Cricket......

['Dale]

The Vern......

['Dale]

3 key wickets

24 runs

 

Ow!

['Dale]

Reverse swing hey

 

Could Steyntjie get some deliveries looping?

['Dale]

Amla's 17th ODI century

 

First against Oz nogal

[JGR]

choked ....

[Shebeen]

looks like we're not going to get any close games on this tour at all, now need to win the final two to take the series.

 

at 35 overs, we were 209/3 - needed 121 runs @ 8,06 per over.

then the powerplay went 23/3....the game was done

[GLuvsMtb]

It seems like without JP there the middle order is seriously compromised. Rossouw is also struggling. 9 games with an average of only 11, but we don't really have another option at 4 who is on tour. Behardien only averages 18 after 14 games. 

Possible starting 11 for the next game:

1. Amla

2. De Kock

3. Du Plessis

4. Rossouw

5. De Villiers

6. Miller

7. Robin Peterson

8. Philander

9. Steyn

10. Abbot

11. Morkel 

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Protes - clutching defeat from the jaws of victory once again!!!

That middle order is soooo fragile. Even when we get a good start they seem to just collapse.

Bowling was also poor.

['Dale]

Protes - clutching defeat from the jaws of victory once again!!!

That middle order is soooo fragile. Even when we get a good start they seem to just collapse.

Bowling was also poor.

Yeah, all poised and foundations laid with a solid 200/3ish

 

:-(

[Shebeen]

middle order and death bowling still a problem.

 

If none of the pretenders in the middle order are standing up to be counted (I'm talking to you fudge, miller, rossouw - ingram, elgar previously) when given the opportunity then maybe we should be looking at moving #tag into one of those slots and try someone like Andrew Puttick who is on hot poker form this year (got a fifty in every match so far this year, converted one to a century).

 

Death bowling only ever seems to have been handled consistently by charl langeveldt. we're probably leaving with more questions than answers on this tour

[JGR]

middle order and death bowling still a problem.

 

If none of the pretenders in the middle order are standing up to be counted (I'm talking to you fudge, miller, rossouw - ingram, elgar previously) when given the opportunity then maybe we should be looking at moving #tag into one of those slots and try someone like Andrew Puttick who is on hot poker form this year (got a fifty in every match so far this year, converted one to a century).

 

Death bowling only ever seems to have been handled consistently by charl langeveldt. we're probably leaving with more questions than answers on this tour

Problem is Rilee, Behardien, Ingram et al all smash it locally but seldom take that form to international level. I think Abbot deserves a run these last two games. Did a great job at the death during the T20's ... We are really missing JPD at the moment. # at 3 could be an option but he is doing so well upfront it would be hard to justify trying to fix one problem by creating another

[Shebeen]

Problem is Rilee, Behardien, Ingram et al all smash it locally but seldom take that form to international level. I think Abbot deserves a run these last two games. Did a great job at the death during the T20's ... We are really missing JPD at the moment. # at 3 could be an option but he is doing so well upfront it would be hard to justify trying to fix one problem by creating another

totally, add miller to that list too. problem is he shines in IPL but not really in a proteas shirt.

 

It is quite funny how much our team structure has changed over the years, we used to be loaded with allrounders. at one stage we had guys like hansie, pollock, klusener, mcmillan, kallis all in the same team - but we needed them since our bowling was good enough to hold up our top order fragile.. the closest thing we have to an allrounder in the last match XI was behardien or philander, both who are not really lighting up the stars with the bat.

 

interesting to see AB bowling more than Faf. Faf used to rate himself as a spinner domestically, doesn't even bother trying in T20s (where he's the captain!). JPD will add another place for a batter or bowler, we're seriously missing him now.

 

Abbot should get a run, I don't think the slot occupied by philander is safely his, could go to waleed parnell, mclaren or abbott depending on which way the wind is blowing.

 

one place where we are not short is keepers, already got two in the starting XI. Almost all of the domestic keepers get runs regularly. pity there's no real way to get an advantage from this.

[JGR]

totally, add miller to that list too. problem is he shines in IPL but not really in a proteas shirt.

 

It is quite funny how much our team structure has changed over the years, we used to be loaded with allrounders. at one stage we had guys like hansie, pollock, klusener, mcmillan, kallis all in the same team - but we needed them since our bowling was good enough to hold up our top order fragile.. the closest thing we have to an allrounder in the last match XI was behardien or philander, both who are not really lighting up the stars with the bat.

 

interesting to see AB bowling more than Faf. Faf used to rate himself as a spinner domestically, doesn't even bother trying in T20s (where he's the captain!). JPD will add another place for a batter or bowler, we're seriously missing him now.

 

Abbot should get a run, I don't think the slot occupied by philander is safely his, could go to waleed parnell, mclaren or abbott depending on which way the wind is blowing.

 

one place where we are not short is keepers, already got two in the starting XI. Almost all of the domestic keepers get runs regularly. pity there's no real way to get an advantage from this.

Miller missed the boat in the first game - had an opportunity to get a 100 and push on with his career but didn't. Berhardien imo has also had his chance. Whaleed Parnell in the same boat - Chris Morris could replace him in the squad (better bowler and can also hit a long ball). McLaren just seems to be a little out of sorts - we need him McLaren ala 2013. Agree that Vern's position isn't certain and would like to see what Abbot can do now.

[iamStewart]

The question I have to ask is why AB bats himself at 5? I think it would far better if he came in earlier and pushed the innings on (like only he can) instead of having Faf and Rilee come in ahead of him (especially if he have a good start).

[iamStewart]

But, as all the Aussie commentators keep saying: we are missing Kallis a lot more in the 50 over game than we thought we would. We are a batter short and because of this we throw in a half-baked all-rounder (Behardien/McLaren). 

[iamStewart]

Also, with the form Morris is in I cannot see how they can not give him a call up for 20 over side.