Test AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA First Test. Dec 17-21, Gabba, Brisbane. 11.20am AEDT.

[Jim Prideaux]

Their whole attack is top line, Jensen is better than Starc.

The rest of their attack has never played a test here, let’s wait and see, eh?

 

[the_interloper]

If they bowl short at the Gabba, they’ll lose, and lose badly.

If you're talking about their stock ball I agree, but they do need to try short stuff. So many touring teams bowl too short a length, they need to be up most of the time and throw in some bouncers. I'd say eariy in the innings particularly for Marnus, then try and catch him nicking in the slips.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

The rest of their attack has never played a test here, let’s wait and see, eh?

Look our batting is better that’s the positive and I just know we’ll roll the roads out so it takes their attack out and they can’t win on a road really our bats will score more

 

[LukeParkerno1]

If you're talking about their stock ball I agree, but they do need to try short stuff. So many touring teams bowl too short a length, they need to be up most of the time and throw in some bouncers. I'd say eariy in the innings particularly for Marnus, then try and catch him nicking in the slips.

Marnus especially you need to make him play. He will leave the ball all day long if you bowl a 6th stump outside off stump line

 

[Jim Prideaux]

If you're talking about their stock ball I agree, but they do need to try short stuff. So many touring teams bowl too short a length, they need to be up most of the time and throw in some bouncers. I'd say eariy in the innings particularly for Marnus, then try and catch him nicking in the slips.

I never said you can’t use the short ball, but far too many bowlers touring Australia overuse it at the Gabba - they see the batters jumping about and their eyes light up - problem is, the batter might be jumping, but they won’t be walking back to sheds anytime soon.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Look our batting is better that’s the positive and I just know we’ll roll the roads out so it takes their attack out and they can’t win on a road really our bats will score more

Our bowling attack is also excellent, especially in home conditions.

 

[cricketnut14]

Jansen may well be batting @ 7.


looking forward to this series.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Our bowling attack is also excellent, especially in home conditions.

Both attacks pretty much cancel each other out both are top quality you are splitting hairs, though Hazelwood is a big loss

 

[the_interloper]

I never said you can’t use the short ball, but far too many bowlers touring Australia overuse it at the Gabba - they see the batters jumping about and their eyes light up - problem is, the batter might be jumping, but they won’t be walking back to sheds anytime soon.

Agreed, certainly not overuse but introduce it early, if you can catch the batsman expecting a short one and throw up an outswinger it might be easier for them to nick off.

 

[t_94]

All well and good mate but what do you propose they do, rub two sticks together and hope it produces an AB de Villiers?? They can only use what they’ve got.

Australia at home has a habit of either feasting on opposition attacks full stop, or seeing off the threat and feasting off whatever comes next.

As good as Australia’s bowling is, usually it’s weight of runs that really crushes visiting teams so the first box they have to tick is to avoid Australia waltzing to 400+ every time they bat. If they don’t do that, it’s irrelevant how well their top order bats. They simply won’t win.

If I was them I would absolutely take the odds to six batsmen including the keeper and have Maharaj and Janssen at 7-8. They can both bat.

It consistently astounds me the number of posters on this board who cannot or refuse to get their head around this simple fact.

 

[Marcel Proust]

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Jansen may well be batting @ 7.


looking forward to this series.

That's what I was trying to say - the saffie batting numbers are proper ugly.

 

[Marcel Proust]

It consistently astounds me the number of posters on this board who cannot or refuse to get their head around this simple fact.

I don't expect another ABD or kallis but if your batting is so shyte should you play only 5 of them?

I understand they don't want to burn out the class bowlers but it's an interesting selection

 

[t_94]

I don't expect another ABD or kallis but if your batting is so shyte should you play only 5 of them?

I understand they don't want to burn out the class bowlers but it's an interesting selection

Without being disappearing Potentially quota considerations.

It is my understanding there are potentially implications to selecting a black African batsman, given Bavuma is the only other to be selected as pure batsman in test match cricket.

Zhondo had a prolific recent first class season which has elevated him - averaged around 80 iirc. He looked a tidy enough player in England without making a big score.

Having said all that, from a pure cricket perspective I agree they would be best served playing 5 bats in the circumstances.

 

[Marcel Proust]

Without being disappearing Potentially quota considerations.

It is my understanding there are potentially implications to selecting a black African batsman, given Bavuma is the only other to be selected as pure batsman in test match cricket.

Zhondo had a prolific recent first class season which has elevated him - averaged around 80 iirc. He looked a tidy enough player in England without making a big score.

Having said all that, from a pure cricket perspective I agree they would be best served playing 5 bats in the circumstances.

