Tough Selections Ahead

The Australians must be fuming with the South African batsmen injuring themselves –then having their replacements score match-saving innings. For the second time now that South Africa have toured Australia, they have had their in-form number six batsman injured, replaced by a debutant –and having him securing the ship from being drowned by the Australian bowlers with their skilful pace and “weapons of mass-destruction”.

Gary Kirsten was the head coach for the Indian team before being head coach for the Proteas. But even with the extensive amount of talented players he had to choose from in India, doesn’t compare the nightmares he and the rest of the selection panel have to face coming towards the last Test match of the series which starts on Friday November 30.

I feel that Jacques Rudolph has been given enough time to prove himself –and hasn’t quite put his hand up since his readmission to the Proteas Test side. I’m personally a huge Rudolph fan, but at the same time, I’m a true believer in being in top cricket teams with consistent performances and not average –especially when a cricketer has got the talent and capability to do almost the “impossible”. Question marks now linger around cricket discussions on coffee tables as to who shall replace Rudolph if Kirsten and his Test captain, Graeme Smith, decide to execute that brave decision.

Dean Elgar is a solution but many feel that he hasn’t played a lot of 4 day cricket this season with many of the Chevrolet Knights’ matches being called off by rain. Not only that, but having so much in-experience in your batting order (Elgar and Faf du Plessis) is a hole that could easily be exposed –despite Du Plessis’ success at Adelaide. We need AB De Villiers! It’s very evident that he’s not quite in himself with the bat. May this be because of the glove-work getting into the way? We all can sit and debate that –but only he knows the honest answer to that question. De Villiers was once quoted saying that he’s not really eager in taking over the gloves from Mark Boucher. That may have been a while back –but there was still some doubt coming from him in that answer. Other wicket-keepers who have done the job from high school cricket until their professional careers have talked about wicket-keeping with such passion and gusto –not as a burden and “team-balance” as how De Villiers has spoken about it.

In conclusion, when the selection panel pick their squad to tour a country they have to have every faith in the players they pick. I recall Lonwabo Tsotsobe celebrating with the rest of the team when Hashim Amla scored the winning runs to secure the Proteas a Test series victory over Australia at home in 2008/09. For that time (and maybe longer) till the Proteas’ tour of England earlier this year, Tsotsobe has only played five Test matches and has toured with the South African Test Squad in all their tours if not most. In this time span, he has witness other seam bowlers such as Marchant de Lange and Vernon Philander surpass him in the starting 11 –despite him being in the squad for longer and selectors labelling him as “plans after Makhaya Ntini”. The same thing seems to be happening to wicket-keeper Thami Tsolekile. From what it looks like on the side-line, it’s very doubtful that Tsolekile will be given a run any time soon. We just shouldn’t be, or even act surprised when we see him being dropped without a valid reason.

-Mandilulame Manjezi
@JizzyJakesTheIn

Unexpected Problems In Brisbane

After graduating from High School, many of us start learning a few patterns of the vivid circle of life. One of these life lessons is that once you’ve gotten an opportunity, use it and value it to the fullest because it could just slip out of your hands within a blink of a flashback. In some cases, it might not be your fault, however when things do suddenly go wrong –make sure you at least got some credentials or some sort of history to back you up.

I’m not here to teach my readers about life skills, but rather inform you of unforeseen circumstances happening to you –in the wrong place at the wrong time. JP Duminy’s injury has caused huge controversy and mayhem, not only in Brisbane, Australia –but in South Africa as well. Already the exclusion of leg spinner, Imran Tahir, from the starting line-up of the first Test match against Australia was by itself topic of the week. Now that there’s no genuine spin bowler in the starting line-up of the current Test match taking place (unless you reckon Greame Smith and Jacques Rudolph’s part-time bowling would do the trick) South Africa might find themselves in trouble on a relatively slow and low Brisbane Ground wicket.

The big question now on everybody’s tongues and lips is who’s going to replace Duminy in the no.7 position? Thami Tsolekile I feel is the first choice simply because he initially had to be in that starting 11 to take over from retired wicket keeper, Mark Boucher. I assume that’s mainly the reason he was granted a CSA (Cricket South Africa) contract –to take over the glove duties from Boucher. Having Tsolekile in at no.7 would mean that AB De Villiers can simply focus on his batting duties and that South Africa would field a traditional Test match team, having Tsolekile at seven and AB and five.

The second option would be to award Faf du Plessis his Test match debut as he’s a batsman who bowls spin on a regular –similar to Duminy. So initially the replacement of du Plessis would necessary change tactics and game plans heading forward in the series. I must mention though that it would be very ironic for Du Plessis to obtain his Test match debut in Australia and score a Test match 50 because of Duminy’s injury; as that’s how Duminy also obtain his Test match debut in Australia and scoring a 50 in his first Test match courtesy of Ashwell Prince’s injury to the hand.

However many people in the media are speculating that Chevrolet Knights batsman, Dean Elgar, might be Duminy’s replacement. I suppose only time shall reveal that speculation. One thing though that we going to miss out on having Duminy injured is an off-spin bowler. With Australia having seven left-handed batsmen in their current starting 11, we might need a spinner whose stock ball is to take it away from the left handed batsmen –rather than in to them.

