Cricket

There's been some revisionist thinking on the merits of this South African team. All of a sudden now that we've won easily, South Africa from being a side under some enforced and necessary transition following more than a couple of big name retirements but strong in some areas, having beaten England at Centurion when the visitors were badly decimated by illness, are now being painted as just the latest version of a can't bat, can't bowl, cant field outfit.

This is just so completely wide off the mark. Yes they've been decimated by retirements and in addition having to rebuild a new team without a sizeable number of kolpak players - their numbers swelled by the ever strengthening exchange rate of sterling against the rand - but they're far weaker at batting than bowling.

For three tests Nortjke, Rabada, Maharaj, Philander was a formidable attack so the sudden urge to pretend it isn't is just ridiculous, even if Philander is now no more than a bit part player. In Beauden Hendricks they have a very decent seamer of some promise. Their batting wasn't up to strength but making runs against that attack wasn't a cakewalk.
 
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Chris O'Connor said:
There's been some revisionist thinking on the merits of this South African team. All of a sudden now that we've won easily, South Africa from being a side under some enforced and necessary transition following more than a couple of big name retirements but strong in some areas, having beaten England at Centurion when the visitors were badly decimated by illness, are now being painted as just the latest version of a can't bat, can't bowl, cant field outfit.

This is just so completely wide off the mark. Yes they've been decimated by retirements and in addition having to rebuild a new team without a sizeable number of kolpak players - their numbers swelled by the ever strengthening exchange rate of sterling against the rand - but they're far weaker at batting than bowling.

For three tests Nortjke, Rabada, Maharaj, Philander was a formidable attack so the sudden urge to pretend it isn't is just ridiculous, even if Philander is now no more than a bit part player. In Beauden Hendricks they have a very decent seamer of some promise. Their batting wasn't up to strength but making runs against that attack wasn't a cakewalk.
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A lot of truth in what you say. Of the Kolpak players, the only one who would definitely strengthen them is Kyle Abbott in place of Pretorius. Olivier was a loss for them at the time, but Nortjke has shown himself to be a fine replacement. Simon Harmer has been brilliant for Essex but had lost his SA place to Maharaj. Dane Vilas was fantastic last season for Lancs but wouldn't shift De Kock; he could, perhaps, play as a batsman only. They're a team in transition but they are a great cricketing nation and will come again.
 
Sad to see one of cricket's all time greats call it a day.

He's entertained and helped players perform at their best, Mark Wood said he was a real influence too.

Yes, the Barmy Army trumpeter Billy Cooper, retired after the game. Wood said that his music “helps me a lot”, and an extra spring in his stride was discernible as he ran in when the trumpet struck up.
 
arminisgod said:
I know. It was only 3 years ago South Africa made 450-7 chasing 457 at the same ground
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In fact it wasn't three years ago but just over six years ago in December 2013.

The formidable South African batting line up included some truly outstanding world class performers.

Graeme Smith, (Alviro Peterson), Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, (JP Duminy) and Fat du Plessis

Peterson made 76, skipper Graeme Smith 44, Faf du Plessis 134, ( Hashim Amla failed on this occasion only making 4), Jacques Kallis 34, AB de Villiers 103 and even Philander chipped in with 25

But what a batting line up.....

You can allow for great batting lineups to be capable of great feats and necessary caution in setting anything achievable needed...but this South African batting line up just doesn't compare, it really doesn't.
 
Onto to Sri Lanka then. Some calls for Buttler to be dropped but I'd like to see him retained for at least the next series. Just getting used to taking the gloves back set him back a little bit after he was starting to regain some form with the bat towards the end of the Ashes.
 
New England central contracts handed to a trio of quicks as they begin to lay the ground for the attempt to regain the ashes.

Lancashire's Saqib Mahmood is one of those included together with Craig Overton and the extremely pacy Ollie Stone who could really be crucial rotating with a hopefully fit Mark Wood and Jofra Archer.

If one (or two) of Broad, Anderson, Woakes, Mahmood and Overton could be teamed with two really quick options in two of Archer, Wood and Stone, with Ben Stokes and a spinner, perhaps Bess, then that could give the basis of a very effective attack.
 
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Chris O'Connor said:
Sad to see one of cricket's all time greats call it a day.

He's entertained and helped players perform at their best, Mark Wood said he was a real influence too.

Yes, the Barmy Army trumpeter Billy Cooper, retired after the game. Wood said that his music “helps me a lot”, and an extra spring in his stride was discernible as he ran in when the trumpet struck up.
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Must admit the Barmy Army get right on my wick. I always try to sit as far away from them as possible.
 

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