South African Domestic Season 2015/16

[SeamUp]

Another transfer is Reeza Hendricks will be leaving the Knights for the Lions from next season.

 

[SeamUp]

Really glad for Heino Kuhn. The bloke is as fit as a fiddle and playing as well as he ever has. Dominated SA 'A' against all teams and conditions really and then pushed into touch.

Heino Kuhn is chasing Rilee Rossouw, Dean Elgar, Stephen Cook and a piece of history, while bowlers have to pursue perfection…or punishment if they stray.

Kuhn has struck 854 runs at an average of 71.16 this season as opener of The Unlimited Titans. He is poised to become the first batsman to assemble 1 000 Sunfoil Series-runs since Rossouw (1 189 runs), Elgar (1 060) and Cook (1 013) achieved the feat in 2009/2010. The 31-year old right-hander only managed 336 runs two seasons ago at an average of 25.84.

Rob Walter, his coach, and Elgar spent hours in the nets to improve his technique. Playing straight early on, knowing where his off-stump is and not lunging at good-length deliveries on a fifth-stump line were part of Walter’s master classes to reinvent his four-day game.

“It is the best I have seen him bat,” says Elgar, who is constantly surveying Kuhn’s success from the bowler’s end as his opening batting partner.

“He is confident and much more mature.

“His game has evolved. He has ironed out a lot of weaknesses.

“Heino puts pressure on the bowlers and dismisses them when they stray wide or short. They know it. I am glad I’m playing with him (and is not opposing him),” said Elgar.

Henry Davids, the Titans skipper, says Kuhn is conservative in the first hour and might just play three different shots. His favourite is the cut, but he also pulls and drives well and can produce all the shots in the text book.

One of his greatest strengths is his ability to accelerate the run-rate by his expert running between the wickets.

“It is ridiculous. He produces runs for his batting partner and sometimes even takes two to long-off,” said Davids.

Geoffrey Toyana, the bizhub Highveld Lions coach, said he plied his trade at the Titans with Kuhn. “What I like about him, apart from his good defensive technique, is his positive intent. He is not merely intent on survival but on trying to score.”

Walter says Kuhn, at age 31, is good enough to press for a national call-up, not only in tests, but also in one-day internationals.

Morné van Wyk, who saw the Titans player smash 96 and 80 off the Sunfoil Dolphins during the past weekend, said attacks have suffered severe collateral damage at the infancy stages of the innings when the naturally attacking Kuhn pierces the many gaps in the field almost at will.

 

[brockley]

Seam Up,are we playing you guys in an A series this year?
Haven't heard anything from Australian sources?

 

[Stefan9]

Not heard anything personally. We should its good for development.

 

[StephenZA]

Hopefully the "A" teams play...

Looking for opinion on Domingo`s tenure and future as coach.

SA have struggled quite a bit this last year, but key injuries and out of form players have also contributed. There has been key question over match day and squad selection but that is as much down to captains and players available. I feel like he has done nothing wrong but also nothing right. I wonder if he is letting the senior players dictate to much of what they want the team to be and is working as a mediator between the selection committee and the captains. But while there may have been 1 or 2 team selection issues; Cook not playing earlier for one in the Eng test series but you can see also that the team was trying to give van Zyl maximum chances. But there is no clear and obvious issues in the team other than they are short of a quality all-rounder thus management are not sure whether to go in with 6 or 7 batsmen... ( and of course the quota issue, but lets not get into that debate). The core of the team (injuries aside) seams to be pretty clear and obvious.

Is there not enough experienced backroom staff? What would a change in coach actually bring for SA? Geoffrey Toyana seems the most obvious replacement or an experienced international coach? I just don`t know what SA can do to improve right now...

 

[nexxus]

I was never enthused by his appointment and he pretty much lost me when his 'brainstrust' put 2 and orange together and decided that leaving out Amla for Rilee Roussow was a good idea.

There's no gravitas or sense that he's in charge at all. When Woolmer, Ford, Kirsten et al were the coaches, they owned that role. His interviews come off as if he's just won the #1 superfan contest and gets to hang around with the team as his prize.

He's probably a pretty good coach, I just don't think he's got what it takes to be the head coach, especially in a team without a dominant captain. Domingo waffles on in a very David Brent kind of way, using jargon and pally terms like Faffie & Batters, AB & Faf come off as a couple of really nice guys and none of them inspire any sense of steel.

 

[StephenZA]

I was never enthused by his appointment and he pretty much lost me when his 'brainstrust' put 2 and orange together and decided that leaving out Amla for Rilee Roussow was a good idea.

There's no gravitas or sense that he's in charge at all. When Woolmer, Ford, Kirsten et al were the coaches, they owned that role. His interviews come off as if he's just won the #1 superfan contest and gets to hang around with the team as his prize.

He's probably a pretty good coach, I just don't think he's got what it takes to be the head coach, especially in a team without a dominant captain. Domingo waffles on in a very David Brent kind of way, using jargon and pally terms like Faffie & Batters, AB & Faf come off as a couple of really nice guys and none of them inspire any sense of steel.

That made me laugh...

