England tour to South Africa December 2015/February 2016

[cricket_icon]

Well I think the problem is we're carrying 3-4 people who shouldn't be playing Test cricket. That means we are effectively playing with 7 players. I would (as stated a million times throughout the thread) go with this line up:

Elgar
Cook
Amla
de Villiers
Rossouw
van Zyl
Vilas/Kuhn
Abbott
Rabada/Tahir
Steyn/Rabada
Morkel

Yes Rabadas done very well but IMO Abbott, Steyn and Morkel are better. We need Tahir to break apart partnerships and he would have Stokes and Bairstow's numbers.



I was thinking that but he isn't better then Cook but could easily bat in the middle order over Vilas...

Rabada can't possibly be omitted from the team, unless steyn is fit, even then I'd play him above Abbott. Rabada has time and time again proven he is worthy of the international stage and only time will tell if this is form he's carrying or class but no way should he be omitted as of now.

The batting line up, doesn't seem very consistent and I'm not sure how the inclusion of Cook and the rejigging of the order and dropping Bavuma would help tbh. Then again, I don't know so much about Cook and Rossouw so I'd like to see them, if only for SA to try something different.

In terms of Tahir, he should play instead of Viljoen and in reality, should have been playing since the start of the series. They have handled him badly throughout the last couple years and are close to wasting the best spin talent in SA.

 

[stefan]

So, to the saffers on here, how do SA come back from here? I see complaints about the bowling but tbh it was pretty damn good through out, the bigger issue is the batting. Who goes? Who stays? What's up with Amla and Faf?

They strong leadership and strong management. Doesn't matter who they pitch without that they will continue to falter.

Just talking personnel I would go with this team, assuming fitnes:

1.Cook
2.Elgar
3.Amla
4.AB
5.Rossouw
6.Faf
7.QDK
8.Philander
9.Steyn
10.Radaba
11.Piedt

 

[Markkkkk]

They strong leadership and strong management. Doesn't matter who they pitch without that they will continue to falter.

Just talking personnel I would go with this team, assuming fitnes:

1.Cook
2.Elgar
3.Amla
4.AB
5.Rossouw
6.Faf
7.QDK
8.Philander
9.Steyn
10.Radaba
11.Piedt

Out of interest why Piedt and Philander over Morkel and Tahir?

 

[RUDI]

South Africa has become no1 in the Test rankings purely because of players like Kallis, Smith, De Villiers, Amla, Steyn & Philander. Most matches leading up to achieving no1 ranking one or two of the mentioned batsman got big runs and Steyn & co got the wickets. Building a squad around your top players is key in any squad.. but when the key players retire, are out of form or get injured ; what do you do? Transformation also doesn't help... Smith was an excellent Test captain, he left big shoes to fill... who will fill it?
Bottom line is that South African cricket is in a rebuilding vase.. getting new talent to gel with existing in form senior players will take time.. ultimately building into a solid unit that will reclaim their no1 Test ranking. Hopefully with out too much interfering from politicians and proper squad selections, together with a solid captain it will happen soon. But for now I don't see South Africa staying under the top 3 for too long.

 

[stefan]

Out of interest why Piedt and Philander over Morkel and Tahir?

Knowing the SA captaincy mindset there is no point picking tahir as SA captains have no clue how to captain him, also he is 37. Personally I would always prefer the wrist spinner but giving these circumstances I don't tahir would work.

As for Morkel, when needed he is unable to deliver the killer blow. He averages 29 per wicket with a strikerate of 56.6 and has 6 5 wicket hauls and no 10 wicket haul. Philander averages 22 per wicket with a strikerate of 48, 9 5 wicket hauls and 2 10 wicket hauls. Recent example of morkel being unable to deliver the killer blow was on the morning of the final day of the cape town test, england totally on the rack cloudy ball swinging around. Under those conditions Steyn and philander at their best run through them while morkel only manages the odd wicket, you expect more from him.

This is without even bringing philanders batting into this.

 

[Markkkkk]

I think in terms of depth SA are close too the top. The problem is we're picking from the wrong end... Elgar, Cook, Kuhn, Hendricks (mainly media hype TBH) and even Imraan Khan are really good openers but we refuse to pick any of them (bar Elgar). My guess is the selectors are waiting for Hendricks to hit form as he's young and counts as quota (?). In the middle order we have Amla, AB, de Bruyn, Rossouw, Faf, Duminy, Bavuma who are all good but we never give Rossouw, de Bruyn a chance. Even in the spin department we have Shamsi, Maharaj, Tahir, Piedt and Harmer who are all good but we're too scared to play a spinner. I've seen a lot of people blame the coach which I guess is right. Our fielding has dropped completely and we look like we don't know how to catch. We dont even have a proper batting coach for flips sake!

