Saffer 15 for the WC

[mikesiva]

As usual, selection matters in South Africa are always controversial affairs!

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/co...ml?CMP=OTC-RSS

No Dipenaar, no Harris, no van Wyk, no Dale Steyn....

In come Peterson and Telemachus and Bosman.

Move in the right direction, or inferior players selected on the basis of skin colour?

[Aussie-Yank]

Considering Telemachus's injury history and a true batting bunny - his expensive bowling seems an odd choice if the quota system was not in place - so to me his selection is nothing more than to met the quota. There are better players than this guy - but they are not the same colour.

Bosman, I am not to sure on - His results so far todate certainly do not scream out for him to be pick - The only time I have seen him was in a 20/20 against Australia, where he scored in the 20's of less balls than runs made. So maybe he does have talent. But his 7 ODI is not telling much, considering 3 of those are against Zim and take out his highest score of 88 against Zim and I think he would be lucky to average 10. This would seem to me a high risk selection or a quota filling one.

Peterson certainly has more experience in the South African lineup than the other two - and on that basis should have put some meaningful results on the board before now - unfortunately I see no reason this guy has been selected other than to make up the numbers - at best this guy is a bits and pieces player.

I have wondered before how strong South Africa would be now if this Quota system was never introduced - however the flip side of this is how much stronger will South Africa be because of the Quota system in the future. To me this sytem now is causing South Africa to play people who are not good enough to be picked on skill and are getting selected due to colour, however saying that, how many people have joined cricket in South Africa after seeing these people making it to the national side.

Not living there and living through the process it is very hard to see if this will be good or bad in the long term for South African Cricket.

[John]

This is not definitely the 15 that will go. I am surprised Steyn and Harris are out. The selectors must of seen something in Steyn performances.
Telemchus should not be playing and should not go to the world cup. Peterson should probably not go to the West Indies. I think we can afford to carry Bosman.
These are the players who should be in the starting lineup in the world cup.
Smith, Gibbs, Kallis, Boucher, Pollock, Ntini, Kemp, Nel. So there are 3 or 4 places to be sorted out.

[darksideofthemoon]

My 15 -
1 Smith
2 Gibbs
3 de Villiers
4 Kallis
5 Kemp
6 Boucher
7 Pollock
8 van der Wath
9 Ntini
10 Nel
11 Henderson

12 Langeveldt 13 Prince 14 Tsotskile 15 Tshabalala

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by John

Peterson should probably not go to the West Indies.

I'd agree on the others... but there's a very real chance that at least SOME of the WC pitches will demand two or more spinners... and Petersen's case is pretty decent. I'm not sure how he's been getting on as captain of the current 'A' tour to Zimbabwe.... but I see no no problem with his selection.

He's a player I backed for the SA WaT 'A' last year: hard done by in my book.

[mikesiva]

The main factor militating against spinners in ODI games in the Windies tends to be the small size of the grounds. South Africa's earlier matches will be in St KItts, which is probably one of the smallest grounds in the Caribbean. I suppose it depends where their Super Eight games will be played. There is an argument that Harris should be there instead of Peterson, because he can bat well too, though his fielding is appalling!

Bosman is probably lucky to get in ahead of Dipenaar, who though he flatters to deceive in test cricket, has a good ODI average of 42 from 100 matches. It's really hard to justfiy the selection of Telemachus over Steyn. that said, Gibbs, Prince, Ntini and Langeveld all deserve their places.

Aussie-yank makes a very good point. The attendances at the Test matches, Cape town aside, have all been very poor. The crowds have been primarily white, and barely take up a quarter of the seats. If, as is reported, white Saffers are migrating in droves, then the authroities need to do something to attract the black majority to the game. Otherwise, cricket in South Africa will decline.

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by mikesiva

As usual, selection matters in South Africa are always controversial affairs!

Move in the right direction, or inferior players selected on the basis of skin colour?

selection in SA is just bad - not particularly controversial...please don't encourage this nonsense, mikesiva!!

prince was a 'controversial' choice for ages despite a half century on his debut - in a series that showed SA bats were all too quick to throw in the towel - and being dropped at first dip in form (although the same can be said of rudolph - it can't of smith or de villiers ). though he must have known he'd have to do much more than any other batsmen to quieten the voices you are running the risk of giving a platform to here, he has done so - while other poor bats do nothing to retain their places (and i backed de villiers and smith and gibbs - sometimes quite vociferously - for their first 6 months of poor form). may the prince perform - the knives are loose in their sheaths!!!

there are now only 5 safe spots imo (includes only one out-and-out batsman): in order; ntini, kallis, pollock, prince and boucher (though 6 months ago he didn't seem quite as essential as he does now). smith and gibbs would be on my shortlist as would kemp in the OD form -- after that noone screams out for a pick in the known names on the domestic circuit ... and so the batting stays thin.


dipenaar/bosman (who cares?) - i'd give bosman a go v the pakistanis and then see (i already know dipenaar and he'd get a reluctant pass into the team was i a selector).

telemachus --> if they are so desperate to play with the relatively successful bowling line-up (and meet quotas ) why not this guy thomas who did well today and has been loitering around the SA side for a few years - he seems to bat a bit too!

peterson/harris (i'm almost tempted to say "who cares" again) - panesar/giles used to take up megabytes of space as hosts of people posted their wisdom - my wisdom went with panesar as it would with harris, but his batting was unimpressive - how much better is his bowling!?
btw, what happened to ontong?

hopefully john is right in that it's not a confirmed squad: was looking forward to getting a better look at steyn and m morkel and to see what semi-precious stones might be discovered in the batting quarry.

[butchering lee]

actually i was a bit stuck in the tests: and having gone through this thread with a bit more patience i agree with john's assessment):

he left prince out of his 7 'certainties' and i concur - prince is not a "safe pick" in my SA OD team, which is obviously what we were talking about (he'd still probably get a spot) and of course i had forgotten nel (who i actually quite like - in a cricketing sense ... clearly).

[mikesiva]

Originally Posted by butchering lee

hopefully john is right in that it's not a confirmed squad: was looking forward to getting a better look at steyn and m morkel and to see what semi-precious stones might be discovered in the batting quarry.

Well, after convincing series wins over India and Pakistan have taken SA to the top of the rankings, this is now the confirmed squad! Now, what does everyone think?

[John]

I would of like to have seen a spinner and no Ashwell Prince. But I haven't got any real complaints.
The ones in the starting lineup Smith, Devillers, Kallis, Boucher, Kemp, Pollock, Nitini and than its filling in the rest.