Cricket......

[Garfield2010]

 

The two-Test series kicks off on December 18 at the Wanderers while the second match will be played in Durban, from December 26.

South Africa Test squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile (wk)

cricinfo

 

I would not select Kleinveldt or Tsolekile. Ryan McLaren and de Kock should be in the squad at least....

[JGR]

Look there is arguments for and against every player and every scenario

 

Kallis also had a crap start to his career and averaged even less at some stage yet they persisted with him. Elgar has now found his feet and needs to produce. If he doesn't only then consider the other options. Remember we are the number 1 side so obviously they are doing something right.

 

De Kock has his ODI game figured out. I say leave him to focus on that for now. he is still young. If we must play him as number 7 in tests. Pushing him to open now could be very detrimental to his game. Test cricket is a lot harder than ODI.

 

Just because a guy scores runs in ODI does not make him a test batsmen - De Kock has a LONG way to go before he gets there. Graeme is tough as nails and so are Kallis, Amla and the rest.

 

Fair enough Gibbs was a shot maker but the problem with those kinds of batsmen is that they only come off once in a while. (Sehwag & Gayle etc). Whilst these guys all have good averages I would prefer a opener who scores 35 every single innings to a guy who scores 250 once off every 4 tests.......

 

But that's just my view...

 

I am however pretty sure they wont change a lot from the test squad as again we are number 1.......

Sehwag - Tests 104 180 6 8,586 319 49.34 82.23 23 32 1233 - 91

 

Seems like he came off more often than not - also if you have an opener that can score runs quickly upfront you take the game away from the team on day 1.

 

How long would you give Elgar?

 

I would say playing him out of position would be detrimental - How are you going to blossom as an opening bat playing at 7?

 

I wouldn't say he has his one day game sorted out as I think every cricketer has to work on it - what he has shown (where I feel others like Elgar, Ingram et al haven't) is his ability to learn quickly and work at his game. I think he is showing maturity beyond his years as well as BMT.

 

What has Elgar done to deserve a spot ahead of De Kock? Besides a 100 where Smith could wait until he got it to declare as the game was long over.

['Dale]

What a pity about that missed 3rd Test.

 

I was ready to pack my coolerbox and hang out at Newlands.

 

http://bestbabymonitors-miriam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/iStock_000009552671XSmall.jpg

[JGR]

 

The two-Test series kicks off on December 18 at the Wanderers while the second match will be played in Durban, from December 26.

South Africa Test squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile (wk)

 

cricinfo

I would not select Kleinveldt or Tsolekile. Ryan McLaren and de Kock should be in the squad at least....

We agree on this one Garf - Thami is to old and missed his chance due to Boucher and AB. That's cricket.

 

Peterson's had better success with the bat than ball these days and Kleinveld ... nay! McLaren/Marchant De Lange, Kyle Abbot even Wayne Parnell should be there ahead of him .....

[Cellar]

What a pity about that missed 3rd Test.

 

I was ready to pack my coolerbox and hang out at Newlands.

 

 

 

I feel for you. I can't wait to be at wanderers!

[DJ84]

We agree on this one Garf - Thami is to old and missed his chance due to Boucher and AB. That's cricket.

 

Peterson's had better success with the bat than ball these days and Kleinveld ... nay! McLaren/Marchant De Lange, Kyle Abbot even Wayne Parnell should be there ahead of him .....

 

Thami is in the team because he cried last year/early this year,

also cried that he wasn't getting game time.

 

McLaren & Parnell had opted to focus on their odi career.

 

As for Lobsi not being a test bowler and not fit enough I disagree a bit there.

he does make for a descent change bowler and the way we play our bowlers in test we don't need to have him bowl 6 - 8 overs straight like other teams.

 

test is about putting the ball in a consistent spot and making the batsman play a bad shot,

something he can do well.

A very successful bowler who is not quick at all is Philander,

consistent bowling with slight movements.

['Dale]

Tsolekile has been managed so poorly by the Proteas.

 

Either IN or OUT.

 

Pity.

[JGR]

Thami is in the team because he cried last year/early this year,

also cried that he wasn't getting game time.

 

McLaren & Parnell had opted to focus on their odi career.

 

As for Lobsi not being a test bowler and not fit enough I disagree a bit there.

he does make for a descent change bowler and the way we play our bowlers in test we don't need to have him bowl 6 - 8 overs straight like other teams.

 

test is about putting the ball in a consistent spot and making the batsman play a bad shot,

something he can do well.