 

[bigred]

I'm thinking about putting a bet on a magnificent 7 this summer. We did it in 2004 and I can't see us losing a test this time around. The problem is weather in England of course.

 

[stefan]

I think in terms of depth SA are close too the top. The problem is we're picking from the wrong end... Elgar, Cook, Kuhn, Hendricks (mainly media hype TBH) and even Imraan Khan are really good openers but we refuse to pick any of them (bar Elgar). My guess is the selectors are waiting for Hendricks to hit form as he's young and counts as quota (?). In the middle order we have Amla, AB, de Bruyn, Rossouw, Faf, Duminy, Bavuma who are all good but we never give Rossouw, de Bruyn a chance. Even in the spin department we have Shamsi, Maharaj, Tahir, Piedt and Harmer who are all good but we're too scared to play a spinner. I've seen a lot of people blame the coach which I guess is right. Our fielding has dropped completely and we look like we don't know how to catch. We dont even have a proper batting coach for flips sake!

Rossouw deserves a chance but de bruyn needs to get his act together else then one t20 100 he is having a stinker of a season.

 

[bigred]

Just read an article which hints that Piedt will come back in for Viljeon, Roussow will replace van Zyl and Duminy will give du Plessis a break. Steyn definitely out. I assume de Kock is also still out, although Vilas kept very well in Johannesburg.

 

[stefan]

Just read an article which hints that Piedt will come back in for Viljeon, Roussow will replace van Zyl and Duminy will give du Plessis a break. Steyn definitely out. I assume de Kock is also still out, although Vilas kept very well in Johannesburg.

Centurion spins so need to play a spinner there so piedt definitely comes back in. No point in risking steyn series is gone. I would rather have cook for van zyl and rossouw for faf. From what I heard qdk will have a fitness test and if fit will play, he wasn't dropped just had bad luck before the last test. He deserves a run having been recalled, 1 test and 1 innings is hardly enough to make any judgement. Its not likes vilas batting decently at wanderers either.

 

[stefan]

Better late then never. Stephen Cook added to the squad.

Cook added to Proteas squad
2016-01-18 11:58 SHARE THIS
Stephen Cook (Gallo Images)
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Cape Town - Cricket South Africa (CSA) has added Stephen Cook to the Proteas squad for the final Test against England, starting at SuperSport Park on Friday.

The Highveld Lions opening batsman currently tops the Sunfoil Series batting averages with 415 runs at an average of 83 including two centuries. If he does gain selection for the final XI he will part of the first ever father and son combination to represent the Proteas in a Test match.

His father, Jimmy, played in three Test matches against India and Sri Lanka between 1992 and 1993.

“Stephen has been in excellent form this season,” commented CSA Selection Convener, Linda Zondi, and gives us another option at the top of the order.”

Proteas Test squad

AB de Villiers (Titans, captain), Kyle Abbott (Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Temba Bavuma (Highveld Lions), Stephen Cook (Highveld Lions), Quinton de Kock (Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (Titans), Dean Elgar (Titans), Morne Morkel (Titans), Chris Morris (Titans), Dane Piedt (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (Knights), Dale Steyn (Cape Cobras), Stiaan van Zyl (Cape Cobras), Hardus Viljoen (Highveld Lions)

Cook added to Proteas squad | Sport24

 

[Markkkkk]

We've won. Yes its a nothing test but we as the people of PlanetCricket have won! Rejoice! Rejoice! Imagine if Cook gets a ton! Oh my word Ive never been more excited for a test!

 

[abhi_jacko]

Wow. I would have never expected SAF to fold like this at home. Its been a couple of very rough weeks for me as a cricket fan - India's horrid defending against Australia and SAF's clueless batting in Tests (continuing from the Tests against India)

 

[dp458]

Now Finn is out of the last Test, do we just presume that Woakes will come back in, or will they give Fottit a debut?

 

[bigred]

Glad Plunkett is back. He bowled really well again for the lions last week. Pretty ridiculous him being dropped considering he was our best bowler in UAE.