Cricket......

['Dale]

Batting 4th on the subcontinent requires, at the minimum, a solid 1st innings. The all-round ability of Quinny was sorely missed as well. He is overloaded and, naturally, could not perform well.

 

Unfortunately, the art of batting and building match-winning partnerships right down to 8 was lacking and continue to be a problem. Captaincy is a major gap in this Proteas side, especially on Tour. Down to 6th in rankings, South Africa have now lost four of their last five series and ten of their last 13 Tests.

 

So happy for Pakistan to play on their own soil again, hey. May there be many more.

Edited February 8, 2021 by 'Dale

[gemmerbal]

No pressure then thanks manne. Ok, let me lace up my bowling boots for a post tea spell from the Pavilion End...

[Craai]

Batting 4th on the subcontinent requires, at the minimum, a solid 1st innings. The all-round ability of Quinny was sorely missed as well. He is overloaded and, naturally, could not perform well.

 

Unfortunately, the art of batting and building match-winning partnerships right down to 8 was lacking and continue to be a problem. Captaincy is a major gap in this Proteas side, especially on Tour. Down to 6th in rankings, South Africa have now lost four of their last five series and ten of their last 13 Tests.

 

So happy for Pakistan to play on their own soil again, hey. May there be many more.

Having faced a grand total of 61 balls through the series it certainly isn't the burden of batting that is overloading him   

[gemmerbal]

good luck with that...

 

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/sa-vs-aus-2020-21-csa-asks-icc-to-intervene-after-australia-s-decision-to-pull-out-of-south-africa-tour-1250793

[gemmerbal]

OK, let's give this a shot.

 

I'm going to start with the role of club cricket. I read an article by Ashwell Prince stating his view that club cricket is an important step when going from schoolboy cricket to senior cricket. I've often seen junior provincial players go from SA Schools straight into the provincial structure, thereby skipping club cricket altogether.

 

Why do I say club cricket is important? That is where you learn to toughen up because as a 16/17/18/19 year old, you are playing against many hardened cricketers, old pro's and some overseas pro's looking for an off-season gig. I can name drop here, but I think the point is made. So you see these youngsters being wrapped in cotton wool at provincial level and they never really learn to tough it out. The same value is added by going overseas and plying your trade there, you learn a lot about yourself as a cricketer and you learn how to play in foreign conditions. We don't see youngsters going to play a season of club cricket in England anymore, playing 5 days a week against all sorts of opposing sides who themselves have many overseas players. It would be an interesting exercise to list the number of former great SA players who did just that, and compare it with the current crop of players.

 

I stopped playing club cricket when I had some laaitie tell me he won't do this or that, or he wont take his fine for dropping a catch or do scoring or take drinks on the field etc etc. As a 17yo laaitie I would NEVER dream to say that to the manne I played with, NEVER. You did as you were told. And then when a game finishes early, you have to be somewhere because blah blah blah: the game finished at 3, it was supposed to finish at 18:30 if it went all the way, but you all of a sudden have to be somewhere? Show some commitment to your team ffs. One of the best sides I played in, all 11 of us were like brothers, and it showed on the field, we had 2 dream seasons where we didn't lose much!

 

This brings me to the performances on the field we have been seeing the last while: there's no toughness about some of our players. Linde bust his finger and came out saying he will suck it up because he's playing for his country, and he fared relatively well in the second test. But where was the fight in the other players when we squandered good starts in the first innings' of both tests and we got rolled out cheaply; playing on the subcontinent you HAVE to have a good first innings score on the board otherwise you are playing catchup cricket all the time.

 

We are also not reading the game situations and playing accordingly. How we continue to struggle in getting the tail out is a lack of tactics. You set a field and bowl to it. This is test cricket, if you stop the runs flowing, wickets will come. You cannot contain batsmen with short-pitched bowling. You ring the field and bowl a 4th stump line. I've seen MANY guys at club level do just that, and consequently win matches for their teams by doing this, and you don't have to be express pace to achieve this. Look at VDP. And this is what Hassan Ali did in this last game.