A very successful bowler who is not quick at all is Philander,

consistent bowling with slight movements.

Therein lies the point - both rely on slight movement up front.

 

Disagree about being a good change bowler - that why they bowl him through in T20 and he bowls the bulk of his upfront in ODI's and often doesn't finish all 10. I think it has to be one or the other. Lobsy for 1 Day and Vern for Tests.

[Guest Latent Blue]

I would not select Kleinveldt or Tsolekile. Ryan McLaren and de Kock should be in the squad at least....

 

Moer mekaar maandag!!!

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/134149-garfield-your-days-are-numbered/?do=findComment&comment=2156066

[DJ84]

Therein lies the point - both rely on slight movement up front.

 

Disagree about being a good change bowler - that why they bowl him through in T20 and he bowls the bulk of his upfront in ODI's and often doesn't finish all 10. I think it has to be one or the other. Lobsy for 1 Day and Vern for Tests.

 

I never said good, I said descent,

Name one good change bowler in world cricket today.

I think Morkel is probably the only good change bowler at the moment.

 

As I said earlier as well,

I prefer a full time spinner in a test,

even if he isn't getting wickets and just holds at 4 an over then rotate the quicks you will only need 3 full time quicks and a part timer JP/Kallis.

That way you have your 3 best bowling as often as possible without exhausting them.

[JGR]

I never said good, I said descent,

Name one good change bowler in world cricket today.

I think Morkel is probably the only good change bowler at the moment.

 

As I said earlier as well,

I prefer a full time spinner in a test,

even if he isn't getting wickets and just holds at 4 an over then rotate the quicks you will only need 3 full time quicks and a part timer JP/Kallis.

That way you have your 3 best bowling as often as possible without exhausting them.

Siddle/Harris (both currently ahead of Morkel) - Morkel - Broad (When Finn plays), Ajmal, ... there are a couple. Also like to have a spinner in but this game is going to be at the Wanderers and they will have a green top for sure.

 

Also 4 an over is not holding an end up imo

[DJ84]

Siddle/Harris (both currently ahead of Morkel) - Morkel - Broad (When Finn plays), Ajmal, ... there are a couple. Also like to have a spinner in but this game is going to be at the Wanderers and they will have a green top for sure.

 

Also 4 an over is not holding an end up imo

 

Harris is not a change over bowler, he opens.

Broad has also predominantly been Andersons counterpart with opening.

Ajmal is a spinner and not considered a change over in my opinion (only quicks are change overs)

Siddle is a good bowler, but in no way is a better bowler than Morkel (would be higher on the rankings if he had wickets to take - Steyn and Phillander take most of them before the change over) although he is better than Tsotsobe.

 

Wanderers will be a green top but we need someone to bowl a lot of overs inbetween our 3 main guys and spinners do that best, maybe Robyn Peterson will do a better job.

[DJ84]

And 4 an over on a flat track is not bad for an attacking spinner ala Tahir.

He averages 3.5 an over so 4 is not terrible at all on a pitch like that.

[JGR]

And 4 an over on a flat track is not bad for an attacking spinner ala Tahir.

He averages 3.5 an over so 4 is not terrible at all on a pitch like that.

You mentioned a holding bowler - in test they should be going for less than 3 and more like 2.5 otherwise they are just getting milked.

[JGR]

Harris is not a change over bowler, he opens.

Broad has also predominantly been Andersons counterpart with opening.

Ajmal is a spinner and not considered a change over in my opinion (only quicks are change overs)

Siddle is a good bowler, but in no way is a better bowler than Morkel (would be higher on the rankings if he had wickets to take - Steyn and Phillander take most of them before the change over) although he is better than Tsotsobe.

 

Wanderers will be a green top but we need someone to bowl a lot of overs inbetween our 3 main guys and spinners do that best, maybe Robyn Peterson will do a better job.

Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc open and Siddle and Harris come after unless one is injured. It is also why I put Siddle and Him.

Change bowling is not limited to quicks .... many change bowlers have been medium, off break and all types of different bowling.

 

Broad bowls change when Finn plays and they opt for 4 quicks

 

Morkel also opens sometimes but you are considering him a change as I am with others.

 

We are also talking at who does it well and I am of the belief that there are more bowlers out there than Morkel who are good.

[DJ84]

I did and that's why I said Robyn would probably be better suited to Wanderers (although everytime he has bowled lately he has been belted).

Was just saying that if Tahir bowled and held at 4 it would still workout for us as he can absorb many overs.