South African Domestic Season 2014/15

[SeamUp]

Cobras beat the Titans by 14 runs in the end.

Levi & Pollard blitzkriegs. Roelof and Dean brought some respectability to the bowling.

Henry Davids & Dean Elgar with 150 opening stand but ending up falling short with Pollards cutters working to good effect.

The highlight was the 17 and 8 month old kid who caught the ball with 1 hand to win the Ram sponsored R1m but you've got to be 18. #shocker

 

[SeamUp]

Young Dupavillon may have travelled last night but he sure does have something about him.

Symes played a typical finishers knock and took his team over the line.

Bravo will bring more balance when he comes into the team on Wednesday.

Jonathan Vandiar is looking more and more like Inzy. What a waste.

 

[Pratters]

Watched about 30 minutes yesterday. The lack of speed gun was annoying. I wish the SA players were available while this tourney was played. Would have given it a big boost. They are certainly trying to jazz it up with fireworks and stuff. I like that the matches are not played every day. That becomes too tedious and ultimately disengaging.

 

[SeamUp]

Watched about 30 minutes yesterday. The lack of speed gun was annoying. I wish the SA players were available while this tourney was played. Would have given it a big boost. They are certainly trying to jazz it up with fireworks and stuff. I like that the matches are not played every day. That becomes too tedious and ultimately disengaging.

I know, very unusual there was no speed gun. But besides Viljoen & Morris I don't think there were many others in the 140's with Steyn, Morkel, de Lange, Parnell & Rabada in Australia & Beuran Hendricks injured capable of doing so. I would probably say maybe Dupavillon & Lizaad Williams are capable of doing so along with 1 or 2 youngsters that didn't play like Rabian Engelbrecht & Craig Kirsten on Sunday. Craig Alexander these days doesn't really hit 140 much but used to hit 150 regularly (can't see him surviving much longer with the young quicks in Durban in any case).

The Proteas will return for the 2nd half after the Aus tour. Suppose it gives some younger players a chance.

Must say I like it too, repeated T20 day after day gets a bit monotonous to me. Like the triple headers idea and play every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday like the 50-over comp and T20 have always been here.

 

[SeamUp]

Knights and Warriors will always be the under-dogs. Always been even in rugby that Free State & Eastern Cape talent goes to the bigger 4.

Over all I think the Knights has done well producing players for Proteas and players pushing for Proteas. Elgar, M. van Wyk & McLaren have left recently but still have 2 guns in R. Hendricks and Rossouw + up-and-comers like Gerhardt Abrahams, Gihahn Cloete, Rudi Second, Obus Pienaar, Diego Rosier & Corne Dry. They've produced other Proteas like Gerhardus Liebenberg, Rudi Steyn, Boeta Dippenaar, Kepler Wessels, Hansie Cronje, Nicky Boje, Johan van der Wath, Allan Donald & Corrie van Zyl. Not bad for little Free State/Griquas.

So the coach should be judged more on development of talent than pure results but maybe Sarel Cilliers' ideas is a bit stale having been there as assistant under the successful Corrie van Zyl era when they were winning trophies.

Knights coach in fight to prove worth

Domestic cricket competitions provide a place for players to audition for higher honours, but for the rest of the South African summer, the trial will extend to at least one other person as Sarel Cilliers, coach of the Knights franchise, gears up for a fight to prove his worth.

Cilliers' contract with the Bloemfontein-based franchise expires at the end of March 2015 and he has not been offered an extension. Instead, Knights have put out a job advertisement for his post, which they plan to fill once the season ends. Cilliers confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he will be reapplying for the job he has been in for the last five years but knows he will need the team to deliver strong results for him to be successful.

"It's important that we get a few trophies," Cilliers said. "We've produced some players for the national side, we've lost some players and we've been rebuilding but we have to win as well."

Knights' last triumph came four seasons ago in 2010-11, when they were victorious in what was then a 40-over, limited-overs competition. That was the last in a long line of success that had stretched for seven seasons during which the team claimed six trophies.

