South Africa team selection

[Dendarii]

If the board weren't involved in making the announcement then it may be OK as hopefully there are still some competent people working at the lower levels of CSA. Of course, that could just be wishful thinking.

 

[SeamUp]

We sending a security assessment delegation to Pakistan this weekend.

Pakistan to tour South Africa for limited over series in April: PCB

Pakistan will also play three T20 internationals during the tour, which was earlier scheduled to be held in September/October this year but had to be deferred due to the rising COVID-19 cases in South Africa.

www.hindustantimes.com

 

[SeamUp]

With the bigger picture in mind this is our tools to work with. A multiyear plan should be in place. Still of the opinion that to win matches at international level you can't fill your side with middle-of-the-roaders.

Cobras	Warriors	Dolphins	Knights	Lions	Titans
P.Malan	Moore	Roelofsen		R.Hendricks	Elgar
J.Malan	Breetzke			Rickelton	Markram
Hamza	Smuts	Petersen	v Tonder	vd Dussen	de Bruyn
de Zorzi	Second	Ackerman		Bavuma	du Plessis
Verreynne	Qeshile		van Biljon	Mulder	de Kock
Bird		Miller	Makwetu	Parsons	Klaasen
Smith		Muthusamy		D.Pretorius	Galiem
Linde		Maharaj	von Berg	Fortuin	Shamsi
Burger	Nortje	Dupavillon	Coetzee	Rabada	Ngidi
	Stuurman	E.Bosch		B.Hendricks	Dala
	M.Jansen	Ntanzi		Sipamla	Ntini
	Tait			Magala

 

[SeamUp]

Hopefully not just the interim structure.

Independent Media understands the new interim structure will feature former Proteas and former executives who have a high standing with the International Cricket Council.

Who can pick up the bat for a reconstituted interim Cricket SA board?

Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa held a constructive meeting on Tuesday with Cricket SA's Members' Council

www.iol.co.za

 

[SeamUp]

So squad that beat Australia in ODI's back end of last summer. Squad for England should be announced soon so they can go into the bubble.

de Kock
J.Malan
Smuts
van der Dussen
Miller
Verreynne
Klaasen

Phehlukwayo

Maharaj
Shamsi

Rabada
Nortje
Ngidi
B.Hendricks
Sipamla

* Dupavillon played last game


There will be changes to that squad. Faf, Bavuma, Markram, R.Hendricks, D.Pretorius, Fortuin, Linde, Dupavillon, Magala to to be considered?

 

[SeamUp]

We sending a security assessment delegation to Pakistan this weekend.

Pakistan to tour South Africa for limited over series in April: PCB

Pakistan will also play three T20 internationals during the tour, which was earlier scheduled to be held in September/October this year but had to be deferred due to the rising COVID-19 cases in South Africa.

www.hindustantimes.com

Stephen Cook is one of those that have gone on this mission.

Lots of more relevant and young cricket people getting involved in decision-making since Smith has taken charge. Tick.

 

[SeamUp]

Encouraging....

I'm starting to think the dream team of Graeme Smith, Mark Boucher, Victor Mpitsang, Neil McKenzie, Vinnie Barnes, Shukri Conrad is a GO

"We need to think ahead" – Victor Mpitsang | Cricket Fanatics Magazine

Victor Mpitsang emphasises the importance of thinking ahead when selecting the Proteas' squads for the upcoming inbound tours. Among the many things that

cricketfanaticsmag.com

 

[SeamUp]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1323921517999235073

 

[SeamUp]

Mpitsang will sign off his first squad on Friday.

Talk of a 25-man squad & there will be inter-squad games.

 

[SeamUp]

Mpitsang has a much bigger role than predecessors

New convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang has a much bigger role than his predecessors... much bigger than predecessors like Linda Zondi, Andrew Hudson or Haroon Lorgat.

www.iol.co.za

25-man squad at a guess

Top-order Batsmen/Keepers
J.Malan, de Kock, Bavuma, Faf*, Markram, R.Hendricks

Middle-order batsmen/keepers
Miller, Klaasen, Verreynne, van Biljon, Smuts

Seamer All-Rounders
Phehlukwayo, Morris*, D.Pretorius

Spinners
Tahir*, Shamsi, Maharaj, Linde, Fortuin

Seamers
Rabada, Nortje, Ngidi, B.Hendricks, Dala, Magala

* Assuming they will be picked but it's not definite

 

[StephenZA]

I am truly hoping that the good feeling I have over Mpitsang is borne out. He seems the right man for the job.

 

[Dendarii]

I do like the idea of inter-squad games. Not only should it allow our players to test themselves against a higher level than the regular domestic sides, maybe it's also an opportunity to give players some captaincy experience which could help in planning for succession - right now we have no clue who the test captain will be if Faf's not there.

 

[StephenZA]

I do like the idea of inter-squad games. Not only should it allow our players to test themselves against a higher level than the regular domestic sides, maybe it's also an opportunity to give players some captaincy experience which could help in planning for succession - right now we have no clue who the test captain will be if Faf's not there.

