Have to agree with you that Wiaam Mulder is a vastly improved player from where he was a year or two ago. I'm pleased for the lad and I hope he makes even more improvement, the team needs  a quality allrounder.

Looks a Philander kind of bowler

We need more commanding performances with the bat to make him the real deal

Has the talent

"Looks a Philander kind of bowler"

Yep, totally agree, my kind of bowler. Just imagine what he'd be like if he could consistently bowl in the mi d 130's?

Yep. Mulder will hopefully go on to be our new true all rounder.

My prediction.

A batting average of around 40

A bowling average of around 30.

He is that good.

Good solid head on him too.

In hindsight he may have been pushed 2 years too early in to the proteas setup.

I’m very confident about our 2 year outlook. Loads of potential is bubbling under.

I’m really looking forward to seeing van Tonder exposed to international cricket.

I’m not entirely convinced on sipamla as a bowler yet.

What about Sipamla does not convince you?

FD 

I was initially very critical of  Sipamla, but after watching him bowling  I became convinced that he is good enough to play for the Proteas team 

I agree with you that Mulder was forced into the team too early.   But he was not properly coached anyway.  Boucher thinks very highly of him now.

I think van Tonder would have played if it was not for a finger injury picked up in training last week,   Hoe he can recover and get into squad for Pakistan, especially since I do not think that Van der Dussen would make it on sub-continent  pitches, 

 .

Saf.

I saw another thread where you commented on his great action. Which I agree with. It’s very rhythmical.

Let me point out that I don’t think he is a bad bowler.

But he’s kind of an in betweener.

He isn’t express pace, but he isn’t slow. He doesn’t get a lot of swing. But he can swing the ball.

I kinda see him as a decent backup to our starting line up.

He also looks like he may be mentally fragile. Though that’s just my opinion.

Rabada, Ngidi, Nortje are all world class.

I don’t want to turf sipamla aside though. He is still very young.

I’d like to see Muguel Pretorius getting a run soon. Alan Donald rates him highly.

Regarding van der Düssen. He’s won us a few limited over games and he’s averaging 35 in tests. I’d persevere with him.

Remember M Hussey. Also only got his chance very late.

Van Tonder will have a long career in the protea jumper, but I’d like Rassie to be given a fair shot.

A side note. Abbott is back. Signed for Northerns today.

He still has a good 3 years in the tank. Would be worth reconciling and getting him back in the mix while we nurture some future talents

Disagree on Sipamla he will get quicker and has already bowled over 145kph. I like the way he moves the ball slightly off the pitch

Stuff Rassie the guy is 32 and averages 33 at test level

Don’t rate him at all

I hope I’m wrong about sipamla.

We need good black players that play on merit.

"We need good black players that play on merit."

"Stuff Rassie the guy is 32 and averages 33 at test level

Don’t rate him at all"

A bit harsh, he did ok as an ODI player but as a test player I agree he is out of his depth and besides his strike rate is snails pace.

On top of that there's several promising young players who need to be given opportunity.

Th e main problem in the team is NOT only Van der Dussen - it is the insistence to keep Du Plesasis and Elgar - both suffering from the dreaded 6:1 factor for two years since 2019 - as irremovable on the game.   Instead of bringing in new talent stagnation is the norm in SA cricket.   .     

Den.

In an ideal world, I agree.

But with our current restrictions, we do need some black talent to shine.

Mike.

Elgar and Du plessis still have a lot to offer.

Lots of players lose form.

You don’t just drop them. Regardless of age.

Flash

I hear you and I know exactly what you're saying but I have never and will never sing along with a system which mandates selection based on colour. It is racist. 

"Elgar and Du plessis still have a lot to offer."

That's debatable. The longer they hang around the longer it takes to debut a young promising player. We dig a hole for our selves if we leave it for too late.  I suggest we sit back and note their performance against Pakistan, Pakistan as you know were wiped by NZ.

Let a level playing field be the decider.......I've always been a Faf man both as a Captain and as a player, I've never like Elgar as a batsman. Let's wait and see.

FD

If you take the performances of Faf and Elgar over the last two years - neither of them would have still been in any test s ide,- bar in the SA side,   They still badly suffer from the dreaded 6:1 factor - 6 poor innings and one good one out of  7 innings batted.

They were cardinal to the failure of the Proteas since 2019.   Against a weak SL attack  they did well enough - but can it last?   There is ample proof that they will be back to failure soon. .            

My problem with Rassie is that he is a poor investment for 2 reasons

Firstly he is 32 so what’s the point

Secondly he looks a pretty average bat that knows his few strengths and plays to them. He has the right head on him but what’s the point at 32

Disagree on Faf and Elgar as well. Had they both had respectable test averages over 45 then I’d say yes hang onto them regardless of age.

But neither average 40 which is piss poor after all this time as your opening bat and number 4

I’d rather see us invest in the youngsters and see them averaging in their late 30’s building towards 50 once settled

Our youngest bat is Markram who is 26, de Kock is 28 turning 29 later this year

We have no investment in young bats

Janneman Malan, v Tonder, Hamza and Verreynne have had tastes but where is the investment

I don’t know much about Hamza but he was in the test side now he does not even make the wider squad - that is poor player management

Dave 

In this I am with you 100%  = the SA cricket side has stagnated for years with on the batting side the only youngsters brought in being De Kock and Markram,   

Rassie was already 30 when he was selected the first time - basically to replace Amla.  Compared to the constant failures of Amla during his last year of international cricket he was a  high light initially - but as you said he is now 32 and not a star in international cricket - a very average no 3 batsman which could perhaps last another year on international level  

Bavuma was 28 years old when first selected and is now a batsman also in the average  level of performance - nothing outstanding,

There was no real investment in younger platers for years now and that is why the Proteas got beaten by teams like BanglaDesh in the CWC.