Despite their drought in subsequent seasons, they remained a competitive force thanks to the likes of Dean Elgar, Rilee Rossouw and Reeza Hendricks, who were always among the country's top run-scorers, and the experience of Johan van der Wath, Quinton Friend and Dillon du Preez, who kept their attack incisive. More recently though, other outfits have emerged stronger, while the Knights have stagnated and their stability has been shaken.

Two season ago, Morne van Wyk moved to Dolphins and this summer, Ryan McLaren followed him while Elgar has joined Titans. Van der Wath has retired and recent national call-ups for Rossouw and Hendricks have added to the side's resource depletion. "We have to try very hard to keep the culture going," Cilliers explained. "And that's not always easy."

Knights have also struggled to attract players and Cilliers did not shy away the reasons: "We haven't got a sea or a mountain or any of those things guys want here in Bloemfontein. It's very different to the coastal areas or the big cities. If players are not from here, they don't play here."

As Bloemfontein does not have the pull of the other cities where franchises are based - Johannesburg, Centurion, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban - Knights have to rely on the school system for a pipeline. Establishments like Grey College, the alma mater of Kepler Wessels and McLaren, and St Andrews, provide that but recent trends show the situation could change. Talented schoolboys at sports-oriented establishments often excel at both cricket and rugby and Cilliers admitted the "financial side of rugby" ends up being more attractive to them. As a result, Knights "haven't had the production line we would have liked" and are now searching for answers.

Former national player Nicky Boje may provide some. He has started an academy in Bloemfontein with a view to keeping promising cricketers in the system but Cilliers admits there's more to be done and he would know. The coach has been involved with Free State cricket since 2002, before the franchise system formed. When Free State merged with Griquas to become the Eagles (the predecessor to the Knights), Cilliers acted as an assistant to Corrie van Zyl, who went on to coach South Africa and now heads the National Performance Programme.

It was on van Zyl's promotion that Cilliers was appointed and he has occupied the post since but has only managed one trophy in his tenure, and pressure is mounting on him to produce. For that, Cilliers need the current crop to step up and so far, the signs are fairly positive.

Knights are currently on top of the first-class competition points table after two rounds and are the only franchise to have won both their games so far. They also enjoyed a winning start to the 20-over tournament with a 74-run victory over Warriors on Sunday. That event is still in its infancy and with their other limited-overs competition results - second from bottom in the 50-over cup with just one win from six matches - Cilliers does not want to get ahead of himself.

"There is still a lot of cricket to be played this season," he said. "But I hope it all goes well and then we will see."

Applications for the position close on December 15, with the appointment expected to be finalised by March.

South Africa Cricket News: Knights coach in fight to prove worth | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[SeamUp]

Google translate from Afrikaans online newspaper

English clubs are free to Rosier

ENGLISH CLUBS ARE LOOKING AT DIEGO ROSIER

The Knights' young striker Diego Rosier with his good batting performance in their first T20 match overseas attention.

The coach Sarel Cilliers says after Rosier (20) 's whirlwind innings at the Wanderers calls from agents who were trying to establish whether he is not club cricket in England want to play.

Rosier (55, 27 b, 5x4, 3x6) and Obus Pienaar (35 *, 10b, 3x6, 3x6) Sunday 67 runs off just 20 balls in the Knights' win by 74 runs over the Warriors.

"He (Rosier) has quite a presence at the crease as he was going on.

"The T20 games this weekend is broadcast worldwide and I afterwards about Diego approached," said Cilliers.

The talented Rosier early in his career has shown promise.

He said that 16-year-old his first debut for Griquas against Namibia in Windhoek.

He was in his matric year captain of the South African Schools team, which he is also the national under-19 team argued.

Last season with a shoulder injury Rosier's first full season with the Knights in February cut short.

He had an operation in Bloemfontein undergone.

Rosier said he suffered no discomfort more of the right shoulder.

He said after seven months of rehabilitation he returned to the Knights celebrated with an unbeaten 148 in a pre-season game against the Titans in Pretoria.

