Cricket......

[JGR]

I had a look at Peterson's figures for the last 24 months. He averaged 45 with 4 hundreds and 1 fifty in 24 innings (and 2 not outs with rather small totals to chase). In the last 12 months (10 innings) he averages 25 only. I suspect that if Peterson does not perform in the 2 games against India the selectors will look at QDK to open with Smith in the test side.

The question then should be asked whether he or AB should keep in the test side and if he is to keep, do you elevate Hashim to open with Smith, Kallis at 3 and QDK to come in at 4? I am guessing that the selectors will let AB keep until Smith calls it a day and then drop QDK down to 5 or 6 if he is to keep in the test side. By that time Kallis would have called it a day as well.

Peterson played well up until the last few series and it handy but in the bigger picture he is in his 30's already - they need to bleed QDK at the top now while they have Biff there. I don't think they should chip and changed his spot in the order. Let him develop and make mistakes in the opening role.

 

Maybe they could share the keeping? Changing every session or two. Or AB takes over the gloves when they are 7 down to give QDK a rest before batting? I know it is something that hasn't been done but why not?

[Mr Winter]

How humble is this man

 

http://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/IndiaInSA/Amla-embarrassed-to-beat-Viv-20131209

[DJ84]

Peterson played well up until the last few series and it handy but in the bigger picture he is in his 30's already - they need to bleed QDK at the top now while they have Biff there. I don't think they should chip and changed his spot in the order. Let him develop and make mistakes in the opening role.

 

Maybe they could share the keeping? Changing every session or two. Or AB takes over the gloves when they are 7 down to give QDK a rest before batting? I know it is something that hasn't been done but why not?

 

A lot of openers get brought into the squad at a number 6/7,

this is due to the new ball at 80 overs.

It also helps in not disrupting the current positions until he is up and running with the squad.

 

India just did this with Rohit and it worked a treat,

it wont be long till he is opening but for the mean time his team is consistent.

[Garfield2010]

Peterson played well up until the last few series and it handy but in the bigger picture he is in his 30's already - they need to bleed QDK at the top now while they have Biff there. I don't think they should chip and changed his spot in the order. Let him develop and make mistakes in the opening role.

 

Maybe they could share the keeping? Changing every session or two. Or AB takes over the gloves when they are 7 down to give QDK a rest before batting? I know it is something that hasn't been done but why not?

 

Its tough to open and keep wicket. In fact when a team has been in the field for say 2 days then this poor oke must immediately go bat again.......

 

QDK is a aggressive 1-day player. Like Gilchrist and like Sangakarra he can play test cricket but not open (for now in any case).

 

In that case rather have Amla open...

 

I think our main issue now must be who to replace Kallis with................

[GLuvsMtb]

Peterson played well up until the last few series and it handy but in the bigger picture he is in his 30's already - they need to bleed QDK at the top now while they have Biff there. I don't think they should chip and changed his spot in the order. Let him develop and make mistakes in the opening role.

 

Maybe they could share the keeping? Changing every session or two. Or AB takes over the gloves when they are 7 down to give QDK a rest before batting? I know it is something that hasn't been done but why not?

my post was probably a bit ambiguous. If de Kock is to open, he should not be keeping at all in the test side. Let him work on his batting as opening in the test arena is much more onerous than in the one day setup where he has a license to play his shots. If AB becomes the test captain after Smith and they want to get de Kock to keep, they should drop him down the order at that time to enable him to focus on keeping. Keeping in the test side is a specialist job. The fact that the game has so many good keepers that can bat should not detract from the specialist nature of the job.

[JGR]

I hear what you are all saying but ......

 

Would you say he is a bigger talent than Smith?

 

Smith made his Test debut for South Africa in 2002 in Cape Town against Australia, batting at number three and scoring 68 in the second innings.^[23] Promoted to open the batting with Herschelle Gibbs against Bangladesh in his third Test match, Smith scored 200.^[24] In the following home series against Pakistan, Smith (who scored 151) and Gibbs (228) shared a first-wicket stand of 368,^[25] a national record until bettered by Smith and Neil McKenzie's 415, and at the time the fourth highest opening partnership in Test history.^[26] Following the 2003 Cricket World Cup and Shaun Pollock's subsequent resignation, Smith was selected as captain for South Africa's next Test. The decision was criticised as it was felt that he had shown 'few leadership credentials':^[27] He had played only eight Test matches and 22 ODIs before being given the captaincy.^[28] Graeme Smith was only 22 years and 82 days old when he captained his first match against Bangladesh, the youngest ever South African captain

 

Good enough - Old enough

 

If Frans Steyn can play in the RWC final at 20 I think QDK can open the batting on his home turf against India who do not have the best opening bowlers rather than have him facing spinners in the middle when the team are 5 wickets down.