 

Mike Haysman put up a stat during the the 5th days play showing in the last 2 years we lost our last 5 wickets for less than 50 runs on TEN occasions. That is preposterous! If we keep on collapsing like that, it HAS to be addressed by either selecting guys who are willing to knuckle down or by drilling it into our lower order. The tail is important, and even more so in our current side where we are not performing in the top order.

 

Which brings me to the top order. We must get new blood in there. And QdK MUST bat at 6. One of my mates commented today that the Pakistanis bowled well with the second new ball. I struggle to agree with that. Markram played a loose shot, so did QdK, Kesh and Linde. When the new ball is taken, you consolidate and see off the shine. Not get bowled out between overs 80 and 90 by playing attacking cricket and losing 7 wickets for a handful of runs. We know that if you give the Pakistanis a sniff, they will be all over us like white on rice. And that's what happened. We needed to see off those 10 overs with at most losing 1 wicket. Markram for all his talent keeps getting himself out. When he cover drives he reminds of King Kallis, but he has to learn to READ THE GAME and play accordingly. Temba must step up to the plate, you cannot play as a specialist batsman and bat at 6. They finally moved him up to 5 where he should be, and honestly, he has some talent, but if he keeps making 50's he will not be a great player for us - yes he needs to have support at the other end, I know, but at number 5 you need to assert yourself on the game when needed, but also you need to bat with the lower order, that is what a number 5 has to do.

 

Rassie has something about him that I like, he looks like a test cricketer. He played many years of first class cricket, he knows his game. Batting at 3 in test cricket is tough. But I'm sure we will get many a good contribution from him if we stick with him.

 

Faf must go. He is not contributing in the batting stakes and it doesn't seem as if he is adding value otherwise.

 

Then the captaincy. QdK is not a captain. Its another classic example of making your best player captain and then he starts failing. He was reluctant from the start, and as Darryl Cullinan said, if that was the case, make Markram captain and give him a fresh young side and send them off to grow as a team. Haysie and DJ still rate Markram as our next captain. For me, he doesn't show a clear understanding of the game situation (as eluded to earlier). What's more, if he WANTED to be captain, come out and say it, own it, want it, show it, dont play it down. Biff had a clear plan when he came into international cricket and he wasn't shy about it, he owned it, and look what he achieved! There is a story of him sticking a piece of paper on his fridge when he was a laaitie, with the list of things he wanted to achieve in cricket, and being captain of the Proteas was right at the top of that list.

 

If the QdK captaincy was always going to be a stop-gap appointment, they could just as well have gone with Elgar and not burden Quinny with it. Now look, our best bastman is down on confidence and looking like a dear staring into headlights. Elgar has done it before, he is experienced and he is guaranteed his place in the side pretty much every day of the week.

 

Who else other than Markram is really a potential captain? I don't know. No-one springs to mind. Again, I like Rassie, he looks like he will add great value. Im not sure what his credentials are in terms of captaining a side, but he looks like the kind of guy that will run through walls for his team, and for me that makes him captain's material.

 

That's it, over bowled and stumps!

Edited February 8, 2021 by gemmerbal

[bertusras]

Who else other than Markram is really a potential captain? I don't know. No-one springs to mind. Again, I like Rassie, he looks like he will add great value. Im not sure what his credentials are in terms of captaining a side, but he looks like the kind of guy that will run through walls for his team, and for me that makes him captain's material.

 

I'm going to flaunt a pink note with lion on it and say that Bavuma is going to be the next captain.

 

To add on to what you have said, the current team is toothless. I spoke with someone else who made the comment that the Aussie side of the 90's and 00's never, ever thought that they were down and out - they kept on fighting. That is what we lack. We accept defeat and just roll over. We don't have BMT. The team cohesion is crap. The highest average of the current squad is Faf with 41 now Markram at just under 41.

 

Where are the days of Amla, Kallis, AB and Smith who averaged near on 50 and over? Where are those players? Verreyne averages nearly 52 in FC, the Malan brothers are both over 44 in FC. Keegan Petersen is also averaging 41 in FC. Why are these guys not playing?

