England tour of South Africa 09/10

Hopefully Ntini will be dropped now, you got your 100th cap mate now give the youngsters a chance. Worst thing possible will be to play him for 3-4 more matches until he gets his 400th scalp.

He has set his place in Test cricket history, now is the time to gracefully step aside and let someone else have a chance. I think giving him the last over might have been a mistake, he never looked threatening all match (Strauss wicket was a fluke, like Amlas) and it was more a romanticism that he would take the last wicket than anything else.

Eagerly waiting the fitness report, as much as I want to see Steyn play, im sure the England boys dont.

If it was just a cricketing decision there would be no doudt that ntini would be dropped for the next test if steyn is fit. Unfortuantly this isn't that straightforward due to the political implications.

Pretty sure Steyn will pass the fitness test. He said yesterday he feels he will be 100%. The fact that kallis will most likely be fit to bowl for durban also counts in steyn's favor.

DE villiers just like parnel need to do more in fc cricket. Both have bowled well in odi cricket but haven't done it in fc cricket.
 
If it was just a cricketing decision there would be no doudt that ntini would be dropped for the next test if steyn is fit. Unfortuantly this isn't that straightforward due to the political implications.

Pretty sure Steyn will pass the fitness test. He said yesterday he feels he will be 100%. The fact that kallis will most likely be fit to bowl for durban also counts in steyn's favor.

DE villiers just like parnel need to do more in fc cricket. Both have bowled well in odi cricket but haven't done it in fc cricket.

If we had to have a player of colour, Quinton Friend would have been nice. He has being an absolute gun this season, averaging in the teens with the ball. But with him not in the squad, and Parnell also not their, I would actually be surprised if Ntini doesn't play. He doesn't deserve to play as well as this treatment, I really hope they don't turn him into another quota place.
 
I find it interesting that it's only Ntini or De Wet up for getting replaced, when I believe they clearly outbowled Morkel for the majority of the game. I see why people like Morkel, he's got some pace, gets bounce and when he pitches it up gets movement, but he doesn't get wickets as often as he should. In the last 12 months he's taken 15 wickets at an average of 44.46, with no 5fers and an economy rate of basically 3.5.

Morkel's more over-rated than Broad with the ball AFAIC, and that's saying something. Batsmen don't seem to like facing Morkel, because of his height and bounce, but that hasn't been contributing to him getting them out, because he bowls too many freebie deliveries, and a stupid amount of no balls, relieving any pressure that may have built up. Ntini's record in the last 12 months has been as poor as Morkel's, so I see why people wanna get rid of him, but I don't see why Morkel's seemingly not even up for consideration to be dropped. Could be a sign that people aren't actually watching his performances, but just seeing what he could do, and what he's got the potential to do; and deeming his place secure on that basis. I certainly wouldn't be dropping De Wet that's for sure, it'd be between Ntini and Morkel for me. I'd be happy as an English fan if they're picked ahead of De Wet!

I think Morkel's going to have a decent career, but only if he manages to start transferring potential into results. If he continues performing at his current level, he'll just end up as Steve Harmison MK II. Devastating on his day, but those days don't come round often enough, and he tends to go round the park when it's not his day. He's got all the gifts a fast bowler could want, he's tall, quick, gets bounce, gets movement, but he just doesn't have the consistency. I'd want him to go away, work on his game at his Domestic side and start bowling with some consistency before I had him playing Test cricket.

Ahh that's awesome, Quinton Friend actually exists and is good IRL! I remember playing ICC 06 as South Africa and having him rip through sides, he was incredible. It's interesting that the ICC 06 star players, the likes of Friend, Davies, Broad etc etc are actually now starting to perform IRL. Friend and Davies are guns on ICC.
 
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What the fearsome tweak is AFAIC?

Morkel has the potential, and he won't get any better sitting on the sidelines. He will learn through playing, and that's why we are persisting with him. He bowled pretty well, and he will learn overtime how to get consistent results. Both management and Smith believe in him, so he rightly isn't going to be dropped.
 
What the flip is AFAIC?

Morkel has the potential, and he won't get any better sitting on the sidelines. He will learn through playing, and that's why we are persisting with him. He bowled pretty well, and he will learn overtime how to get consistent results. Both management and Smith believe in him, so he rightly isn't going to be dropped.

As Far As I'm Concerned.

He wouldn't be sitting on the sidelines though, he could be doing what Parnell's doing and getting his finely tuned playing Domestic cricket so that he's ready to play Test cricket. I'm not a believer in learning your trade at the highest level, it didn't help Broad or Anderson in the slightest, and it won't help Morkel. I'd far happier seeing De Wet play ahead of Morkel if I was South African, amazed that Morkel's place is so secure.
 
Political crap with the decision not to drop Ntini. He's done his bit for South African cricket, to the extent that he wasn't a 'quota player' but a deserving individual who performed brillianty. If they want to get another player of colour in the side get Tsotsobe in the team.

I don't get all the Morkel bashing, he was dropped and he's been performing domestically and frankly he deserves the call-up. For a change I agree with Kepler Wessels' stand point that he should be around the squad as much as possible to gain experience as well as match time, the only draw back that I've heard about him is that he listens to too many people. If he stops doing that he will be awesome.

It's too early for Parnell to be in the test side, he's only 20 and for now he's doing his job in ODI's. Besides we don't want to burn out someone who could possibly be the best left arm seamer of his generation.

