Cricket......

[Delgado]

They have already reduced the number of franchises so I am not sure what else they can do. Perhpas there are too many guys playing county cricket?

 

Bring back the old 4 month tours when you take 25 guys along with plenty of games.

I believe strength against strength on a level playing field is the way to go starting at club level. Let equal opportunity "transform" the game. That way less players become despondent and in turn turn out for England. Oh and get shot of fat corrupt administrators who couldnt run a single without having a coronary.....

[Christie]

This bit of comment from Andy Zaltzman on espncricinfo.comwas very funny:

 

"...whilst South Africa, for the third series in a row and fourth in six, contrived to lose a 1-0 lead, this time to an inspired Sri Lanka, who claimed their first win of the post-Murali era, at the 16th attempt. In a country where they had never previously won. And where they had averaged 209 all out per innings in their previous eight Tests. Seven of which they had lost (four by an innings), with one rain-aided draw. And with a bowling attack that had not taken 20 wickets in its previous 12 away Tests over three years. It was one of Sri Lanka’s greatest wins.

 

It was also one of South Africa’s worst modern defeats, rounding off a deeply disappointing year in both Tests and ODIs, in which a team that has almost all the component parts of a great side consistently proved itself not to be one. Yet. The Proteas can look like a top-end Rolls Royce in one match, but when the clock strikes 1-0, they seem to turn into a pumpkin, with Graeme Smith sitting confusedly at the wheel of the pumpkin like a disappointed Cinderella, banging the pumpkin dashboard and muttering, “Where’s the accelerator on this thing? Vroom vroom. Come on. Vrooom. Ah, shucks. I could have really done with more from that Prince.”

Edited December 30, 2011 by Christie

[reteid]

i still think that a whole lot of match fixing is still involved in cricket the world wide over and not only in this game.

[TNT1]

Hi Andy. It just feels like Rudolph is on the brink. Against auz he showed signs of brilliance. I like him cause he is a match winner and bats quite quickly when on song. I believe Kallis is much more out of form then R.

 

In any case Alviro git a ton in local cricket yesterday so he should play the next test.

 

 

Yeah, but Rudolph scored a billion runs in the domestic game, so the selectors had to give him a go, not so?

 

I still say if Cap'n Fatty had even half as many balls as Lance, he'd quit, the captaincy at least, if not the team. Untill the mentality of being the dictator while the ship burns changes, the team will never win when it counts.

 

Hey, look at that context, Smif is like any other african dictator...

[leet22]

Another reason they dont play as a TEAM is they never stay as a team when in SA

We have them in tommorrow and only 8 players staying here. The other stay at home

Edited December 30, 2011 by leet22

[TNT1]

 

We have them in tommorrow and only 8 players staying here. The other stay at home

 

Yeah, that's not right. Bet ya Cap'n fatty will be in stay elsewhere group?

[leet22]

Yeah, that's not right. Bet ya Cap'n fatty will be in stay elsewhere group?

Yip he stays at home. only non CT based players staying here

[TNT1]

Yip he stays at home. only non CT based players staying here

 

Figures.

 

Oh, ya, and this cannot be good for the "team"

 

Dumbasses.

[Shebeen]

I went to watch a provincial 4 dayer recently and the pool to select from is still sadly lacking barring a handful (for Test level I'm referring). I would confortably pad up to face many that I saw. Certainly would never have said that of Hanley, Le Roux, Van Der Bijl, Jeffries et al

The Philanderer and marchant translating SS form directly into test cricket would suggest that our fast bowling stocks are not bare at all. are you suggesting that there are only 5/6 decent quickies in the country and the rest are pie tossers? The top wicket takers all seem to be 1day bowlers to be honest. Am a bit surprised we Ntini hasn't been followed by a barrage of genuine quickies coming off the transkei treadmill.

 

This bit of comment from Andy Zaltzman on espncricinfo.comwas very funny:

 

"...whilst South Africa, for the third series in a row and fourth in six, contrived to lose a 1-0 lead, this time to an inspired Sri Lanka, who claimed their first win of the post-Murali era, at the 16th attempt. In a country where they had never previously won. And where they had averaged 209 all out per innings in their previous eight Tests. Seven of which they had lost (four by an innings), with one rain-aided draw. And with a bowling attack that had not taken 20 wickets in its previous 12 away Tests over three years. It was one of Sri Lanka’s greatest wins.

 

It was also one of South Africa’s worst modern defeats, rounding off a deeply disappointing year in both Tests and ODIs, in which a team that has almost all the component parts of a great side consistently proved itself not to be one. Yet. The Proteas can look like a top-end Rolls Royce in one match, but when the clock strikes 1-0, they seem to turn into a pumpkin, with Graeme Smith sitting confusedly at the wheel of the pumpkin like a disappointed Cinderella, banging the pumpkin dashboard and muttering, “Where’s the accelerator on this thing? Vroom vroom. Come on. Vrooom. Ah, shucks. I could have really done with more from that Prince.”

That is pretty funny, although despite how convincing the SL victory seem to be, Sangakara getting out on 3 in the second innings would have made it a whole lot closer. I'm not sure gazza is going to push the panic buttons just yet. My overriding point from the aus series was that a lot of batsmen had got themselves out, with T20 shots.

 

 

Yeah, but Rudolph scored a billion runs in the domestic game, so the selectors had to give him a go, not so?

