Cricket......

[Baldrick]

From Cricinfo

 

Test cricket, man's greatest invention.

[leeubok]

I haven't visited this thread in a long time, recent results and off field issues made a serious dent in my enthusiasm to watch the game. But finally, with some personnel changes it seems SA cricket is on the road to recovering. The 1st test win against the poms was great, and even in this loss they showed a lot of fight that wasn't there for a long time. Only a couple of brain farts from our senior batsmen cost us the draw. 

 

I look forward to what Smith, Kallis and Boucher can do with this team going forward. As long as the politicians let them be, we can start challenging for a top 3 spot in world cricket again

['Dale]

The Vern would’ve cried himself to sleep last night

 

1-1

 

2 tests to go

[Long Wheel Base]

What happened between Vern and the pom wicket keeper? Seeing lots on twitter about the pom being a typical d00$.

[bertusras]

What happened between Vern and the pom wicket keeper? Seeing lots on twitter about the pom being a typical d00$.

 

I'm not sure what tweets you're talking about, but my guess Vern was getting a bit op lip for the turned down run at the end of the Bess over resulting in two wickets the over after. Pretorius was struggling against Stokes and they could have rotated the strike, but didn't.

 

Correct answer down below

Edited January 8, 2020 by bertusras

[CogitoErgoSum]

WATCH | Buttler calls Philander a 'f***ing knobhead' on live TV

 

https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/EnglandinSA/watch-buttler-calls-philander-a-fing-knobhead-on-live-tv-20200108?

 

shared via @Sport24news

[Shebeen]

https://twitter.com/wjcchippy92/status/1214555029438259200

wonder if vern knew what a "knobhead" was?

 

 

 

 

 

I look forward to what Smith, Kallis and Boucher can do with this team going forward. As long as the politicians let them be, we can start challenging for a top 3 spot in world cricket again

that's the concern...remove quotas from the top tier. barring the blitzboks, they've been the most integrated team for years.

 

this test match shows us that pieter malan and rassie have got the stones to be in the testXI, and temba has going to do something special to get in the mix (officially the test vice captain, btw). with vern retiring there is no way we are going to be anything close to the targets.

 

they want an average of 6 non white players, 2 of them black african.

 

Rabada +  Ngidi

 

for fast bowlers, you're then banking on paterson/beuran/sipamla or others to put up their hands and make a huge leap to test level?

 

Maharaj

 

Kesh has currently got the spinners slot (when they play one), there's Linde/Piedt/Subrayen who have played tests without much success.

 

elgar/markram/malan  will surely be 2 of the three openers, with the third maybe batting lower down if they are all in form

 

Hamza has got the opportunity in this series, but could stay in the mix with average performances as he's non white. There's Temba, and then a few promising youngsters but no one putting their hands up to get in the squad on merit..

 

here's a really good article on why

http://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/1157728/where-are-south-africa-s-black-african-batsmen

 

QdK owns the keeper slot, and while there are some decent black keepers, (Qeshile/Makwetu/Second) Verreyne would have to be the next in line rationally (Second is in the current squad), he is just 22 and has got a BATTING average of 52 in FC cricket and has consistently been up the rankings.

 

so in short, if we follow the quota system of 4 coloured and 2 Black we're f@#$ed. don't expect us to win and don't expect the players to stay. imagine if rabada got injured/rested?

 

 

 

oh crap, this is basically what i was saying - in a real article

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28420447/absent-bavuma-highlights-south-africa-ever-present-transformation-issues

[Stretch]

Come on.. That is such a non issue.... People really need to wind themselves in to themselves

[leeubok]

Come on.. That is such a non issue.... People really need to wind themselves in to themselves

 

What? The quota issue? Or are you referring to the Buttler incident? 

[leeubok]

Shebeen, I'm with you. Bavuma is a likeable guy but his average speaks for itself. Only 1 hundred in quite a number of tests just doesn't cut it. I'm a big Markram fan, but at the moment he's also not cutting it at international level. I don't know if it'll help giving him more opportunities, but with Rassie and now Malan putting their hands up it's going to be difficult for Bavuma and Markram to get back in the team. 

 

I don't rate Ngidi, I think Pretorius and Nortje are both much better than him. Would be a shame to push Ngidi ahead of them just to make up the numbers. Although, technically they look at the " numbers"  across all 3 formats over the season, so they could pick the test team on merit and load the ODI and T20 teams. But I doubt an all white team is going to fly.. And don't get me wrong here, I'm not advocating for an all white team here. I just want the test team to be picked on merit. I don't care about T20 cricket..

 

There was a suggestion to move De Kock up the order and give the gloves to the next guy in line. That might work if we're struggling to get a decent top order together, but for now they look fine to me. Faf must just get his act together and start scoring some runs again!

[Stretch]

What? The quota issue? Or are you referring to the Buttler incident?

The buttler incident

[gemmerbal]

I'm with you Stretch, it's part and parcel of test cricket. It was a bit silly to have broadcast that bit of sledging, whether by accident or design. Move on, it's not like they were lining each other up in the clubhouse like in 2018 with the Convicts.

The buttler incident

['Dale]

That on field behaviour was not in the spirit of the game hey

 

Vern's response was a an indicator thereof and he's an experienced campaigner

Edited January 8, 2020 by 'Dale

[gemmerbal]

I can promise you a lot worse gets said without it ever being aired. Test cricket is as much a mental test as it is a test of your ability to play the game. I’m pretty sure these guys all sit in the changeroom afterwards sharing a couple of cold ones. What happens on the field generally stays on the field. Unless you are David Warner.

 

 

That on field behaviour was not in the spirit of the game hey

 

Vern's response was a an indicator thereof and he's an experienced campaigner

Edited January 8, 2020 by gemmerbal

[gemmerbal]

Two of the best chirps on record are probably where a bowler was chirping a batsman on why he is so fat. The batter’s response was: everytime i $&@ your wife she gives me a cookie!

 

The other one was Eddo Brandes replying to Glenn Mcgrath or someone when he quipped: hows your wife and my kids? Eddo replied, my wife’s fine, the kids are retarded.

 

Of course Merv Hughes also has a couple of great ones: he once asked a batsman what’s with the piece of sh_t at the end of his bat? Batsman looked at the toe end of his bat, all confused, when Merv replied: not that end, the other end!

 

Like i said, it happens.

[gemmerbal]

To be honest with you Dale, all Buttler really did was embarrass himself, because that was a k_k chirp! If that’s the best he can come up with, he should rather keep quiet. ????