Do they still have quota rules ?

 

[BGman]

No reason he can't improve that 32 average to 42-45.

No reason. Has 6000+ first class runs @42 and is just reaching his prime. So again I ask why is he not in this Saffa squad.

 

[PhatBoy]

Do they still have quota rules ?

Absolutely they do.

The phrase ‘you shouldn’t be setting fields for bad bowling’ is often espoused in cricket commentary and the same principal applies for team selection.

You shouldn’t be selecting a side based on the assumption that your specialist batsmen cannot get the job done. If you feel like your strength is a 4 man pace attack plus a spinner, two of whom can bat a bit, then pick them and have faith in your top five to get the job done as best they can. If you want to squeeze four quicks and a spinner in but you’re afraid to do it in case your top order falls in a heap, you probably have the wrong attitude to selection IMO

 

[BGman]

Do they still have quota rules ?

Yep as nothing to the contrary online.

Current SA quota system: At least six players of non-white background have to be included in the playing eleven of any cricket team which is administered by the board.

Many have said the quota rules are the main reason for the decline in South African cricket as it brought about the exodus of many white cricketers who saw their pathway to Test cricket negated. I expect many of these cricketers felt that the quota system was racist and discriminated against them because they were white.

 

[corbies]

It consistently astounds me the number of posters on this board who cannot or refuse to get their head around this simple fact.

Just pick all the gun players who are not playing rather than these spuds. Its not hard.

 

[Marcel Proust]

Absolutely they do.

The phrase ‘you shouldn’t be setting fields for bad bowling’ is often espoused in cricket commentary and the same principal applies for team selection.

You shouldn’t be selecting a side based on the assumption that your specialist batsmen cannot get the job done. If you feel like your strength is a 4 man pace attack plus a spinner, two of whom can bat a bit, then pick them and have faith in your top five to get the job done as best they can. If you want to squeeze four quicks and a spinner in but you’re afraid to do it in case your top order falls in a heap, you probably have the wrong attitude to selection IMO

Sounds a bold outlook when the 2nd and 3rd best batsman in the squad average 34 and 32

 

[PhatBoy]

Sounds a bold outlook when the 2nd and 3rd best batsman in the squad average 34 and 32

So what, they pick another one with an even worse average? What gives them greater value? Another poor batsman at 6, or bumping the keeper to 6, and playing two world class bowlers at 7-8 who can both bat a bit?

 

[BGman]

Just pick all the gun players who are not playing

What gun players. That was my point. Of course you can only work with what you have been given. Trouble is the SA coach has been given, as you say, spuds.

 

[BGman]

So what, they pick another one with an even worse average? What gives them greater value? Another poor batsman at 6, or bumping the keeper to 6, and playing two world class bowlers at 7-8 who can both bat a bit?

You are clutching at straws. Their keeper averages @26 and you want him in a specialist batting spot. Most of our bowlers can bat a bit too but rarely give us defining runs. Simple fact is Test class batsman in Sth Africa are thin on the vine currently. So we have to take full advantage of that by hitting them hard and often. A pacey, bouncy Gabba . Was a no brainer to bring in Morris.

 

[PhatBoy]

You are clutching at straws. Their keeper averages @26 and you want him in a specialist batting spot. Most of our bowlers can bat a bit too but rarely give us defining runs. Simple fact is Test class batsman in Sth Africa are thin on the vine currently. So we have to take full advantage of that by hitting them hard and often. A pacey, bouncy Gabba . Was a no brainer to bring in Morris.

I’m clutching at a keeper who averages 50 at first class level, has a test hundred and is ostensibly better than most of the logical alternatives.

How many specialist batsmen or keeper batsmen do you think have a great record after 9 tests?

Hell after 7 tests QDK had the same record.

There is no point picking players to keep a spot warm. So pick a side that is going to maximise its strengths.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

You are clutching at straws. Their keeper averages @26 and you want him in a specialist batting spot. Most of our bowlers can bat a bit too but rarely give us defining runs. Simple fact is Test class batsman in Sth Africa are thin on the vine currently. So we have to take full advantage of that by hitting them hard and often. A pacey, bouncy Gabba . Was a no brainer to bring in Morris.

So bring in a spud batter and leave out a world class bowler? They’re not losing much batting by playing an extra bowler, but they’d be gaining not much batting and losing plenty of bowling by adding another batter.

On Morris, not if Starc plays.

 

[timokane]

Cummins is reported to be sitting out the test and preparing for Melbourne he still got that side strain and will miss.
From reports Hazellwood is in Melbourne.