Ideally for the next test, Steyn, de Wet and Morkel with a fit Kallis would be a brilliant bowling attack. I don't want to see de Wet dropped, in fact I don't know why he wasn't called up earlier, he's got a career FC average of 23 for crying out loud!
 
They could keep the same XI, they didn't really do much wrong. England on the other hand should seriously reconsider the selection of Cook and probably Bell, although I'd refrain from too many changes and steer well clear of five bowlers with Wright as some kind of all-rounder (he can bat, he can bowl, but is he Test class?!?!)

I think Strauss will probably lose this toss, shame he didn't opt to bat first last time. Maybe the pitch looked inviting, but most of the time batting first is making best use of the pitch.
 
As Far As I'm Concerned.

He wouldn't be sitting on the sidelines though, he could be doing what Parnell's doing and getting his finely tuned playing Domestic cricket so that he's ready to play Test cricket. I'm not a believer in learning your trade at the highest level, it didn't help Broad or Anderson in the slightest, and it won't help Morkel. I'd far happier seeing De Wet play ahead of Morkel if I was South African, amazed that Morkel's place is so secure.

The problem is that when Morkel goes back to FC cricket he generally dominates, which justifies his selection, and there's not too many who replace him that can keep up with him in domestic cricket.

The pacemen in SA are not really lining up to replace him. Even De Wet, who is now 29, was very ordinary for most of his career...Friend too. So it was either a case of selecting Morkel....or someone who has less potential and still does not bring the required results.

Also, Morkel is very effective against lefties and gets big scalps. I'd rather have a guy getting top order wickets at an average of 32-40 than someone cleaning up the tail at 25.
 
Ahh that's awesome, Quinton Friend actually exists and is good IRL! I remember playing ICC 06 as South Africa and having him rip through sides, he was incredible. It's interesting that the ICC 06 star players, the likes of Friend, Davies, Broad etc etc are actually now starting to perform IRL. Friend and Davies are guns on ICC.

Quinton Friend's record is a "lie" somewhat. He's played a lot of his cricket for Western Province which is pretty much amatuer cricket that's counted towards FC records and whatnot, it's a pretty bad standard of cricket. You should only really count cricket that's played between the six franchise teams.
 
Quinton Friend's record is a "lie" somewhat. He's played a lot of his cricket for Western Province which is pretty much amatuer cricket that's counted towards FC records and whatnot, it's a pretty bad standard of cricket. You should only really count cricket that's played between the six franchise teams.

This season he has being the best bowler in the Supersport series ( 4 day franchise tournament), so he has really imporved, even taking a 6 fer to win the game for the dolphins when defending 170. Definately a better player than some give him credit for, though his average of 23 has as you say being brought down due to some amatuer cricket.
 
I find it interesting that it's only Ntini or De Wet up for getting replaced, when I believe they clearly outbowled Morkel for the majority of the game. I see why people like Morkel, he's got some pace, gets bounce and when he pitches it up gets movement, but he doesn't get wickets as often as he should. In the last 12 months he's taken 15 wickets at an average of 44.46, with no 5fers and an economy rate of basically 3.5.

Morkel's more over-rated than Broad with the ball AFAIC, and that's saying something. Batsmen don't seem to like facing Morkel, because of his height and bounce, but that hasn't been contributing to him getting them out, because he bowls too many freebie deliveries, and a stupid amount of no balls, relieving any pressure that may have built up. Ntini's record in the last 12 months has been as poor as Morkel's, so I see why people wanna get rid of him, but I don't see why Morkel's seemingly not even up for consideration to be dropped. Could be a sign that people aren't actually watching his performances, but just seeing what he could do, and what he's got the potential to do; and deeming his place secure on that basis. I certainly wouldn't be dropping De Wet that's for sure, it'd be between Ntini and Morkel for me. I'd be happy as an English fan if they're picked ahead of De Wet!

I think Morkel's going to have a decent career, but only if he manages to start transferring potential into results. If he continues performing at his current level, he'll just end up as Steve Harmison MK II. Devastating on his day, but those days don't come round often enough, and he tends to go round the park when it's not his day. He's got all the gifts a fast bowler could want, he's tall, quick, gets bounce, gets movement, but he just doesn't have the consistency. I'd want him to go away, work on his game at his Domestic side and start bowling with some consistency before I had him playing Test cricket.

Ahh that's awesome, Quinton Friend actually exists and is good IRL! I remember playing ICC 06 as South Africa and having him rip through sides, he was incredible. It's interesting that the ICC 06 star players, the likes of Friend, Davies, Broad etc etc are actually now starting to perform IRL. Friend and Davies are guns on ICC.

Morkel got players out with good deliveries. Bowled more wicket taking deliveries. Neither of ntini's two wickets in the test were down to his good bowling.

He bowled poorly in the home series vs aus and was rightly dropped for the last test vs aus.

But for me he bowled nicely in this game. The fact that he can actually bowler slower balls and cutters as opposed to ntini also counts in his favor.

During the last 12 months ntini has 16 wickets in 6 test matches at 48 with a strikerate of 87. Morkel has 15 wickets in 5 test matches at an average of 45 with a strikerate of 77. So even with morne not having a great time, he has still outbowled ntini.;)

De Wet has started well but lets not get carried away. In domestic super sport series morkel usually out bowls him. Average of 40 per wicket for de wet this season compared to 20 for morkel.
 
Good couple of early wickets for England, but Smith and Kallis are holding the fort right now. We need another wicket, and soon. Good bowling by England so far, no real complaints as yet.
 

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