South Africa team selection

[StephenZA]

3. JP Duminy who is 35 and hardly played cricket in the last year and when he has , has been poor.

I assume you mean after injury and in the momentum cup? Because he was the form batsman against SL end of 2018.

5. Phehlukwayo quietly goes about his bowling. Has mastered the art of batsmen coming at him and chipping in with wickets (behind 4 strike-bowlers) but still only has 1 50 in 44 games when batting. Whether that is through lack of a chance to score more runs but lets be honest he has had plenty opportunity to come in and score runs. At 5/6/7 you have to be able to come in backs to the wall and get a run-a-ball 50 on ocassion.

Andile has not had many chances to score many runs. He has batted a total of 17(of 44 inns) times in the top 7. And most of those have been recent. He was batting at 8 and lower for to long. Even yesterday Pretorius was pushed in ahead of him. Also his lack of 50's has as much to do with that as anything else, no of N/O he has with 20's/30's (which helps his avg). If we have anything to complain about it is his S/R of 90 when we would like it to be 100+ . He has done exactly what has been asked of him and done it better than anybody else and most importantly, he has improved with both bat and ball over time.

I think we need Amla. he looks in touch and can take us through an innings. That will give the likes of QDK, Markram, Duminy and Miller a chance to be more expansive. Losing Amla yesterday hurt a lot, curtailed QDK I think big time. I don't know what to think about Markram, I know what he is capable of but I don't quite know why he keeps failing. I think he is feeling the pressure to do big things. Watching him domestically he just looks so much more relaxed at the crease.

 

[SeamUp]

I took a look at his innings, and it seems that if he's not dismissed for single figures then he tends to be not out at the end, so his lack of 50s is in part due to there not always being enough time for him to get there. Which points to him having the ability with the bat, and the key needs to be not going out cheaply, which happens about half the time.

That is why I would love him to get that repsonsibility at 6. He was making the play for the Dolphins there recently in MODC.

 

[SeamUp]

I assume you mean after injury and in the momentum cup? Because he was the form batsman against SL end of 2018.

Andile has not had many chances to score many runs. He has batted a total of 17(of 44 inns) times in the top 7. And most of those have been recent. He was batting at 8 and lower for to long. Even yesterday Pretorius was pushed in ahead of him. Also his lack of 50's has as much to do with that as anything else, no of N/O he has with 20's/30's (which helps his avg). If we have anything to complain about it is his S/R of 90 when we would like it to be 100+ . He has done exactly what has been asked of him and done it better than anybody else and most importantly, he has improved with both bat and ball over time.

I think we need Amla. he looks in touch and can take us through an innings. That will give the likes of QDK, Markram, Duminy and Miller a chance to be more expansive. Losing Amla yesterday hurt a lot, curtailed QDK I think big time. I don't know what to think about Markram, I know what he is capable of but I don't quite know why he keeps failing. I think he is feeling the pressure to do big things. Watching him domestically he just looks so much more relaxed at the crease.

I agree. If Amla is fine he plays until he either shows he is scoring runs or not. Bangladesh and India the deciders. Until then Markram sits out.

 

[Dendarii]

I think we need Amla. he looks in touch and can take us through an innings. That will give the likes of QDK, Markram, Duminy and Miller a chance to be more expansive. Losing Amla yesterday hurt a lot, curtailed QDK I think big time.

I do think that things could have been very different if Amla hadn't gone off. Run scoring wasn't particularly difficult (we stayed in touch with the run rate until the bowlers came in), so all that was needed was calmness and sensible batting, something which Amla would have provided.

I don't know what to think about Markram, I know what he is capable of but I don't quite know why he keeps failing. I think he is feeling the pressure to do big things.

That could very well be the case. He should be scoring runs in ODIs - everything points to that, but he's not. So maybe the pressure of not delivering is getting to him. Hopefully he'll get over it once he has that big innings, but it's getting that big innings under his belt which is the problem.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Think Duminy will come good in the tournament, but really not sure about Amla. Faf, VDD, Miller, Duminy looks a well-balanced 3-6 to me

 

[Dendarii]

Think Duminy will come good in the tournament, but really not sure about Amla. Faf, VDD, Miller, Duminy looks a well-balanced 3-6 to me

You've got more faith in Duminy than the rest of us do.

