Cricket......

[dev null]

I must admit that AB played well to help the Proteas out of a sad situation.  On the whole, both teams played poorly as a unit yesterday.  England were farting around if it weren't for Hales also.   It looked to me as if the boys on both sides were tired of cricket.

 

Some notes:

 

1. Rilee will have to learn to play the ball on merit if he is to bat at 4

2. Faf will have to look at his batting technique.  A number 3 batter can't leave so much room between bat and pad.  

3. Still not sure about De Kock.  He seems to have quite a few weak points in his batting that is easy for the opposition the make use of.

[Shebeen]

One-foot-on-the-Boeing syndrome from the English

 

Maybe

 

Bottom line: Fantastic comeback from the desperate Blommetjies

quite a lot of the guys are only in the one day team.. And then the one dude who had a shocker in the tests just keeps on scoring runs.

 

I thought Chris Morris was incredibly unlucky in his first bowling spell. Went for 30 off 3 overs but created about 10 genuine chances including the sitter amla dropped. One over there were 5 chances alone

['Dale]

I must admit that AB played well to help the Proteas out of a sad situation.  On the whole, both teams played poorly as a unit yesterday.  England were farting around if it weren't for Hales also.   It looked to me as if the boys on both sides were tired of cricket.

 

SNIP

 

 

 

And The Mighty Hash too hey

That 22/3 or something was one helluva pressure cooker scenario

And that in a final of 5 matches

[GLuvsMtb]

I must admit that AB played well to help the Proteas out of a sad situation.  On the whole, both teams played poorly as a unit yesterday.  England were farting around if it weren't for Hales also.   It looked to me as if the boys on both sides were tired of cricket.

I think its more a case of both sides being tired. Friday night was a big game, presumably they only flew out on Saturday afternoon, new hotel, a quick stretch and throw down, early dinner, up at 6 for another stretch and throw down, physio, taping, strapping, stretching, team meeting, warm ups, toss, play. Both sides made some mistakes, but overall the quality and intensity of the fielding was good, we seemed to have a definite plan and we managed to bowl them out. They bowled better than what we did up front, in fact, it must have been the best spell of fast bowling I've seen in a long time, but to our credit we stuck it out after 3 quick wickets and then saw a master class from both Hash and AB.

 

Some notes:

 

1. Rilee will have to learn to play the ball on merit if he is to bat at 4

He was meant to bat at #5. Poor guy has to sit out all series, and then walks in at 14/2. If he's good enough to play the ball on merit in test cricket, he's good enough for ODI's

 

2. Faf will have to look at his batting technique.  A number 3 batter can't leave so much room between bat and pad.

 He got bowled by a full inswinger. I think that delivery would have gotten most no 3's out.

3. Still not sure about De Kock.  He seems to have quite a few weak points in his batting that is easy for the opposition the make use of.

10 hundreds? Average of 44? SR of 91? Seemingly playing the conditions fairly well until he got done by a delivery that moved through the air and off the pitch. Added bonus is that he keeps better than any other wicket keeper / batsman currently playing international cricket.

 

Lets enjoy the victory and look at the many aspects we got right:

1. AB captained well through the series. If we didn't get DL'd in Bloem, we may have been up 3-1 before yesterdays game.

2. Rabada is showing himself to be a wicket taker. Post Steyn we need that.

3. QdK seems like the real deal. I wonder when we are going to start to look for the next keeper to let him focus on his batting alone (like with AB).

4. Morris and Wiese both showed their class in the series, which will make it hard for JPD to get back into the side.

5. Hash played a fantastic knock yesterday on a very challenging deck.

6. Abbott bowled with discipline yesterday.

7. Tahir refuses to lie down and roll over for the next guy to come in, which is a good thing. I like the guy's passion.

8. We came back from 2-0 down to take the series. Thats HUGE.

 

 

[Shebeen]

 

I must admit that AB played well to help the Proteas out of a sad situation.  On the whole, both teams played poorly as a unit yesterday.  England were farting around if it weren't for Hales also.   It looked to me as if the boys on both sides were tired of cricket.

I think its more a case of both sides being tired. Friday night was a big game, presumably they only flew out on Saturday afternoon, new hotel, a quick stretch and throw down, early dinner, up at 6 for another stretch and throw down, physio, taping, strapping, stretching, team meeting, warm ups, toss, play. Both sides made some mistakes, but overall the quality and intensity of the fielding was good, we seemed to have a definite plan and we managed to bowl them out. They bowled better than what we did up front, in fact, it must have been the best spell of fast bowling I've seen in a long time, but to our credit we stuck it out after 3 quick wickets and then saw a master class from both Hash and AB.

