada, Dupavillon, Ngidi, Nortje

With Sipamla, Coetzee and Bosch fighting it out for next in line, and if good enough Jansen. Hendricks should not really be in the test reckoning. Sipamla needs to improve some of his skills.


Looking at some of the players, seems a number of decent all-rounders coming through. If Jansen is as good as they think; could end up with a 6-8, of QDK, Mulder, Jansen. Makes a huge difference to the side.

Of course I always advocate the 6/1/4 split first.

 

[MrPrez]

I think the order needs to be
Rabada
Philander
Ngidi
Nortje
Dupavillon
Hendricks

So a three-prong of Rabada, Philander, Ngidi, with Nortje coming in for Philander in certain conditions.

You can fiddle around if you need any more quicks - I'd probably have Jansen and Bosch ahead of Sipamla, who I think isn't quite red-ball ready. (I know that's a weird statement given I'm touting Jansen but I think Sipamla could be thoroughly pedestrian if used incorrectly, whether a guy like Jansen can always offer a threat with speed and a left-arm action).

I think I'd put Burger above all three of the above, though.

 

[Dendarii]

Hendricks should not really be in the test reckoning.

I wonder if he still is. He's not playing today, which suggests that Jansen and Sipamla have moved ahead of him in the selectors' minds. Of course, they could be looking to give everyone a chance, so he could very well play in the next match but if he were still being regarded as a viable test prospect you'd think he'd have been likely to have played in both of them.

 

[MrPrez]

I wonder if he still is. He's not playing today, which suggests that Jansen and Sipamla have moved ahead of him in the selectors' minds. Of course, they could be looking to give everyone a chance, so he could very well play in the next match but if he were still being regarded as a viable test prospect you'd think he'd have been likely to have played in both of them.

I think Hendricks is more of a "if we have injury issues, rather play him than throw our talented youngsters in before they're ready" situation.

 

[SeamUp]

I wonder if he still is. He's not playing today, which suggests that Jansen and Sipamla have moved ahead of him in the selectors' minds. Of course, they could be looking to give everyone a chance, so he could very well play in the next match but if he were still being regarded as a viable test prospect you'd think he'd have been likely to have played in both of them.

Don't forget they had to make multiple changes to this A squad because the SA T20 squad selections. Think Bavuma, Linde, Nortje and Hendricks had to fall out.

This was another thing I was going to bring up for discussion. Those not in A side left on Friday to meet up for this squad.

Squad is massively light on batsmen.

Quinton de Kock (wk)
Reeza Hendricks
Rassie vd Dussen
Dave Miller
Temba Bavuma

Dwaine Pretorius
Andile Phehlukwayo

Bjorn Fortuin
George Linde

Kagiso Rabada
Anrich Nortje
Beuran Hendricks
Junior Dala

Tabraiz Shamsi

 

[StephenZA]

Light on batsmen, probably go for a heavy all rounder team. Not keen on Pretorius still being there but what can you do. I hope Linde and Fortuin get given proper opportunity.

On the test team, I hope Markram scores some runs in this A series, had a poor WC and I really don't want his confidence down before the test series even starts.

 

[Bahseph]

Spot on observation by MrPrez imo. Hendricks to me always seemed like he would go better in FC stuff than LO cricket. I don't even know if this is reality because I haven't checked the stats but it doesn't hurt having guys like him around who can fill in when required.