England tour to South Africa December 2015/February 2016

[stefan]

England are touring SA.

Fixtures:
26 December 2015 1st test Kingsmead
2 January 2016 second test Newlands
14 January 2016 third test Wanderers
22 January 2016 4th test Centurion

3 February 2016 1st odi Bloemfontein
6 February 2016 2 odi Port Elizabeth
9 February 2016 3 odi Centurion
12 February 2016 4 odi Wanderers
14 February 2016 5 odi Newlands

19 february 2016 1st T20 Cape town
21 February 2016 2 T20 Wanderers

Personally especially looking forward to the tests.

 

[AliB]

A 4-0 defeat to England won't be any shock to me. SA at home are one of the most dangerous sides. They'd also been in a frustration of the loss to India, Now they'd been boiled to win!

 

[stefan]

Series between these are always close. I expect SA to win but it won't be a walkover.

 

[stefan]

Philander was ruled out of the first 2 tests as expected. Squad to be announced later this week.

From what I am hearing expect this team to play at durban:

1.Elgar
2.Bavuma(Believe we should rather been using a specialist opner...)
3.Amla
4.AB
5.Faf
6.JP(How many last chances does one get? Been riding that MCG 100 for all its worth)
7.QDK
8.Steyn
9.Abbot
10.Radaba
11.Morkel

England test squad for those who have missed it:

Alastair Cook, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Nick Compton, Mark Footitt, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Samit Patel, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, Chris Woakes

Feel their fast bowlers lack pace. Will see how the likes of hales,ballance and compton goes. SA would obviously be targetting getting root in early to face the new ball.

 

[War]

I hope CSA selectors call up Cook to open

 

[stefan]

I hope CSA selectors call up Cook to open

Hearing they won't consider either cook or puttick due to age.

 

[stefan]

SA squad for the first 2 tests. AB back to keeping.

South Africa squad: Hashim Amla (capt), AB de Villiers (wk), Kyle Abbott, Temba Bavuma, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Morne Morkel, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl

De Villiers to keep wicket in England Tests | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Given the squad picked I guess we will see this side for durban:

1.Elgar
2.Bavuma
3.Amla
4.AB
5.Faf
6.Van Zyl
7.Rossouw (They will pick jp thought)
8.Steyn
9.Abbot
10.Piedt/Radaba
11.Morkel

 

[stefan]

I'd go with the following:

1. Amla
2. Elgar
3. Du Plessis
4. De Villiers
5. Rossouw
6. Duminy (even though he's not in good form)
7. Abbott
8. Piedt
9. Steyn
10. Morkel
11. Rabada

That is a very very long tail.

 

[Aalay]

Van Zyl? Bavuma? Neither impressed in previous Tests. Maybe Van Zyl inplace of Rabada?

Even though Bavuma was a quota selection, he looked much better in Delhi test than Van Zyl. At least he showed some fight and didn't throw away his wicket.

 

[stefan]

What would you suggest for no 7 batsman? We don't have any real all-rounders to choose from... or what batsman would you add in who's (bowlers) place?
Van Zyl? Bavuma? Neither impressed in previous Tests. Maybe Van Zyl inplace of Rabada?

I already posted my team given the squad select. Don't think we need 5 bowlers for SA conditions to take 20 wickets. Think an attack of steyn,morkel,abbot & radaba/piedt is enough to take 20 wickets. Elgar & van zyl can chip in a few overs if needed.

Even though Bavuma was a quota selection, he looked much better in Delhi test than Van Zyl. At least he showed some fight and didn't throw away his wicket.

True, he did get to bat on a better pitch then van zyl thought. Van zyl had a real issue with r.ashwin during the series, moeen ali isn't in that class.

He is a much better player then what he showed though, there is a reason he averages 45 in fc cricket while bavuma averages 38.

Given the squad though he would have both & rillee rossouw in and drop duminy. Duminy has had more then enough chances, an average of under 35 is just not good enough. I wouldn't have had him even in the squad.

 

[Markkkkk]

Van Zyl is in another class compared to Bavuma

 

[War]

Hearing they won't consider either cook or puttick due to age.

Reading through the lines, its obvious the De Villiers has been asked to keep because the "quota" influence dictates they want to give Bavuma, the first black batsman since readmission who looks promising a long run in the team. Bavuma + Rabada two pure black africans in the same test XI they can't resist (although unlike Bavuma, Rabada is being picked on merit)

Thus what would be a straightforward selection to pick De Kock to keep and Cook to open is being delayed.

 

[stefan]

Reading through the lines, its obvious the De Villiers has been asked to keep because the "quota" influence dictates they want to give Bavuma, the first black batsman since readmission who looks promising a long run in the team. Bavuma + Rabada two pure black africans in the same test XI they can't resist (although unlike Bavuma, Rabada is being picked on merit)

Thus what would be a straightforward selection to pick De Kock to keep and Cook to open is being delayed.

Possibly but tbh they could always have dropped duminy and played bavuma in his spot and still picked de kock.

 

[War]

Possibly but tbh they could always have dropped duminy and played bavuma in his spot and still picked de kock.

Yea but I guess in a way although I'm aware Duminy is on a bit of borrowed time with the bat - he is being persisted with because his bowling is a useful 5th bowling option. Not sure outside of Indian conditions Elgar would be that strong a 5th bowler.

 

[stefan]

Yea but I guess in a way although I'm aware Duminy is on a bit of borrowed time with the bat - he is being persisted with because his bowling is a useful 5th bowling option. Not sure outside of Indian conditions Elgar would be that strong a 5th bowler.

Does duminy's bowling average of 38 make up for a batting average of 32? Also he hardly bowled in India on pitches that suited spinners and wasn't very good when he bowled in the odi's. Not convinced duminy's bowling is any more then part time fair might be slightly better then elgar but there isn't much in it. You still have stian van zyl's dibble dobblers if you really need to use a part timer.