South Africa tour of New Zealand, Feb-March 2011/12

[RPHKR]

Fixtures

Feb 15 - Canterbury v South Africans - Hagley Oval, Christchurch
 
Feb 17 - 1st T20I - New Zealand v South Africa - Westpac Stadium, Wellington	

Feb 19 - 2nd T20I - New Zealand v South Africa - Seddon Park, Hamilton	
Feb 22 - 3rd T20I - New Zealand v South Africa - Eden Park, Auckland	

Feb 25 - 1st ODI - New Zealand v South Africa - Westpac Stadium, Wellington	
Feb 29 - 2nd ODI - New Zealand v South Africa- McLean Park, Napier	
Mar 03 - 3rd ODI - New Zealand v South Africa - Eden Park, Auckland	

Mar 07 - Mar 11 - 1st Test - New Zealand v South Africa - University Oval, Dunedin	
Mar 15 - Mar 19 - 2nd Test - New Zealand v South Africa - Seddon Park, Hamilton	
Mar 23 - Mar 27 - 3rd Test - New Zealand v South Africa - Basin Reserve, Wellington

Squads

South Africa

Test

Greame Smith(c)
Hashim Amla
AB de Villiers(vc) (wk)
Mark Boucher(wk)
Alviro Petersen
JP Duminy
Jacques Kallis
Vernon Philander
Marchant de Lange
Imran Tahir
Morne Morkel
Dale Steyn
Lonwabo Tsotsobe
Robin Peterson
Jacques Rudolph

ODI

AB de Villiers(c) (WK)
Hashim Amla (vc)
Greame Smith
JP Duminy
Jacques Kallis
Faf du Plessis
Johan Botha
Justin Ontong
Albie Morkel
Morne Morkel
Dale Steyn
Wayne Parnell
Lonwabo Tsotsobe
Robin Peterson

T20

AB de Villiers(c) (WK)
Hashim Amla (vc)
Greame Smith
JP Duminy
Johan Botha
Marchant de Lange
Colin Ingram
Richard Levi
Albie Morkel
Morne Morkel
Rusty Theron
Wayne Parnell
Lonwabo Tsotsobe
Robin Peterson

Will be a South African series for sure as they're great form these days. Best cricket team. Will be interesting to see Albie Morkel playing ODIs after a year.

 

[CG123]

It'll be interesting to see what happens with our Test team with the return of Ryder, we'll have 12 players going for 11 positions.

I'll hopefully be going to the Eden Park T20I and ODI, and at least a day of the Seddon Park Test.

 

[RPHKR]

It'll be interesting to see what happens with our Test team with the return of Ryder

Yeah, he's the II best NZ batsman currently IMO.

 

[aussie1st]

Not often you see 3 T20I being played. That looks like one of the better fixtures, not too long ODI series, a complete T20I series and no stupid 1/2 Test series.

 

[RPHKR]

3 T20Is are too much for a tour. I think they should reduce the T20s in the FTP and increase the no. of the test matches gonna be played. Hope Smith, Albie and others pick up their form in the series.

 

[CG123]

Especially with the Canterbury T20, four T20/T20Is does seem like overkill. They should be kept to mainly domestic cricket, and have only like one warm-up T20I to the ODI series.

 

[Dipak]

Well SA definitely have the edge going on into the series. NZ have to wish the speedy recoverable of Taylor though, since he's gonna play a big role. I'd love to have another ODI and one T20 less.

Probable SA lineup for ODIs

1. Smith
2. Amla
3. Kallis ^
4. de Villiers * ?
5. Duminy (^ if needed)
6. du Plessis (^ if needed)
7. A Morkel / Ontong / Peterson (^)
8. Botha / Peterson
9. M Morkel
10. Steyn
11. Tsotsobe

Surprised to see Tahir not in the ODI squad though

NZ

1. Ryder
2. McCullum ?
3. Taylor *
4. Guptill
5. Williamson (^ if needed)
6. Nicol ^
7. Franklin / Styris ^
8. Vettori ^
9. Southee ^
10. Mills ^
11. can be anyone

Bowling seems evenly matches, NZ having the better tweaker, with SA holding the edge in their pacers. SA definitely have a stronger lineup, they just need to keep their fingers crosses that they don't lost 4 wickets early, or they're in trouble.