 

Where are the bowlers? Rabada is world class, and Nortje is doing a good job, but where are we after that? There are some youngsters making waves, but we're not actually playing enough cricket to give them a real go. I agree that we should be playing stronger nations like India, Aus and England, but why not give the younger okes a run against the likes of Pakistan, Windies, Sri Lanka, et al.

 

Whatever, we're in the ****.

[gemmerbal]

Years ago these guys would be playing club cricket, passing on their knowledge. I used to sit dumbstruck whenever I played against ex international/provincial players who I grew up idolising.

 

Temba is probably another one who is being put under too much pressure for the captaincy when he clearly needs to find his feet first, but I agree with you, his name is probably high on the list at the moment, and that is a shame as I said, as he needs to find his feet and cement his place in the side first. This is obviously where sport and politics mess it up for the player (as if we have not learnt our lesson)

 

I didnt touch on the number of dropped catches in my earlier post: this is unacceptable, full stop. Catches win matches, you need to take 20 wickets as cheaply as possible to win a test match, that is the bottom line.

 

As mentioned earlier, you cannot go to the subcontinent and think you are going to bomb the opposition out on a day4/5 wicket. If that is your game plan, then you are being foolish. In any event, if that plan does not work, WHERE IS PLAN B????

 

And finally, I agree with you, we are in the *****.

I'm going to flaunt a pink note with lion on it and say that Bavuma is going to be the next captain.

 

To add on to what you have said, the current team is toothless. I spoke with someone else who made the comment that the Aussie side of the 90's and 00's never, ever thought that they were down and out - they kept on fighting. That is what we lack. We accept defeat and just roll over. We don't have BMT. The team cohesion is crap. The highest average of the current squad is Faf with 41 now Markram at just under 41.

 

Where are the days of Amla, Kallis, AB and Smith who averaged near on 50 and over? Where are those players? Verreyne averages nearly 52 in FC, the Malan brothers are both over 44 in FC. Keegan Petersen is also averaging 41 in FC. Why are these guys not playing?

 

Where are the bowlers? Rabada is world class, and Nortje is doing a good job, but where are we after that? There are some youngsters making waves, but we're not actually playing enough cricket to give them a real go. I agree that we should be playing stronger nations like India, Aus and England, but why not give the younger okes a run against the likes of Pakistan, Windies, Sri Lanka, et al.

 

Whatever, we're in the ****.

['Dale]

Admittedly a smallish ground

Still gotta middle it ????

 

[TheoG]

Admittedly a smallish ground

Still gotta middle it

 

 

Awesome hitting, I think Flintoff regrets that exchange of words very much ... 

Edited February 11, 2021 by TheoG

[Vetplant]

Admittedly a smallish ground

Still gotta middle it

 

Is it wrong to like it just because it was scored against Stuart Broad...?

[gemmerbal]

Yes, because its India... ????????????

 

Is it wrong to like it just because it was scored against Stuart Broad...?

[FootballingCyclist]

Rory Kleinveldt has a fantastic idea which would strengthen our club cricket, Vrsity cricket and in turn Provincial cricket. You don't haver to like the bloke but listen to what he has to say, Over 20 years experience in the game at all levels and what he says is spot on and a great idea.

 

Listen from around the 14:30 min mark.

 

[Shebeen]

Awesome hitting, I think Flintoff regrets that exchange of words very much ... 

indeed!!

 

 

the whole over is highlights, and not just talking about broad's hair

Edited February 11, 2021 by Shebeen

[FootballingCyclist]

 

Why do I say club cricket is important? That is where you learn to toughen up because as a 16/17/18/19 year old, you are playing against many hardened cricketers, old pro's and some overseas pro's looking for an off-season gig. I can name drop here, but I think the point is made. So you see these youngsters being wrapped in cotton wool at provincial level and they never really learn to tough it out. The same value is added by going overseas and plying your trade there, you learn a lot about yourself as a cricketer and you learn how to play in foreign conditions. We don't see youngsters going to play a season of club cricket in England anymore, playing 5 days a week against all sorts of opposing sides who themselves have many overseas players. It would be an interesting exercise to list the number of former great SA players who did just that, and compare it with the current crop of players.

