South Africa v England: 2nd Test: 26-30 December

[Occasional Fan]

South Africa have announced their squad, which includes Herschelle Gibbs and Charl Langeveldt and excludes Zander de Bruyn. Jacques Kallis is reportedly now fit to bowl.

Full squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Hashim Amla, Andrew Hall, Shaun Pollock, Charl Langeveldt, Thami Tsolekile (wk), Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn.

Cricinfo report here.

The Cape Times reported earlier that Thami Tsolekile would be axed, but that seems to be premature. (They also reported that Andrew Hall would be excluded. Sources apparently not all that accurate!) Cape Times report here.

[flanflinger]

I have to say this does not suprise me... De Bruyn never looked like he was capable of performing with either bat or ball.

Kallis back to bowl should help....

Jennings was in the papers again have a go at Gibbs... Jennings is clearly either an idiot or a genius, if he thinks going to the press having a go at your best players is a good motivation tactic.

http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_datab...20DEC2004.html

And his comments about Boucher and Klusener demonstrate that they are not on the fringe but actually written off by him

[Ernest]

Good link ff, that man Jennings is an idiot, and his attitude towards his players is just making it more easy for England, he reminds me of how Glen Hoddle turned out later in his England managership, a crackpot.

[Zainub]

I'm starting to wonder if it would be a nice idea to do a poll on weather anyone has ever come across a person who doesn't think Jennings is an idiot. I certainly haven't.

[flanflinger]

Ray Jennings may have a few comments....he always does...

IMHO he may be the big weak link in this team, and everytime he opens his mouth he seems to make Englands life so much easier...

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

I bet him and Smith geton like a house on fire (while secretly slaaging each other off)

[eng fan]

so who will they leave out? de Villiers and Amla are the obvious two, but Boje, Steyn and Langeveldt would seem to be competing for the two spots...Durban isn't said to offer much for spin, so maybe they should go with the two quicks. Personally I'd drop Ntini and play Boje Steyn and Langeveldt, but you know that'll never happen.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by eng fan

Personally I'd drop Ntini and play Boje Steyn and Langeveldt, but you know that'll never happen.

They won't, but they could. There's a minimum of 2 non-white players that has to be in the team and that would be 3. Gibbs, Langeveldt and Amla.

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by Pete

They won't, but they could. There's a minimum of 2 non-white players that has to be in the team and that would be 3. Gibbs, Langeveldt and Amla.

Must be a nightmare selecting a team keeping all that in mind and frustrating if you couldn't keep some one who is good enough in the side because he's not the right color. What a farse!

[eng fan]

No, because I wouldn't have Amla. If I had to pick the SA side, it would be this

Smith
Gibbs
Rudolph
Kallis
Dippenaar
de Villiers (wk)
Pollock
Hall
Steyn
Boje
Langeveldt

so if Langeveldt is non-white, as you say, that would be two non-white players. But feasibly, I would bring in either Tsolekile or Boucher as wicketkeeper instead of de Villiers because although people have said he is a keeper, I don't know if he can actually keep that well. Steyn should definitely play - he looked very threatening. But given that SA are never going to drop Ntini, that means that one of Steyn, Boje and Langeveldt will have to go. Which do you think it will be?