 

[Stefan9]

If all batsmen are fit I still rather have markram then jp in the team...

 

[StephenZA]

I do think we being a bit harsh on Duminy as well. He was in fine form before injury. He is in poor form currently, but so is Miller and Markram.

Assuming Amla plays (which he should). Then you need to play 2 of Markram, Duminy, Miller. Based purely on current form none of them inspire confidence. So is it Markams potential. Duminys bowling or Millers power? That is a coin toss for me but I can't honestly say which would do better in our team, all I say is that we have a super soft underbelly no matter which way you cut it.

 

[StephenZA]

It is interesting to think that Duminys injury gave us Rassie though?

 

[MrPrez]

I do think we being a bit harsh on Duminy as well. He was in fine form before injury. He is in poor form currently, but so is Miller and Markram.

Assuming Amla plays (which he should). Then you need to play 2 of Markram, Duminy, Miller. Based purely on current form none of them inspire confidence. So is it Markams potential. Duminys bowling or Millers power? That is a coin toss for me but I can't honestly say which would do better in our team, all I say is that we have a super soft underbelly no matter which way you cut it.

Markram isn't in poor form. He's just had two failures in a row.

Markram also provides bowling, rendering Duminy obsolete imo.

 

[Pom_in_SA]

I have my concerns about Amla too and with his potential concussion who knows if he will be available for the next 7-10 days.

Wouldn't mind seeing this. It has massive flaws but it is what we have to work with. Reason I can't fit both Amla/Markram in is because I desperately want that 3,4,5 and the same time gives Phehlukwayo more time at the crease. He can do it. He had a good Momentum One Day Cup batting 6 with the resposnsibility. Was looking good yesterday.

We need more dynamism , x-factor in this time. Whatever you want to call it. Ours isn't as reliable as an England team but on its day it could come off. Basically we looking at games like India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Windies now with massive respect given to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan still.

QdK
Amla/Markram
Faf
Rassie
Miller
Phehlukwayo
Morris
Rabada
Steyn
Ngidi
Tahir

I think that everyone could issue a different permutation of what the SA starting line up should be...however the fact remains that this SA squad is very poor thus diluting the impact of whatever team is chosen.

It was not helped by Faf's captaincy. He knows he has a ridiculously long tail in his batting line up. So instead of utilizing what is the strength of the team by really going on the attack from a bowling perspective, he just decided to go on the defensive, take the pace off the ball and restrict England from about over 7/8 onwards, when really his only chance against what was vastly superior opposition, was to get early wickets and hope one of the top 4 had a field day.

It was all so strange yesterday. As an England fan, you always know that SA will be in your face no matter what their issues...but it was just all so timid yesterday, as if they had accepted defeat before the game?

 

[SeamUp]

I think that everyone could issue a different permutation of what the SA starting line up should be...however the fact remains that this SA squad is very poor thus diluting the impact of whatever team is chosen.

It was not helped by Faf's captaincy. He knows he has a ridiculously long tail in his batting line up. So instead of utilizing what is the strength of the team by really going on the attack from a bowling perspective, he just decided to go on the defensive, take the pace off the ball and restrict England from about over 7/8 onwards, when really his only chance against what was vastly superior opposition, was to get early wickets and hope one of the top 4 had a field day.

It was all so strange yesterday. As an England fan, you always know that SA will be in your face no matter what their issues...but it was just all so timid yesterday, as if they had accepted defeat before the game?

Agree to a certain extent. It is what made the selection of Pretorius over Morris even more bizarre especially when bowling 5 overs of part-time spin and no Steyn.

Morris isn't perfect but you got to find a way to get the most out of him . Same with the batting and Miller. I rather us go down being positive.