-Mandilulame Manjezi
@JizzyJakesTheIn
www.jizzyjakes.blogspot.com

What’s Proteas Back-up Plan If AB Were to Get Injured?

AB De Villiers’ recent back injury has caused a stare around South Africa’s cricketing public. Although Thami Tsolekile is the evident wicket-keeper to take over if anything would happen to De Villiers again, it still seems that the public aren’t really confident over his selection – The selectors as well having to be vividly worried during De Villiers’ rehabilitation, whether he would’ve been fit for the series on time or not. So here’s a list of potential candidates who are able to take over the wicket-keeping duties if in future De Villiers were to have another injury –or simply put a halt on the glove-work duties –if it’s indeed distracting him from his batting duties.

Dane Vilas (28) –Cape Cobras
FC: 45 matches, 46.23 ave
List A: 58 matches, 29.44 ave
T20: 40 matches, 38.40 ave, 132.44 Strike Rate

Rated very highly with the bat, Dane Vilas seems to be the favourite amongst the public to take over wicket-keeping duties if De Villiers were to be injured. However his glove-work still needs to be worked on. Vilas is still very much raw with his wicket-keeping skills, but really impressive with the bat. Averaging currently around 46 in first-class cricket and 38 in T20s with a strike rate of 132.44 shows that he’s much capable to score runs for the Proteas in Test match cricket as well strengthen South Africa’s depth batting order.   

Daryn Smit (28) –Sunfoil Dolphins
FC: 72 matches, 32.11 ave
List A: 68 matches, 29.94 ave
T20: 52 matches, 21.86 ave, 114.68 Strike Rate

One of the most underrated wicket-keepers in the country; simply because he tends to bowl his leg-breaks on a regular, Daryn Smit has improved his overall game in the past few seasons. His maturity has definitely shown not only as a cricketer, but a leader as well. It’s much evident that young players in the same changing room as him such as David Miller are gradually maturing in their game under his leadership. This could be something the Proteas would cherish with Greame Smith and Jacques Kallis, both influential leaders in the Proteas side –coming close to the end of their careers.

Heino Kuhn (28) –Nashua Titans
FC: 87 matches, 46.17 ave
List A: 84 matches, 28.72 ave
T20: 45 matches, 18.37 ave,

Supposedly the successor of South African wicket-keeper veteran, Mark Boucher, Heino Kuhn’s inconsistency in the limited overs format of the game has made selectors doubt his ability to be the top glove-man for the Proteas. With AB De Villiers’ sudden take over with the wicket-keeping duties, and Thami Tsolekile’s CSA contract renewal, Kuhn unfortunately finds himself between a rock and a hard place. He’s First-Class record stays much healthy as well as his performances for the South Africa A squad which keep the selectors much enticed about the idea of Kuhn –as the possibly the next wicket-keeper for South Africa.

Quinton de Kock (19) –Highveld Lions
FC: 14 matches, 63.63 ave
List A: 18 matches, 29.61 ave
T20: 23 matches, 29.88 ave, 139.56 SR

He’s young, truly talented and hungry to play for South Africa. Quinton De Kock is a noticeable replica of Herschelle Gibbs also as a 19 year old. Young, gifted with a good head upon him. He’s success’ definitely cannot be ignored, averaging over 63 in First-Class cricket with a highest score of 194. Young Quinny [de Kock] is a wicket-keeper batsman South Africa would love to push through to the Proteas Test side. Although is performance have been truly overwhelming for the selectors to swallow, de Kock still has to learn a bit more about his game and how he has to approach different match situations. His aggressive approach towards a bowling attack seems to be his way of success, but that won’t be the case against teams like Australia and India playing in India on turning wickets. He still needs to learn a bit more about himself and his cricket until a possible call-up. It’s obvious that it’s just a matter of time before we see this talented youngster in the ‘green and gold’. The only question now –is how long left until we see him feature into the South African cricket side in all formats of the game.

Thami Tsolekile (32) –Highveld Lions
FC: 134 matches, 29.01 ave
List A: 126 matches, 21.11 ave
T20: 53 matches, 23.10 ave, 108.66 SR

Thami Tsolekile is the only player amongst the other four wicket-keepers being mentioned to have played Test cricket for South Africa. However his average in all formats of the game do not justify his selection in the South African Test squad, only having to average 29 in First-Class cricket –the lowest compared to the other wicket-keeper batsmen on South Africa’s wicket-keeping ‘hit-list’-yet he has played over 130 First-Class matches. Fortunately for Tsolekile is that he’s now got a chance to prove his worth in the South African team –provided he gets a chance to play. Not many people are confident in his abilities; and many critics feel that he’s not the same talent they had witnessed when he was still the young radical wicket-keeper batsman playing for Western Province and the Nashua Cape Cobras.

Source:espncricinfo.com

-Mandilulame Manjezi
@JizzyJakes
VC Dip in Journalism student