 

I stopped playing club cricket when I had some laaitie tell me he won't do this or that, or he wont take his fine for dropping a catch or do scoring or take drinks on the field etc etc. As a 17yo laaitie I would NEVER dream to say that to the manne I played with, NEVER. You did as you were told. And then when a game finishes early, you have to be somewhere because blah blah blah: the game finished at 3, it was supposed to finish at 18:30 if it went all the way, but you all of a sudden have to be somewhere? Show some commitment to your team ffs. One of the best sides I played in, all 11 of us were like brothers, and it showed on the field, we had 2 dream seasons where we didn't lose much!

 

 

 

 

The above 2 paragraphs are part the main I stopped playing top level club cricket aswell as Academy cricket after a decent stint of about 8 years, but the highlighted portion is the main reason I stopped completely. As a 1A club we used to play a pre-season game every year against 1 of the top boys schools in CT and SA and it was a proper tough game of cricket each time. In my matric year we played against many players who were franchise cricketers already or international the next season, Telo, Levi, Kieswetter, Siboto, Pongolo, Smuts, Alexander to name but a few. We had a "Superschools" series which was on Supersport and also every Sunday in the Caope Argus, our results would be in the Argus every Wednesday and if your name was there for makinmg runs or taking wickets it was a cool feeling, the Superschools series had a ranking top batsman, bowlers, fielders and schools rankings and that was motivation enough. Every week in club games I was playing against contracted cricketers and internationals every now and then and even played a few seasons with a few of the above but like I said, Kleinveldt, Philander, Duminy, Prince, Kemp, Langeveldt, Smith, Dawid Malan, Jonothan Trott and played 2 seasons with Moeen Allie,  the list is endless, my point is that todays generation of kids are just not interested that much in sports in general because at 34, I'm still being asked to go back and play Top Amateur club football and cricket because there are just not enough youngsters coming through who can "do the job". It just seems that going out or gaming or TikToking or whatever the case may be is more attractive to them nowadays than all day at a sports club. 

[gemmerbal]

Ja you hit the nail on the head. We might have played against one another, or possibly just missed each other?

 

I like what Kleinveld said, it has some good potential if CSA can manage to not F it up. But potentially there is scope for the Varsity Sports Company (Francois Pienaar’s company if im not mistaken) to run with the idea.

 

Im also glad to see Rory is still applying the Buffalo rule... ????

 

The above 2 paragraphs are part the main I stopped playing top level club cricket aswell as Academy cricket after a decent stint of about 8 years, but the highlighted portion is the main reason I stopped completely. As a 1A club we used to play a pre-season game every year against 1 of the top boys schools in CT and SA and it was a proper tough game of cricket each time. In my matric year we played against many players who were franchise cricketers already or international the next season, Telo, Levi, Kieswetter, Siboto, Pongolo, Smuts, Alexander to name but a few. We had a "Superschools" series which was on Supersport and also every Sunday in the Caope Argus, our results would be in the Argus every Wednesday and if your name was there for makinmg runs or taking wickets it was a cool feeling, the Superschools series had a ranking top batsman, bowlers, fielders and schools rankings and that was motivation enough. Every week in club games I was playing against contracted cricketers and internationals every now and then and even played a few seasons with a few of the above but like I said, Kleinveldt, Philander, Duminy, Prince, Kemp, Langeveldt, Smith, Dawid Malan, Jonothan Trott and played 2 seasons with Moeen Allie, the list is endless, my point is that todays generation of kids are just not interested that much in sports in general because at 34, I'm still being asked to go back and play Top Amateur club football and cricket because there are just not enough youngsters coming through who can "do the job". It just seems that going out or gaming or TikToking or whatever the case may be is more attractive to them nowadays than all day at a sports club.

[Shebeen]

am i the only guy here without an espnricinfo.com profile?