My prediction:

T20s - SA 2 - 1 NZ
ODIs - SA 2 - 1 NZ
Test - SA 2 - 0/1 NZ

 

[sifter132]

Not often you see 3 T20I being played. That looks like one of the better fixtures, not too long ODI series, a complete T20I series and no stupid 1/2 Test series.

I always thought that the ICC didn't allow more than 2 per series. The rule used to be only 3 at home, and only 4 away T20Is every year. That must have been dispensed with.


Another interesting aspect of this Test series I was reading this morning, is that if England don't win this last Test vs Pakistan, and then SA beats NZ 3-0 in the series - then SA will be the new #1 in the Test rankings. And they'll pocket the $175,000 that's given out by the ICC for being #1 in the rankings on April 1 each year.

 

[Sedition]

And Gerald Majola will pocket the $175,000 that's given out by the ICC for being #1 in the rankings on April 1 each year.

FYP

 

[CG123]

NZ

1. Ryder
2. McCullum ?
3. Taylor *
4. Guptill
5. Williamson (^ if needed)
6. Nicol ^
7. Franklin / Styris ^
8. Vettori ^
9. Southee ^
10. Mills ^
11. can be anyone

Styris and Vettori have now retired, and Franklin isn't in our ODI squad for the Zimbabwe series. Guptill will bat ahead of Taylor as well.

I really don't like the idea of Williamson and Nicol at five and six. If I'm playing either of them it's in the top three, so therefore I'd be dropping McCullum to six.

Nathan McCullum and Oram will more than likely be in our playing XI, same with Bracewell. I'd probably have Brownlie at five because he has the ability to work the ball and around and he has a power game.

My line-up would be:

1. Guptill
2. Nicol ^
3. Ryder
4. Taylor *
5. Brownlie
6. McCullum, B +
7. McCullum, N ^
8. Oram ^
9. Bracewell ^
10. Mills ^
11. Southee ^

I really like the look of that line-up. Great depth in the batting, and plenty of bowling options.

Others selected for the Zimbabwe ODI series:

Bates - Back-up pace bowler
Ellis - Back-up to Oram
Latham - Back-up middle order batsman
Nethula - Back-up spin bowler
Williamson - Back-up top order batsman

 

[War]

From an outside view i've always reckoned Vettori is good enough to bat @ # 6 based on watching him bat over the 3-4 years.

Now that he has been relieved of the captaincy i think people will see some top all-round performances from him, while at the time same time helping the give NZ 5-strong bowling options in tests.

----------

3 T20Is are too much for a tour. I think they should reduce the T20s in the FTP and increase the no. of the test matches gonna be played. Hope Smith, Albie and others pick up their form in the series.

I would say this is perfect international schedule actually.

With t20s having a world-cup every series really should have a minimum of 3t20s so it has a proper series feel to it instead of the exhibition match feel it too often has.

7 and 5 match odi series aren't needed anymore.

While the only test series in which more than 3 tests should be played are the ashes, ind vs pak, eng vs sa, aus vs sa.

 

[Aalay]

I don't see any reason to take Faf du Plessis in the squad. He is average with the bat, hardly bowls, yes he is a brilliant fielder and may be scoring runs in domestic but certainly not doing it at international level. Isn't there any other option beside him?

 

[riz7khan12]

i doubt ryder will be in the selectors mind atm for the test side, especially if the current batsmen continue making runs. His weight problem and constant injuries doesn't help his case.

 

[CG123]

i doubt ryder will be in the selectors mind atm for the test side, especially if the current batsmen continue making runs. His weight problem and constant injuries doesn't help his case.

And he's not a allowed a runner now. I'd make him play at least the rest of the current domestic season because even considering him for international selection.

 

[Paki007]

it'll be hard for NZL to make any impact in test series but i expect a good contest in T20s and may be ODIs


I think Colin Ingram should have been in the ODI squad