I pretty much agree with you here. The question for me is: was the Amla/Rillee debacle his idea or Faf`s and AB`s or selection committee? Along with other decisions made in the last year. That`s where i`m not sure. And this would make a big difference to how SA should go forward. I do think we need a new coach though. Domingo did fantastic work at domestic level, but gives to much deference to the senior players at international level. I think he has a gentle manner that probably helps solidify the team but does not push the team. He was probably perfect in his role as second in command when Kirsten was coach.

I wonder if a strong international head coach would do us good, with Toyana brought in as assistant coach. We have only had one international coach since readmission, Woolmer, and I wonder if we need somebody less emotionally invested in SA cricket to give some perspective.

Also I`m not convinced of the captaincy. Faf maybe a good T20 captain with his IPL experience? To be honest I am not totally happy with AB as captain of Test and ODI`s teams. But I suppose he should be given some time. I would love for them to have picked Elgar as captain, think he has the gritt. The unexpected loss of Smith is still hitting us hard....

 

[testcricketer]

Nice to see Colin ackerman and Duane pretorius doing well, I honestly think, if Duane Pretoria was a bit faster he'd solve our allrounder issue

 

[Stefan9]

Domingo should be replaced by an experienced international coach. We have seen the difference Bayliss has made for england. Doubt it will happen thought, too much politics in SA.

Most other international coaches would have been sacked now. Failed at the 50 overs world cup, failed at the 20/20 and the test team has regressed under his watch.

 

[Heboric]

I was never enthused by his appointment and he pretty much lost me when his 'brainstrust' put 2 and orange together and decided that leaving out Amla for Rilee Roussow was a good idea.

There's no gravitas or sense that he's in charge at all. When Woolmer, Ford, Kirsten et al were the coaches, they owned that role. His interviews come off as if he's just won the #1 superfan contest and gets to hang around with the team as his prize.

He's probably a pretty good coach, I just don't think he's got what it takes to be the head coach, especially in a team without a dominant captain. Domingo waffles on in a very David Brent kind of way, using jargon and pally terms like Faffie & Batters, AB & Faf come off as a couple of really nice guys and none of them inspire any sense of steel.

The problem is a lot of South Africans didnt like Smiths approach, its as if he wasnt allowed to talk up his own players and team and then be deemed arrogant if he did . It was almost if Smith had to say things like "No we have terrible players and we are going to lose." when interviewed

 

[Stefan9]

People only realize how good he was now that he is gone. Most proteas supporters who were slagging him of while he was playing would give anything now to have him back instead of has/ab/faf captaincy experiment...

 

[nexxus]

I really liked Smith, part of SA's Rugby pschye is that playing the Springboks is going to be tough, no matter what. We had a bit of that with Wessels and Cronje, where we had limited players but they were all as tough as nails. Then again, under Smith, we had a never say die approach but now with a sprinkling of some of AB, Kallis, Hash & Steyn' s brand of world class in the mix.

 

[Woden]

Domingo should be replaced by an experienced international coach. We have seen the difference Bayliss has made for england. Doubt it will happen thought, too much politics in SA.

Most other international coaches would have been sacked now. Failed at the 50 overs world cup, failed at the 20/20 and the test team has regressed under his watch.

My top choice would be Paddy Upton
Paddy Upton: 'In high-pressure moments the quality of decision-making matters more than skill' | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo
I think he understands how to get players to cope with pressure and how to get the most out of a team.
Fear of Failure has played a huge role in both world cup failures

 

[Dan]

Rossouw and van Zyl really need extended county stints. Elgar could do with a shorter one too.

Dwaine having a smack in the T20 would also be worthwhile.

 

[Marius]

Lions bowled out for 68. There goes any hope of catching the Titans, FFS.

 

[StephenZA]

Pretorius awarded as Lions? best - SuperSport - Cricket
Luke Alfred: The rise of Dwaine Pretorius | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Interesting in a way that Morris got given a chance before Dwaine (and got an IPL contract), when Dwaine seems to have better potential right now (and is 2 years younger). I hope he is not one of the players that gets close but never quite there.

 

[StephenZA]

Club v country debate on the horizon for Dale Steyn with Glamorgan deal on cards | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo
I don`t get CSA, Steyn has not exactly been playing a lot and he is always better with overs under his belt. He is off to play a few games of T20, that is all.... I would rather he earn some pounds in Eng get some short stint game time than go play in some meaningless ODI series...
They complain about Steyn needing rest, but they are going to play Rabada ( I know he is 20, but still) who is a man that has played practically every game since Steyn and Philander got injured, and his body and core strengths are still developing... I am very glad he did not play IPL..

I am starting to become of the opinion that we need to change our mindset regarding our T20/ODI sides. I think we should be playing all our all-rounders (do a bit of an Eng) in Morris, Andile, Savage, Pretorius could include Tahir and Rabada. Leave out Steyn, Philander, Morkel, at least for the T20`s. Allows us to build for the future and give some experience to younger guys as well as try and see who has the temperament... Maybe throw in some other promising young fast bowlers.

I am happy for Philander, Morkel and Steyn to go earn some money in these T20`s, its not test match intensity stuff and honestly these guys are in twilight of their career, considering the state of the SA rand and the fact that CSA cannot probably pay them their worth I only think it is fair.