 

[SeamUp]

JP Duminy averages an unbelievable 19 in ODI cricket v England where as Miller has scored 138 runs and been dismissed only once at a 120+ SR v them.

Also along with Miller, Morris has achieved success v England in ODI cricket. Would have tried to think of any small advantage really when we were up against a superior team.

 

[Pom_in_SA]

Agree to a certain extent. It is what made the selection of Pretorius over Morris even more bizarre especially when bowling 5 overs of part-time spin and no Steyn.

Morris isn't perfect but you got to find a way to get the most out of him . Same with the batting and Miller. I rather us go down being positive.

Spot on...both are erratic, but on their day unplayable. It was 'these days' that was needed to try and eek out an improbable win...not playing safe. Faf gets lots of love with the SA press but I have never really seen why really. He is great when his team is on top but something of a bokkie in headlights both as a player and captain when the pressure is on. Compare him to Smith (i.e. G.Smith not the cheaty one for Oz) who despite (or perhaps because of) being an awful human was a superb captain/player under pressure.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Just find Miller being left out a bit odd. Didn't he gun it against Australia at the end of last year? Has he been really poor since?

 

[SeamUp]

Just find Miller being left out a bit odd. Didn't he gun it against Australia at the end of last year? Has he been really poor since?

He does go through patches. He has been in a semi-tough one. Started IPL alright but last few innings I saw didn't look like a Miller in the groove. But he seems to find it from nowhere and lose it from nowhere.

 

[SeamUp]

Interesting. Probably just be limited overs.

The PCB is hopeful that South Africa will tour Pakistan within the next 12 months.

ESPNcricinfo understands that PCB managing director Wasim Khan recently extended an invitation to CSA. South Africa have not toured Pakistan since 2007 though captain Faf du Plessis led a World XI side to Lahore in September 2017.

It is unclear what format the tour could take, but it seems likely that Pakistan would accept any amount of cricket - perhaps two or three limited-overs games - as part of a longer itinerary that could be completed in the UAE.

Pakistan has hosted little international cricket since the terror attacks of March 2009 upon the Sri Lanka team and its convoy, though that has been steadily increasing. Zimbabwe played T20I and ODI cricket in the country (in May 2015), the World XI played three T20Is (in September 2017), Sri Lanka played a one-off T20I (in October 2017) and West Indies played four T20Is in April 2018 in Karachi. But, on the whole, Pakistan have been obliged to use venues in the UAE as their home from home in recent times.

The number of foreign players visiting the country is steadily increasing, though. With more PSL games taking place in Pakistan, the PCB hope the prospect of playing there is becoming normalised and that it will, in time, lead to increased confidence from international teams.

South Africa, it is understood, have not yet committed to the tour.

The PCB also remain hopeful that England may return to Pakistan in 2022. England are scheduled to play three Tests and five ODIs against Pakistan at the end of that year but have not visited the country since the end of 2005. While it seems most unlikely the entire tour will take place in Pakistan, PCB officials are hopeful that at least two or three ODIs could be held in the country.

The ECB executive are understood to be supportive in principle of the aim of seeing more international cricket return to Pakistan, but their decisions are sure to be governed by the advice of security experts. It is also understood there are, at present, significant reservations from players and their representatives.

 

[StephenZA]

It will be up to the players. If they feel happy going it will probably happen.

 

[Stefan9]

I do think we being a bit harsh on Duminy as well. He was in fine form before injury. He is in poor form currently, but so is Miller and Markram.

Assuming Amla plays (which he should). Then you need to play 2 of Markram, Duminy, Miller. Based purely on current form none of them inspire confidence. So is it Markams potential. Duminys bowling or Millers power? That is a coin toss for me but I can't honestly say which would do better in our team, all I say is that we have a super soft underbelly no matter which way you cut it.

Markram out bowled jp vs England. Don't think there is much between their bowling...Would be picking aiden and Miller...

 

[SeamUp]

Standby list if Ngidi's injury is serious

1. Dala
2. Hendricks
3. Philander

Doesn't excite me.