Cricket......

[dev null]

Ai tog! What's up with our batting? 3 stumpings! And that to a spin bowler that is not that great. Also looks like our bowlers are not bowling that well either.

['Dale]

Saw the highlights...

Giving their wickets away.

 

AB showing some poor captaincy by not setting an example.

Hope he can bring back some of his amazing form.

 

:-(

[Christie]

Odi team not working if Amla or AB does not get a big score. AB is more likely to make a mistake while batting, now that he is both captain and keeper. I've said it before, but Smith's weakness outside the off stump gets exposed in limited overs format - he can't just leave them, especially when opening. Please tell me he is not going to go to the next WC, in which case we might as well get a different opener. I think Amla should open, he is the best odi opening batsmen in history, and have played well in every odi innings on this tour. The problem is who to open with him? Imo it should be Faf or Levi. On this tour, they could fail because 2 new balls in English conditions mean that openers are likely to get unplayable deliveries every now and then. You need to be flexible at 3, depending on how the game is going. If an opener falls, you need a batsmen without technical flaws, esp. in England, to be 3. Duminy should be able to do this, but so far he has failed. If the openers have a big stand, you can send in a more aggressive player. Up to now, the new guys could not cope with the seam, swing and spin, which is the reason we were short on runs the last 2 games.

 

Secondly, our bowlers look very flat. I don't know what Morkel of Tsotsobe's problems are, but to have both these guys off form is a disaster for us. Tsotsobe was the nr 1 ranked odi bowler in the world after te NZ tour, so he can do a lot better. Except for Steyn, and perhaps Petersen at times, they have all been poor. The second string bowlers like Parnell and mcLaren have not come to the party.

 

For the last odi, I would suggest:

Amla - best odi opener in cricket currently. Smith puts a lot of indirect pressure on him too - he could play even better with a good guy on the other end.

Du Plessis - a risk yes, but he cant be worse than Smith, plus we need to develop either him or Levi as opener for the wc.

Elgar - when an opener gets out, else could swap with a hitter. Kallis will fill this slot if he plays, but can still be swapped with a hitter.

De Villiers - captain but not keeper.

Duminy - better suited to no 5 than 3.

Levi/Albie Morkel/Miller. If there is seam and swing, Morkel would be best. Levi needs to sort his game against spin, and would be better down the order against older balls.

Petersen - allrounder

Tsolikile - keeper, need to take the weigt off AB's shoulders. If Tsolikile cant bat, he should not be in the squad.

Philander - has not got a good record in odi, but in England he may run rampant with the new ball. Bowl out his 10 up front, or early in the game. Usefull with the bat, too.

Steyn - no words needed.

Either Morkel ot Tsotsobe, both have been bad so far, but they must ern their pay some time.

 

Biggest weakness is bowlers for the last 5 overs. Morne Morkel is sopposed to do this well, and also Tsotsobe. With both off form, I dont know who can bowl at the end.

Edited September 4, 2012 by Christie

['Dale]

Awesome analysis, Christie.

[fabes]

Well done Proteas. Very successful tour

['Dale]

The Mighty Hash' strikes again...

 

97*

 

Series drawn.

 

Now for T20 fireworks!

[fabes]

The Mighty Hash' strikes again...

 

97*

 

Series drawn.

 

Now for T20 fireworks!

And # man of the series too

['Dale]

Yeah, fabes...

 

From 15/3 - dicy game situation.

[fabes]

Yeah, fabes...

 

From 15/3 - dicy game situation.

Yeah I actually turned it off for a while, then went back to watch at about 70/3. They batted really well and to finish it off in 36 overs was great

[deanbean]

Reading an article about the last Test against England

http://blogs.espncricinfo.com/andyzaltzman/archives/2012/08/stop_ruining_crickets_schedule.php

Loved this

In the end, South Africa’s consistent excellence prevailed and England’s intermittent brilliance was undermined by a series of pivotal bloopers. Finn and Bairstow gave auspicious displays of their match-changing abilities, but too many of the cornerstones of England’s all-conquering 2011 were too far from their best, and, as they did over the course of the series, they failed the sternest examination of their careers. South Africa held the upper hand for most of the match. England kept bouncing back up off the canvas, but each time, one of the Proteas would step in and clonk them back down again, or England would slip up and punch themselves in the face.

It was the cricket that the cricketing universe had wanted to see from two excellent teams, one ascendant after years of underachievement, one struggling to arrest its decline from its peak. England gave South Africa multiple opportunities to choke, and Smith and his men impressively failed to take any of them. The frailties they had shown in failing to win so many series from 2009 to 2011 had been laid aside.

[Benjamin]

Anyone see Wayne P go for 30 in his last over? Anyone can travel at that stage of an innings,but 2 consecutive no balls is dodge. Got to sort that before SriLanka

['Dale]

Anyone see Wayne P go for 30 in his last over? Anyone can travel at that stage of an innings,but 2 consecutive no balls is dodge. Got to sort that before SriLanka

 

Saw that - hectic.

What's that shot called? (moving to off-side and flicking it over the 'keeper's head?)

['Dale]

It would be cool if the Proteas could claim their first ever WCup of any kind...

[Benjamin]

 

 

Saw that - hectic.

What's that shot called? (moving to off-side and flicking it over the 'keeper's head?)

Dangerous. Time it wrong and you are going to wear it. Properly. Like a Dillscoop.

[RJ23]

Saw that - hectic.

What's that shot called? (moving to off-side and flicking it over the 'keeper's head?)

 

a modified dil-scoop

['Dale]

 

 

a modified dil-scoop

 

Uhm, apparently it's called a

 

 

RAMP SHOT

 

 

Officially.

 

:-)