First test vs NZ

Poor batting, poor fielding and back to normal.

Watched the first two hours and then turned off.

What a mess.

I am sick and tired looking at the batting and even bowling performances of the Proteas.   They bat like flower girls and bowl like tripe - giving away many many runs.  

Batting

Elgar            2 innigs              =     1 run

Erwee               do                  =      10 runs

Markram          do                 =        17 runs

Van der Dussen                     =        17 runs

It is high time that those three players be removed since they let don the team totally.    

Bowling

The bowlers are super-generous.   They just love to give the opposition lots of runs:-

Olivier     -     econ                  4,76

Stuurman       econ                  4,26

Rabada           econ                  3,76

Markram        econ                   3,37

Jansen            econ                   3,21

Jansen and Markram is not too bad - the others are poor.   

Now this on the Rabada bowling:-

"Is he carrying an injury? Has he lost his rhythm? Are his no-balls affecting his confidence?

It’s probably a case of all three – and some other factors as well.

Rabada was bowling in the ‘pedestrian’ 120km/h range in New Zealand’s first innings at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on both Thursday and Friday.

Such ‘speeds’ are generally what you’d expect from your medium pacers, certainly not what you’d want from your premier paceman.

He was also spotted bowling off a shortened run-up at times.

Rabada also officially bowled five no-balls, but if you believe that number you no doubt still believe in the Easter bunny.

His final New Zealand first innings bowling figures read 30-6-113-2 at an average of 3.76 runs per over.

Those two wickets weren’t any great shakes either as Rabada dismissed nightwatchman Neil Wagner (but not before the South Africa-born Kiwi bowler had plundered Rabada to all parts of the ground in scoring 49 off 56 balls) and No 10 Tim Southee for four.

Rabada is unlikely to bowl again in the match as the Proteas are starring an embarrassing innings defeat in the face as they trail by a mammoth 353 runs with just seven second innings wickets in hand."

Bowling in the 120 kph range he is on par with Olivier and totally ineffective as an attacking bowler.   

The above article went on  to deal with his big   IPL offer - but it can easily happen what happened to Morris - he will be so ineffective that they would do a Ngidi with him    Morris realized that he was a goner from the IPL and Ngidi - who last year was virtually never used by Chennai because of his ineffective bowling and was this year contracted as an afterthought after not being  bidden on initially - is not a frontline bowler anymore.   If Rabada carries on like he did in the 2021 season he will be released from his contract next year and will not get a bid at all.

My own opinion is he regards himself as irreplaceable  and he does not need to do anything and would still be in the team.   Time is ripe for a rude awakening.              

First test and another shocking disaster for 2022.

Some players need to retire or at least be dropped.

Some new names and old names that shouldn't be allowed near the side ever again...our worst result on a cricket pitch ever...it's a total disgrace...shameful. 

Draad 

It was no good.    When Markram and Jansen performs better in bowling - the rest was a disaster.   I outlined a problem with Rabada above.   What is wrong with Rabada?   Why did his bowling speed last year was down to an average speed of 136 kph - this test i was 125 kph.   That means that we now have 1 fast bowler and 2 medium pacers   - who allows the opposition easy batting opportunities - it is clear the real bowling attack is near to non-existent.    It is time that they tell Rabada he is not going to be selected in future if he cannot bowl consistently and accurately at 140 plus kph.       

The only two batsmen  who were acceptable were Bavuma and Verreynne - the rest were supershit.      

I have  a major problem with SA Cricket.   The recent auction there were 33 SA players on the list.  Of those 19 was not even considered as options to bid on and that tells us a lot.   Amongst the 19 were a host of SA internationals.   They even bid on players who are NOT yet anywher near the SA national teams that was suggested to be bid on.    

The Indians are well aware of what SA  is about  and they are real cricketing  experts.    That shows he SA Cricket s elections are a sham and a farce.        

Speed wasn’t the issue….NZ was bowling better lines and moving the ball much more. Henry and Southey were getting late movement through the air and off the seam. And our batsmen coming off the dead South African wickets were glued to the spot. Footwork was awful.

It’s the old Kings in Kings Park….orcs in Orcland syndrome. 

Absolute disgrace.

Laughing stock of our Kiwi friends and cricketers around the world once more.

Heads have to roll irrespective of "shade".

The name of the team should be changed to `MARIGOLDS` as they are an insult to the Protea.

Yep at 8 for 3 wickets it looked like a schoolboy scorecard.

Mozart

Pace is a factor - especially when it comes to specialist pace bowlers like Rabada is concerned.   Pace is their main value - they have very little to offer  if their pace is gone.   

Plum

Let me be explicit - if it is true abut the back stress facture he better get out of the game for six months until it is healed - at this stage he is damaging his career by playing with that handicap.    

Rabada clocked 142 on one ball while I was watching. Generally he was in the low 130s. Fast enough to be dangerous if he was on the right line and length. The real dud was Stuurman, although none of our bowlers looked dangerous. What price Nortje!

Cannot wait for the second test to start on Wednesday.

Any predictions or are we going to have to endure another 2 1/2 to 3 day test again.

Same old, same old.

Surely not.

Predictions? Care to oblige with one instead of feeding off others before making one yourself?

It's just a thought.

And OBTW...... "Cannot wait for the second test to start on Wednesday" Friday.

Mozart

Rabada has been inaccurate and giving away many ,many runs bowling at a very slow pace in a number of test and shorter version games for a while now.     It is not the pace only that counts - Rabada at medium pace has no other weapons to display and he is obviously substandard at present.   

Moo. you guys are due a series win over us...this is the best chance you gonna get in ages...good luck, but I'll still be cheering on our lads, despite the poor selections...

Sure more than willing to oblige.

SA will be beaten again.

Hopefully some Marigold batters will come up with a good knock and the bowlers will have a bit more direction and pace.

Plus with all the practice hope they have master the art of catching as well.

With a ton of luck they might even make NZ bat a second time.

Pity Peterson had to miss the series.

Correct the test does not start on Wednesday.

Just for your info the test is actually starting on the 24th February which is Thursday in all countries West of International Date Line.

So two wrongs are corrected.

Thanks for your effort though.

What is your prediction oh great one?

I'm predicting a much better effort from the Proteas, the first test loss is not a true reflection of the current team, it was a reflection of a team who were quarantined for 10 days. It seems like there are fools around who have forgotten that the Proteas are human! Clearly it took it's toll on a team who performed like schoolboys and made NZ look like superstars. That said batting remains a weakness as it has been for several years and it would be a miracle if that aspect improved overnight. "Kevin" Keegan Peterson is sorely missed after his masterclass against India and so also is the pace of Nortje. Debuting 32year old Sarel Erwee is not in the long term interest of the team I would have started the in form and much younger Ryan Rickleton, it is however our worst batting side in decades. The strategy of bowling the opposition out cheaply so as to make up for poor batting is unsustainable, Test scores of 350+  is long overdue if they want to win matches and be world beaters. So at this point without the benefit of knowing the makeup of the team I'm predicting a loss after a much improved effort.

Go the Proteas!

"Debuting 32year old Sarel Erwee is not in the long term interest of the team I would have started the in form and much younger Ryan Rickleton, .."

^^^^

THIs...how is Erwee even on tour? He and a few others...looks like we're hell bent on self destruction...such a shame...

Ja, it's a headshake....one of many,