The Knights came at the very Titans Friday in Centurion in the T20 series stand.

The Knights travel with an unchanged group there.

They play Sunday in Potchefstroom against the Lions.

 

[SeamUp]

Google translate from Afrikaans online newspaper


COBRAS STARS LONG JOURNEY

Three years ago, SA Engelbrecht decided his future lay outside cricket and it is time for the future of his thinking.

He went to study and all cricket he played was for clubs in the Cape.

Now he is one of the Cape Cobras stalwarts in the ODI and T20 format.

Engelbrecht was one of the Cape side's few bright spots in the T20 Champions League in India in September. He also earlier last month in Momentum's one-day series excel.

His unbeaten 68 against the Knights once again proved how much he spent the last few years as a batsman improved.

But it is a long way from the player who in his first few years in the Cape than just a good fielder off.

Star with disabilities

Engelbrecht, now 26, at the beginning of the 2008-'09 season with much hype from Pretoria arrived at the Cape.

He was a member of the South African Under-19 team in the 2008 final of the World Cup in Malaysia fetched.

He was one of the stars of the tournament, and his swift fielding and incredible catches even if the new Jonty Rhodes described.

His parents were in their youth both Springbok gymnasts and their sport he inherited genes.

He is still the best fielder at the local level and one of the fastest cricket players in the country.

Its 100 miles per hour fielding style was not the flaws in the rest of the game hide.

"I've been in those under-19 tournament wish to display with bat and ball, but people have a huge fuss about my field work," Engelbrecht said.

He was at the beginning of his career with the Cobras regularly on the field, but the biggest impact he made was his fielding.

"When I think back, my batting and bowling is not good enough. I do not think my teammates have confidence in me whatsoever. "

Learning School

That's when he had to study - financial management.

He spent the last few years worked extremely hard on his batting and his spin bowling.

It was a long road back to the top of provincial cricket in South Africa to come.

"I spent two seasons playing club cricket, first for the UK and then the WPCC. I enjoyed it very much and also runs gets started.

"Salieg Nackerdien, the coach of the Western Province Amateur team, then asked me to get his team to play. I then got better with the bat and show my confidence in regaining there. "

Runs flow

It was two seasons ago that he once seriously watch cricket.

"I had 180 against Northerns, and 220 against Namibia.

"I did that season averages in the 60s in meerdagkrieket and in the 80s in one-day cricket had. I also bowled pretty well. "

Engelbrecht is very realistic about his future and the success the last few months, certainly not to his head went.

"I have good performances and to myself, 'What am I good enough to play the level.

Options open

"Within myself I still do not know quite whether I'm good enough, but I definitely have more confidence."

Former Gautenger still has his eye on the future and will next year for his honors degree at the University of Cape Town subscription.

"Cricket is very uncertain. The longest provincial contracts are only two years. I would never be in the position where cricket is my only option. "

 

[SeamUp]

Google translate from Afrikaans online newspaper

http://www.netwerk24.com/sport/2014-11-06-jean-symes-hou-kop-onder-druk

JEAN SYMES KEEPS HIS HEAD UNDER PRESSURE

At best will be a local cricketer him only to Chris Gayle amazed when he worked with him at the crease arrived.

Jean Symes, the Highveld Lions stalwart in the middle order, is certainly no exception.

He said Sunday at the Wanderers for the first time with the legendary batsman of West Indies in the first round of the regional T20 series batting.

"It was quite something else," he said with a laugh Thursday.

"Chris is a man of few words. All he told me is that I have to keep batting. It was quite fun to the other side to watch. "

While Gayle's fifty and four wickets stole the spotlight in the Lions' six-wicket victory against the Dolphins, was Symes's unbeaten 58 was decisive.

The 28-year-old left-hander said the situation - after the Lions slipped to 36/3 - excellent read, and therefore his good form continued.

"I was very impressed by Jean's turn," Gayle said.

