1st Test: South Africa v Australia at Centurion Feb 12-16, 2014

[Twizzle]

its just f**king stupid putting 2 rookies in at 3 and 4 and moving our best batsman around to accommodate said rookies

just f**king stupid

rookies should come into the middle order especially against an attack of this quality

 

[jargan83]

Clarke back to 5 ordinaruly wouldn't worry me but when you have a rookie playing at 3 and a Test discard at 4? Smith seemed to be slotting into 5 nicely as well.

Hopefully this turns out to be a masterstroke by Boof otherwsie we will be up a well known creek without a paddle

 

[Timbo]

If South Africa get a big partnership going - which is, you know, not unlikely - we'll have to bowl our quicks into the ground. We needed Henriques in there to do the donkey work.

And frankly I think he's a safer option with the bat than Darsh.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

But...but...but Doolan is gonna score us shedloads of runs. He's the messiah in waiting...but but but.

ROFL.

 

[umina panther]

With Smith, Warner and Pup I think we have enough bowling to not pick an all rounder. If we had Faulkner fit then I'd pick him but I dont rate Moses

 

[herbert henry1908]

With Smith, Warner and Pup I think we have enough bowling to not pick an all rounder. If we had Faulkner fit then I'd pick him but I dont rate Moses

Sorry but warner & smith can't cut it.

We're playing a team that has 4 batsmen that average 50 or over.

Throwing on two trundlers like them is asking for trouble.



And clarke shouldn't be bowling with his injury problems.



And saying you'd pick Faulkner but not Henriques makes zero sense. You say we have enough bowling not to pick an all rounder but you'd pick someone who is clearly a bowling all rounder?

Faulkner may have wacked a few sixes in the shorter formats but he's far from a good technical batsmen.

 

[age.s]

Smith is ok. Not great but serviceable on occasion. Warner is rubbish and really shouldn't get the ball. Clarke isn't going to be bowling.

None are going to give the Saffers any trouble. It's all going to be down to the big 4.

 

[Pete Cash]

If that's a concern play Pattinson and hope you can squeeze the runs out of the tail. Shouldn't an all rounder be someone who would make the side on just bowling or batting if they had to. Would henriques honestly make the side on either alone.

 

[herbert henry1908]

If South Africa get a big partnership going - which is, you know, not unlikely - we'll have to bowl our quicks into the ground. We needed Henriques in there to do the donkey work.

And frankly I think he's a safer option with the bat than Darsh.

I'm just stunned they can't see Johnson & Harris are clearly at their best when they can charge in for 4 overs at a time.


None of these guys had to do any serious work against England because they rolled over so easily.

That isn't going to be the case in South Africa.


We're going to need someone who can bowl some overs with the older ball.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Smith is ok. Not great but serviceable on occasion. Warner is rubbish and really shouldn't get the ball. Clarke isn't going to be bowling.

None are going to give the Saffers any trouble. It's all going to be down to the big 4.

Smith averages 55 with the ball in FC cricket.


He can bowl a few overs against leg spin chumps , that's about it.

 

[typicalfan]

In Lehmann I trust

 

[herbert henry1908]

If that's a concern play Pattinson and hope you can squeeze the runs out of the tail. Shouldn't an all rounder be someone who would make the side on just bowling or batting if they had to. Would henriques honestly make the side on either alone.

Surely the best thing is to select a team that best suites our needs.


Not some stringent guideline like that.


Particular given out batting options are pretty ordinary.


And let's look at this objectively , the fact all rounders have to spend time practicing both arts means it's much harder for them to appear good enough to make the team on only one of their disciplines.


Look at someone like Flintoff, arguably the best modern all rounder.( Edit: brain fart , forgot Kallis) Clearly a very talented bowler but his bowling stats weren't anything amazing. Even at FC level.

 

[herbert henry1908]

In Lehmann I trust

He's not sole selector though.

 

[Pete Cash]

Kallis is clearly the best modern day all rounder and henriques averages like 30 with the bat. James Pattinson averages 21 at fc level and 30 at test. While being leagues better as a bowler.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Warner
Rogers
Doolan
Clarke c
Smith
Haddin wk
Pattinson
Johnson
Harris
Siddle
Lyon

 

[jargan83]

And frankly I think he's a safer option with the bat than Darsh.

It was said when Darsh was first named in the squad but I have no idea how he is even over in South Africa

 

[herbert henry1908]

Kallis is clearly the best modern day all rounder and henriques averages like 30 with the bat. James Pattinson averages 21 at fc level and 30 at test. While being leagues better as a bowler.

Of course he is , not sure why I forgot him.


I think I was thinking outside of the top few all time.


Only a handful of all rounders are good enough to occupy a position on one discipline alone ( by stats)


Btw I agree with the Pattinson option , I mentioned that possibility a few pages back. As I said it all depends on what's suits the team best.

 

[some11]

Gonna be interesting tonight if we bat first, I don't know whether we'll take it to them or crumble.. and I love it.

 

[Twizzle]

If that's a concern play Pattinson and hope you can squeeze the runs out of the tail. Shouldn't an all rounder be someone who would make the side on just bowling or batting if they had to. Would henriques honestly make the side on either alone.

Pattinson in the long term, yes definitely, but he aint ready just yet

He's not sole selector though.

The fossil and co pick the squad but I reckon Boof has a huge say in the final make up, watch his recent interviews, he keeps saying he hasn't decided the final , he has a huge amount of influence I reckon

 

[JJ]

Cairns also > Flintoff FWIW

But yes, you do need some overs from someone in your top 6, I think... real shame Clarke can't bowl, he's better than handy... Smith is appalling with the ball, shame you can't bring back the Kat!!

TBH, while I am sure you will play ok, it'd shock me if you can win this series, even without the great one, I don't see the Jaapies capitulating like the Poms did - we kind of all ignored the signs of their decline - admittedly Aussies didn't as even in the away series you had moments, and once you settle on a team without some obvious numpties (who unfortunately are back in the squad) things changed - before that we (NZ) gave England a hurry up too...