 

I still say if Cap'n Fatty had even half as many balls as Lance, he'd quit, the captaincy at least, if not the team. Untill the mentality of being the dictator while the ship burns changes, the team will never win when it counts.

 

Hey, look at that context, Smif is like any other african dictator...

oh wow, another biff basher. Sure he's a bit of a tosser but he does deserve a bit better. I don't think the uniballer would have walked out at #11 to save a dead rubber with a broken arm and tennis elbow. The whole senior club is the issue, if it really is such a bad thing.

I think clive rice is the only post apartheid captain who had the general public behind him when he left.

 

 

Another reason they dont play as a TEAM is they never stay as a team when in SA

We have them in tommorrow and only 8 players staying here. The other stay at home

life of an international cricketer = 10 months in hotel rooms. don't think other teams don't do this either around the world. plus CSA is short of cash anyway now, surprised they aren't all staying with jakes and bouch.

[leet22]

The Philanderer and marchant translating SS form directly into test cricket would suggest that our fast bowling stocks are not bare at all. are you suggesting that there are only 5/6 decent quickies in the country and the rest are pie tossers? The top wicket takers all seem to be 1day bowlers to be honest. Am a bit surprised we Ntini hasn't been followed by a barrage of genuine quickies coming off the transkei treadmill.

 

 

That is pretty funny, although despite how convincing the SL victory seem to be, Sangakara getting out on 3 in the second innings would have made it a whole lot closer. I'm not sure gazza is going to push the panic buttons just yet. My overriding point from the aus series was that a lot of batsmen had got themselves out, with T20 shots.

 

 

 

oh wow, another biff basher. Sure he's a bit of a tosser but he does deserve a bit better. I don't think the uniballer would have walked out at #11 to save a dead rubber with a broken arm and tennis elbow. The whole senior club is the issue, if it really is such a bad thing.

I think clive rice is the only post apartheid captain who had the general public behind him when he left.

 

 

 

life of an international cricketer = 10 months in hotel rooms. don't think other teams don't do this either around the world. plus CSA is short of cash anyway now, surprised they aren't all staying with jakes and bouch.

Every rugby team does

[Joe Low]

Imo SA cricket is in disarray (Sunfoil?). If the organization is unstable, then the undoubtedly talented team will produce erratic results.

[Shebeen]

Every rugby team does

apples and apples.

 

let's look at schalkie's schedule for 2012:

super 15, 4 week tour to australasia

2 week tour 4 nations/trinations whatever it's called

4 week end of year tour

maybe 10 local away games

 

all in all, probably 14 weeks away from home

 

 

 

and now let's see what kallis is up to:

sri lanka (home) - last game 22 jan

new zealand (away) - feb to end of march

IPL in india - april and may

england(away) - july to mid sep

icc t20 world cup 20 sep to early october

then champions league t20(club/provincial) november

then tour to australia (november)

nz in south africa (december)

 

So basically after this sri lanka series is over in three weeks and until new zealand come here in december, jacques could be home for the month of june and maybe a few days between tours. Thumbsuck that to be 6/7 weeks maximum over the next 11 months. And that is why they would rather sit on their own couch infront of their own tv for the newlands match instead of your hotel. not because they aren't team players but because they live in hotels for 95% of the time.

[andydude]

apples and apples.

 

let's look at schalkie's schedule for 2012:

super 15, 4 week tour to australasia

2 week tour 4 nations/trinations whatever it's called

4 week end of year tour

maybe 10 local away games

 

all in all, probably 14 weeks away from home

 

and now let's see what kallis is up to:

sri lanka (home) - last game 22 jan

new zealand (away) - feb to end of march

IPL in india - april and may

england(away) - july to mid sep

icc t20 world cup 20 sep to early october

then champions league t20(club/provincial) november

then tour to australia (november)

nz in south africa (december)

 

So basically after this sri lanka series is over in three weeks and until new zealand come here in december, jacques could be home for the month of june and maybe a few days between tours. Thumbsuck that to be 6/7 weeks maximum over the next 11 months. And that is why they would rather sit on their own couch infront of their own tv for the newlands match instead of your hotel. not because they aren't team players but because they live in hotels for 95% of the time.

 

Yeah in general I believe you are longer away with cricket than rugby.

 

But two comments regarding your post:

 

(1) by adding up your own calculations you should have 20 weeks away for Schalkie? And it could get worse with semi-finals. And next year the Four Nations.

 

(2) my only misgivings about your cricket calender is there in the middle... the IPL. I mean this is pure greed to go play there instead of resting, because that has nothing to do with his province or country. It's not like they don't get paid enough, now they want more?! And then to complain about playing too much cricket? So deduct two months from your calculation which would give you a solid three months rest!

 

In rugby you get the same thing with the Barbarians, but obviously to a much lesser degree. I mean everybdoy complains they play too much, but then the guys needing the most rest go and play another game which these days doesn't mean much?

 

Let's support our Proteas for the final test. I think the guys will try to fight hard and I'm sure there's a few who would like to silence their critics. Watch this space. Go boys!

[Pronutro]

I think Kallis should be dropped

[GLuvsMtb]

I think Kallis should be dropped

Me too. First by Dilshan and then by Herath, and then by Prasad or by Mathews. I'd love to see him score a double century at Newlands.

[Pronutro]

Smith should stay though. Solid athlete.