"He has very good support for my area and the knot nice once I hooked through out. He was likely our contest winner. "

Although the last place for an extra batsman in the team's World Cup team still not a done deal yet, Symes only an outside candidate.

But his composure, tactical awareness and versatility makes him definitely an appropriate player to no. 6 for a national team to bat.

He has already made a name as local cricket's most venomous "afronder" with the bat in the closing stages of an innings.

"I am more than willing to take such a responsibility, but I'm actually a player in my ability as a top-order batsman believe," said Symes said.

"I'm not someone who can walk naturally and not smash every ball. I still believe a batsman will be rewarded if he plays shots wisely.

"I'm really happy that I'm in the last few games longer able to bat because I think it shows I'm versatile."

The Lions play tomorrow night in East London against the Warriors and Symes hopes his spin bowling will also be used.

"The conditions on the coast are always different. The pitches are slower and turn more. I would like to bale a little in my hand would have stopped, "he said.

 

[SeamUp]

Chris Morris bowling in the nets there, I swear he is stuck in the 80's

 

[SeamUp]

 

[SeamUp]

 

[Pratters]

Liked the bowling of 18 year old Sibonelo Makhanya who was recently captained SA under-19 captain for the series v England. Slow medium who mixed things up pretty nicely. Didn't look extremely inexperienced though from his Cricinfo page, he is. Just his 5th T20/List A game. A case of wise head on a young shoulder.

 

[SeamUp]

Liked the bowling of 18 year old Sibonelo Makhanya who was recently captained SA under-19 captain for the series v England. Slow medium who mixed things up pretty nicely. Didn't look extremely inexperienced though from his Cricinfo page, he is. Just his 5th T20/List A game. A case of wise head on a young shoulder.

He did captain our SA u19s to England but it wasn't the greatest tour.

I get what you mean though. Some good change-ups and to be brave enough to do it and execute it and consistently as he did at his age is decent. But lets no beat around the bush, never will be international standard though.

 

[SeamUp]

Corbin Bosch, son of the late Tertius Bosch who played in '92 WC for SA, debuted for the Titans yesterday. Showed some good skills (slower balls) and good Yorker but not really quick enough for the LT I would imagine.

Christopher Henry Gayle blitzkrieg in East London yesterday against the hopeless Warriors. Kieswetter actually stepping up while Ingram who has been in such good form this season in the other 2 formats can't get going.

Cobras were too much for the Dolphins. The Dolphins middle order is a bit soft for me even with Dwayne Bravo.

Knights did very well again. Another all-round performance with the bat, bowling and in the field. Always punch above their weight even after losing their star players. Amazing really for the franchise with the least club cricketers in the country really.

 

[SeamUp]

That 2nd XI thread has got me doing some thinking with the planning down the line. With the test side still in a slight transition phase squad wise, a world cup and the England Lions coming here there are interesting times ahead.

Say the test XI is :
Dean Elgar (27), Alviro Petersen (34), Faf du Plessis (30), Hashim Amla (31), AB de Villiers (30), JP Duminy (30), Quinton de Kock (22), Vernon Philander (29), Dane Piedt (24), Dale Steyn (31), Morne Morkel (30)

Only 4 players in their 20's but in test cricket it is fine. Faf, Hash, AB & JP are all fit in body and mind so could easily play for another 5 to 6 years. Vern is the number 1 test all-rounder & still contributing in both disciplines. Dale seems like he could go for another 3 to 4 years at least with his smarter use of his body in recent years.

Probably a concern is captaincy. With Amla, AB, Faf & JP all similar ages. Dean is a captain himself and probably the best bet but still needs to nail down his spot. After him, I don't think there is a definite leader until 23-and-under players.

Probable world cup squad members not in the test XI :
Rilee Rossouw (25), Dave Miller (25), Ryan McLaren (31), Wayne Parnell (25), Imran Tahir (35), Aaron Phangiso (30), Kyle Abbott (27)

Probably say Robin Peterson (35) & Lonwabo Tsotsobe (30) reckon they have a chance of pushing into that 15.