 

At the top of the order he wont have the baggage and can play his natural game

 

I think there are more examples of new players playing in their correct roles than not. We don't want another Jacques Rudolph do we?

[JGR]

AB de Villiers

 

He made his test debut as a 20-year-old on 16 December 2004 against England at Port Elizabeth. He made an impression opening the batting, but was dropped down the order for the second test and also handed the wicket-keeping gloves. In this match, he made a match saving half century from number seven. However, he found himself at the top of the order again for the final test of the series and has played the majority of his tests there.

[GLuvsMtb]

AB de Villiers

 

He made his test debut as a 20-year-old on 16 December 2004 against England at Port Elizabeth. He made an impression opening the batting, but was dropped down the order for the second test and also handed the wicket-keeping gloves. In this match, he made a match saving half century from number seven. However, he found himself at the top of the order again for the final test of the series and has played the majority of his tests there.

... and not even a rare talent like AB would be able to bat up the order and keep. Let AB don the gloves until he becomes the test captain. For young de Kock the focus should be opening. Imagine doing a 2 hour training session, a 3 hour net, and then work on your keeping for another 3 hours. A player like AB will probably get away with a hour training, going off to do 2 hours of glove work and then a 2 hour net session.

[JGR]

... and not even a rare talent like AB would be able to bat up the order and keep. Let AB don the gloves until he becomes the test captain. For young de Kock the focus should be opening. Imagine doing a 2 hour training session, a 3 hour net, and then work on your keeping for another 3 hours. A player like AB will probably get away with a hour training, going off to do 2 hours of glove work and then a 2 hour net session.

I wasn't suggesting he do both but if he plays he should open the batting - it would be unfair to put him in a position where he would have to come in at say 120/5 chasing 450 facing Ashwin.

 

Let AB keep and open with QDK

 

My test team for the Wanderers

 

QDK

Biff

Amla

Kallis

AB

JP

Faf /Mc Claren if you want more bowling cover

Phillander

Steyn

Morkel

Tahir / De Lange

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Surely if Kallis fails to perform in the tests its game over. Riding his name at the moment IMO.

[JGR]

Surely if Kallis fails to perform in the tests its game over. Riding his name at the moment IMO.

His form has been a bit sketchy recently

 

http://www.cricketweb.net/statsspider/player/285992-testbattinganalysis.php

[Garfield2010]

Well first and foremost the opener needs to take the shine off the ball - therefore you need a guy that can leave well and concentrate for long periods of time. If number 3 and co only comes in after 30 overs each test I cant see you losing too much.

 

De Kock falls in the "stroke maker" category. Sure they can consider pushing him up the order at some stages should the need arise (like the sub continent).

 

Maybe Dean Elgar can open..

[JGR]

Well first and foremost the opener needs to take the shine off the ball - therefore you need a guy that can leave well and concentrate for long periods of time. If number 3 and co only comes in after 30 overs each test I cant see you losing too much.

 

De Kock falls in the "stroke maker" category. Sure they can consider pushing him up the order at some stages should the need arise (like the sub continent).

 

Maybe Dean Elgar can open..

Our last successful open partnership was Gibbs/Smith. Gibbs was a stroke maker

 

Both Indian openers are stroke makers - I don't think Elgar is at international player. I would stick with Alviro before choosing Elgar. I would even have Ingram there before Elgar

['Dale]

QDK does not have the technique to open in test cricket, if they put him in the squad he should bat lower down... ease him into test cricket, the last thing you want is to expose him upfront then after a couple of failures bye bye QDK, this kid is something special but Test cricket is a total different ball game, if your technique has a short coming it will be exposed!

 

I think he could develop into a Test opener.

It's just that he would most likely wicket keep too.

Fatique or lapses in concentration could most likely lead to his downfall.

['Dale]

Peterson is just fine as an opener.

[Garfield2010]

Both Indian openers are stroke makers - I don't think Elgar is at international player. I would stick with Alviro before choosing Elgar. I would even have Ingram there before Elgar

 

And see how that worked out for India.

 

Remember flat track bullies can have stroke makers for openers! I rate Elgar. We must be careful not to try and play test cricket to aggressive due to all the IPL cricket the guys play.

 

And also before we all get too excited, India's bowling attack at present is about as dangerous as DaveM on the run leg of any triathlon