 

Some notes:

 

1. Rilee will have to learn to play the ball on merit if he is to bat at 4

He was meant to bat at #5. Poor guy has to sit out all series, and then walks in at 14/2. If he's good enough to play the ball on merit in test cricket, he's good enough for ODI's

 

2. Faf will have to look at his batting technique.  A number 3 batter can't leave so much room between bat and pad.

 He got bowled by a full inswinger. I think that delivery would have gotten most no 3's out.

3. Still not sure about De Kock.  He seems to have quite a few weak points in his batting that is easy for the opposition the make use of.

10 hundreds? Average of 44? SR of 91? Seemingly playing the conditions fairly well until he got done by a delivery that moved through the air and off the pitch. Added bonus is that he keeps better than any other wicket keeper / batsman currently playing international cricket.

 

Lets enjoy the victory and look at the many aspects we got right:

1. AB captained well through the series. If we didn't get DL'd in Bloem, we may have been up 3-1 before yesterdays game.

2. Rabada is showing himself to be a wicket taker. Post Steyn we need that.

3. QdK seems like the real deal. I wonder when we are going to start to look for the next keeper to let him focus on his batting alone (like with AB).

4. Morris and Wiese both showed their class in the series, which will make it hard for JPD to get back into the side.

5. Hash played a fantastic knock yesterday on a very challenging deck.

6. Abbott bowled with discipline yesterday.

7. Tahir refuses to lie down and roll over for the next guy to come in, which is a good thing. I like the guy's passion.

8. We came back from 2-0 down to take the series. Thats HUGE.

 

 

 

Great summary.

 

I think we are ok with keeper's for now with AB there if and when required, but FYI dane vilas just clubbed an unbeaten century in the momentum one day cup on saturday.

 

middle order is a worry with behardien and duminy not firing at the same time - they have been good enough to keep their places, but not good enough to give them a slot when not performing(eg. like amla who has had quite a dip, relatively speaking). It also ties in with the bowling stocks though (Has anyone noticed that AB hasn't bowled a ball since he got taught a lesson in the world cup semi?).

 

David miller is probably a bit unlucky, looked like he had cemented his spot on the team at #5, but a poor series in india and now he sits on the bench, unable to play in the domestic circuit. Someone who has also totally disappeared off the radar is colin ingram (yet he's actually had quite a good season - look at #1 on the list, who has been on a hot streak when not in the commentary box - http://stats.espncricinfo.com/momentum-one-day-cup-2015-16/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=9921;type=tournament).

 

Amazingly, this was won without steyn, philander and morkel (dropping him was quite a big call, actually). I don't see philander slotting back into the ODI team when all bowlers are fit. 

 

looking ahead to the T20, and then the world cup. I think the big omission that everyone missed is Albie Morkel. it's in india - he dominates there! and he was in the team when we won there in october 2015

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Agree on Philander getting his place back in the team, based on his form at the time of injury he deserves to be there. I do think that he should be like any other player and prove his form domestically before inclusion. It's only fair. That being said he would replace either Morris or Wiese and he does help with quota requirements.

 

De Kock I feel is great, yes he has his weaknesses but every player does. If he is this good with them imagine the potential when he irons them out!!!

[Joeboy69]

Miller also needs a place, glad I'm not a selector!

 

Quite a stir on Twitter after the Dan Retief tweet. Would think that after he last few weeks public figures would be extra careful ?!

['Dale]

Abraham is the 68th player to obtain 200 caps in ODIs..

And has the highest avg score

Not sure of his strike rate

 

What a player!

[GLuvsMtb]

I see Neil McKenzie is the new batting coach. I enjoyed him as a player. He was very unlucky to play in the same era as Jacques Kallis, otherwise we may have seen much more of him in the green and gold. Who is the outgoing batting coach?

['Dale]

I see Neil McKenzie is the new batting coach. I enjoyed him as a player. He was very unlucky to play in the same era as Jacques Kallis, otherwise we may have seen much more of him in the green and gold. Who is the outgoing batting coach?

They haven't had one recently since the Proteas's bad run

He is appointed until the end of T20 WC

[GLuvsMtb]

Wow! We've pulled it back nicely! Tahir and Wiese bowling particularly well.

[Stretch]

Wow! We've pulled it back nicely! Tahir and Wiese bowling particularly well.

Sooooo close to a hat-trick

[deanbean]

SA been good in the field tonight

[Latent_Blue]

Nail biting stuff!!!!!

[Latent_Blue]

MORRIS JOU BLIKSEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Boerklong]

MORRIS JOU BLIKSEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha ha. Blerrie wetter. Gteat stuff.