So therefore the above will probably not be considered for the Lions tour.

Openers

[23-27 Age group]

1. Reeza Hendricks (25) : A good age but his injury put him back a step. A classy player though & one you want to watch. Problem is he tends to find ways to get himself out.
2. David White (23) : Quite an aggressive opener who take son the short ball & good both sides of the wicket. Break through season last year.

[28+ Age group]

3. Andrew Puttick (34) : Been in the runs for years but possibly not at the right times. Not aesthetically pleasing but takes inspiration from Chris Rogers.
4. Stephen Cook (32) : Similar to Puttick but right-handed. Very strong on the leg-side like Graeme Smith. Oddly his former Protea father Jimmy had them both at his academy.

* Cook a possibility as captain but needs to get in the side first with Hendricks, White & Puttick probably in front of him.

Middle-order

[23-27 Age group]

1. Stiaan van Zyl (27) : Elegance & class but a concern for me is he can get dotted up but aesthetics make him a much watch.
2. Temba Bavuma (24) : Tiny in stature but he does have a good technique and likes to spend time at the crease. Much better in the longer version.
3. Gerhardt Abrahams (24) : Come out of nowhere since the back of last season. Lovely flick of the wrists. Seems to score runs this season even when struggling.

* Limited overs batsman
Richard Levi (26) who looks to have refined himself a touch and given himself more of a chance. No doubt that most destructive batsman in SA but probably still a WIP vs spin.
Jean Symes (27) very strong mentally and often produces the goods as a finisher at 5 or 6 for the Lions. Very under-rated. Missed the whole of last season with injury.

[28+ Age group]

1. Justin Ontong (34) : Been questioned for years but to be fair he is a very good cricketer who is just sort of top international standards. but a good leader for younger SA 'A' players.
2. Farhaan Behardien (31) : His technique isn't the greatest but he is in the form of his life. You just feel international cricket is too much but a good character & deserves a chance.
3. Colin Ingram (29) : Matured a bit latter than some. Started off well in limited overs cricket but come on leaps and bounds in 4-day cricket + a leader.

* Probably one of these 3 would be the captain seeing the issue with the captaincy in that 23-27 age bracket bar Dean Elgar.

Wicket-keepers

[23-27 age group]

1. Rudi Second (25) : Done very well for 2 seasons now particularly in the longer version but improving in limited overs cricket. One to watch.
2. Mangaliso Mosehle (24) : Just don't think he is good enough. Improving though but I've seen him drop catches & no hundreds to his name.

[28+ age group]
1. Dane Vilas (29) : Decent FC cricketer, dominates in spells but no consistency. de Kock at 22 will be around for ages, so no chance really.

All-rounders:

[28+ Age group]

1. David Wiese (29) : Got a decent technique & can hit a ball a mile. Bowls decent little outties but at a soft pace which is where he comes short. Deserves international opportunities though.

Spinners

[23-27 Age group]

1. Simon Harmer (25) : Was in contention with Piedt for test call-up to Zim, Done well for 3 to 4 yrs now. Attacking spinner but maybe a bit too slow through the air times. Good with bat & at slip.
2. Tabraiz Shamsi (24) : Still needs to become a regular at franchise level but was at the academy. Spins his chinaman and googly. Has potential.

[28+ Age group]
1. Eddie Leie (28) : Similar to Tahir in that toppy & the googly are his weapons. Very expressionate.
2. Shaun von Berg (28) : 'Shanie' Bowls a ripping leg-break & coming along nicely. They seem to prefer him in the longer version.

Seamers

[23-27 Age group]

1. Marchant de Lange (24) : Express pace, swings out & likes a Yorker. Time will tell re: injuries but probably suited more to limited overs cricket for now.
2. Chris Morris (27) : Good clean action & gets it into the 140s. For me better in longer version besides the perception that he is better limited overs cricket. Class in the field & good with the bat.
3. Beuran Hednricks (24) : He came a long way in a short space of time. Still reckon he is costly in limited overs cricket & better in the longer version. Good left-arm variation. Injured.
4. Hardus Viljoen (25) : Express pace and wicket-taker. Can hit the splice & likes a Yorker. Still not sure what you going to get though like the 3 above quite honestly.