Heck before that even. When Smith retired unexpectedly we had no clue who to pick and burnt through both Hash and ABdV. And captaincy was a big factor in effecting those two players careers.

 

[SeamUp]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1324684138260082689

 

[StephenZA]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1324684138260082689

So after all that we just pick the same squad again... sigh!. Hopefully we go for a younger test squad.

 

[Nintendo]

So after all that we just pick the same squad again... sigh!. Hopefully, we go for a younger test squad.

What younger players have done enough to deserve being in the squad though?

 

[StephenZA]

What younger players have done enough to deserve being in the squad though?

You mean other than Roelfeson who top scored and avg 68. Never mind Hamza, Rickelton, Breetzke and Moore who all avg above 50+. de Zorzi was not bad last season either. And it would be nice to see Elgar in there considering he did pretty well and is one of the few members of the current Test squad that is likely to be guaranteed a spot and could also be possible captain replacement for Faf.

About the only positive for me is that at least those guys will be playing 4-day cricket instead. Which may very well be the thinking.

 

[SeamUp]

You mean other than Roelfeson who top scored and avg 68. Never mind Hamza, Rickelton, Breetzke and Moore who all avg above 50+. de Zorzi was not bad last season either. And it would be nice to see Elgar in there considering he did pretty well and is one of the few members of the current Test squad that is likely to be guaranteed a spot and could also be possible captain replacement for Faf.

About the only positive for me is that at least those guys will be playing 4-day cricket instead. Which may very well be the thinking.

Going to give them the ODI games in this series & v Pakistan. If they haven't worked out by then that this lot isn't going to do much then I don't know. Don't think we can expect miracles. I suppose they were unlikely to bring youngsters for the T20s (WC in a year) but there is no chance a lot of these players should be in a our 50-over WC squad in 3 years. In this time - hopefully some of the other younger players keep growing their games in the 4-day format & put their names up again in domestic white-ball. Frustrations obviously are truncated season and lack of SA A games (there was meant to be an increase before COVID restrictions).

That smidgen of consistency was important for Mpitsang and Proteas coaches Mark Boucher and Enoch Nkwe (who make up the men’s team’s selection panel) and partly explains the absences of Imran Tahir and Chris Morris. Both players remain part of the plans in the T20 format for the Proteas according to Mpitsang, but will be looked at for series’ next year, before the T20 World Cup. “The Proteas will be playing a lot of cricket. We just wanted to be consistent with those guys we did pick last year,” said Mpitsang.

 

[SeamUp]

I know it is only 2 rounds and I hate selecting on just form but I think a good mix in the situation we are in is some form & definitely looking to the future.

To be honest so little test cricket is played I am over the experienced card and I don't care if we dishing out caps here. I think for us to be competitive we can't select P.Malan, Markram, Hamza, vd Dussen, Bavuma, de Bruyn and Pretorius right now.

I've long been critical of pretty 30/40s from Erwee but he is scoring runs and the only opener doing so that can balance Elgar/Petersen I reckon.

1. Dean Elgar (c)
2. SJ Erwee
3. Keegan Petersen
4. Quinton de Kock
5. Raynard van Tonder
6. Wiaan Mulder
7. Kyle Verreynne (wk)
8. Keshav Maharaj
9. Kagiso Rabada
10. Anrich Nortje
11. Lungi Ngidi

12. Beuran Hendricks
13. George Linde
14. Glenton Stuurman

Reserve batsman can be anyone's guess.

 

[StephenZA]

I know it is only 2 rounds and I hate selecting on form but I think a good mix in the situation we are in is some form & definitely looking to the future.

To be honest so little test cricket is played I am over the experienced card and I don't care if we dishing out caps here. I think for us to be competitive we can't select P.Malan, Markram, Hamza, vd Dussen, Bavuma, de Bruyn and Pretorius right now.

1. Dean Elgar (c)
2. SJ Erwee
3. Keegan Petersen
4. Quinton de Kock
5. Raynard van Tonder
6. Wiaan Mulder
7. Kyle Verreynne (wk)
8. Keshav Maharaj
9. Kagiso Rabada
10. Anrich Nortje
11. Lungi Ngidi

12. Beuran Hendricks
13. George Linde
14. Glenton Stuurman

Reserve batsman can be anyone's guess.

I would be quite happy with this team. I would play van Tonder at 3 and drop Petersen and de Kock down one.

But I do think that Hamza is getting a raw deal at the moment. He spent two or three seasons scoring good runs has hit a patch of bad form and is being practically discarded by many. Same with Markram in many ways. I understand they have their issues, but still.

I am also going to put it out there that these batsmen started struggling after spending time in the SA squad under Gibson in particular. I don't want to get all conspiracy theory but I do think that both these batsmen have been asked to play in a manner they where not be comfortable with for the sake of the team and have tried to change things that probably should have been done slowly or not changed at all. And now they struggling in their heads and with so little cricket have not had a chance to get back into their space.