* Mthokozisi Shezi (27) is a limited overs option. Not that quick but brings left-arm angle and decent change-ups. Like Tsotsobe but lacks the bounce.

[28+ Age group] - Tsotsobe here

1. Rory Kleinveldt (31) : Solid performer but never fit enough for international cricket & would rather punt from the 4 above and youngsters.


Was also thinking that an u23 side should be formed for a tour like they used to do in the 90's. Probably an important generation after the Amla, Faf, AB, JP, Dale, Morne, Vern etc Some could be in the 'A' side very soon. All have a good chance of being Proteas one day.

Batsmen:

1. Gihahn Cloete (22) - Classy left-handed top order bat. Two hundred for the Knights in 4-day cricket. Can keep wicket.
2. Aiden Markram (20) - Looked a very sound top order bat that can defend when needed and attack when required to do so. The captain.
3. Theunis de Bruyn (22) - Belligerent but classy. Always looking to score runs around the whole ground.
4. Diego Rosier (20) - Looks like a cool presence at the crease. Plays reverse and sweep v spinners & can pull pace. A leader.
5. Ryan Rickelton (18) - An opening batsman part of the SA u19 tour to England. SA u19 for next year too. Left-handed and can play all three formats equally well.
6. Grant Roelofsen (18) - Part of the SA u19 tour to England. Can open & be in the middle order & keeps wicket. Regular run scorer for KES, Old Eds. Like Rickelton for SA u19.

Wicket-keeper:

7. Clyde Fortuin (19) - Likened to Herschelle Gibbs in these part for natural talent. Started well for WP seniors.

Seamer All-rounders:

8. Calvin Savage (21) - Tall seamer who drives a good length. Backs himself at the death. When he played for the Dolphins they did well. Scored a couple of 50s with the bat to. Injuries.
9. Andile Phehlukwayo (18) - SA u19 tour to England & like Rickelton/Roelofsen & still u19. Powerful hitter with the bat & a nice strong seamer.
10. Dayyaan Galiem (17) - Probably more of a batsman but he bowls quality outties and innies. Still SA u19 for 2 years.

Spinner:

11. Prenelan Subrayen (21) - Hopefully gets over his action issues which I think is harsh. Talented though, can rip it, just needs to start taking regular wickets now.

Seamers:

12. Kagiso Rabada (19) - Good pace. Strong action and quick arm action with skiddy bouncer. Proteas debut now. Can play all formats.
13. Daryn Dupavillon (20) - Good pace, away swing, lovely rhythmic action. Good at Yorkers. Can be a bit skiddy with a bouncer, Can play all formats.
14. Craig Kirsten (20) - Good pace and very tall. Injury problems but a huge talent. Can play all formats.
15. Rabian Engelbrecht (22) - Good pace but his action is inconsistent. He angles into the batsman and tucks them up. Better for limited overs cricket. Looks to be over injury issues.
16. Corne Dry (21) - Not very quick (128-134kmph), drives a good length and nicks you off. Better for longer version cricket. Gets niggles now and again.

 

[Pratters]

A lot of the games broadcast only on Six HD instead of the main Six channel. None of the games today on Six. Pah.

 

[Pratters]

What's up with so many dropped catches in the whole league? So wierd.

 

[SeamUp]

Reeza Hendricks with 159 in the latest 4-day Sunfoil Series Round. Seeing de Kock, Elgar, van Zyl, Bavuma and Rossouw in test squad and probably wanting a piece of the action.

SA 'A' squads for the England Lions should be chosen soon. Be interesting to see with the injuries around, ODI squad about to play and Sunfoil Series on the go how it all comes together.

 

[SeamUp]

Dolphins v Titans in Durban re-cap

 

[tahir590]

These are all interesting matches.