Protea squad against India

The squad is as follows and the stupid selections are highlighted:-

Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, Kyle Verreynne, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Jon-Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lungi Ngidi, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Anrich Nortje, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj. 

I still cannot understand why Du Plessis - after continuous failures this year is brought back into the squad.   Who must he replace in the batting line-up anyway?   As to JJ Smuts and Beuren Hendricks one can only laugh at best.

I can understand that Malan is out with an injury problem - so from that lot I would pick the following starting line-up:-

De Kock, Bavuma, Van der Dussen, Verreynne. Klaasen, Miller, Linde, Phehlukwayo, Ngidi, Nortje, Sipamla. 

Shamsi is apparently being rested and I pick Linde since he is a better all-rounder  from a betting perspective than Maharaj.          

Allow me to add,  I think De Kock must stop trying to protect his wicket and rather play his natural attacking game,   He is better as an attacking batsman than he is as a defending one.     

Go Jon- Jon...!!

I appreciate what you wrote Dave and in Test cricket Maharaj would be my first choice.   However,  they are playing only ODI's and  I would say that the better batsman is Linde.   Since the games are in  India I think that the better option would be to extend the batting line-up as against the present scenario.          

Dave 

Linde's test stats in the one test  he played in India were not bad - it was much better than Maharaj's bowling stats in that series and so was his batting.  Maharaj in tests in general is good - in India it as a horror show last year in October.   That is perhaps why  Linde  is in the squad and m ost likely in the starting line up in the first ODI.     

Not sure of that one - but lets see what happens

By the way - I see that Malan was added to the squad subsequently.  

I haven't seen Linde so no comment but he wanna be special to be better than Maharaj. Happy to see that Shamsi isn't part of the squad.

Denny

Not sure about Shamsi - he was left out of the squad because of the fact that his wife was pregaant and the baby was due during the period the Indian tour week.   However, she already gave birth last week and it is not at all clear whether he would not ultimately be in the squad,        

I hope hi s wife has a lot more babies.

LOL

Mike

There's a bit more grunt in the top order with Malan, Quinnie and Bavuma and if Markram can get his Sh%te together at the highest level then anything's possible. 

Denny

I think by August the experimental selections will be over and can see the following batsmen in future squads:-

De Kock, Bavuma, Markram. Verreinne, Van der Dussen, Klaasen. Snyman amd Ackerman - 7 -of the 8 to be selected for squads and 6 of the seven to play in games.   

There is some real big hitters in the above list, which is a  good sign for limited overs matches, 

As to the bowlers - there are three certainties, namely -

*   fast bowlers   -   Rabada, Ngidi, Nortje

*   Spinners        -    Maharaj, Shamsi and Linde

That is a bit to thin to my liking, but Markram is also a reasonably good spinner,   Amongst the younger fast bowlers I like Coetzee a lot and Sipamla may develop into something good enough.   There also seems to be some interest in Du Pavillion as well.  .         

You're missing Phulekwayo, I'm not fussed, but you know, it's South Africa

Who are the big hitters besides Klaasen?

Duplicate

I did no mention all=rounders above - so lets stick to Phelukwayo. Mulder and perhaps Linde in that regard.   Muller in the "A" team visit last year to India was the highest SA batsman with a score in  excess of 160 runs in one innings and the best SA bowling figures.  However, since then there was nothing written about him.   He was not in the teams lately and there has been no news about whether he is injured or not,  I sent an e-mail to the Highveld Lions and hope fopr a response. 

As to the big hitters all of De Kock, Van der Dussen, Malan  and Verreinne  hits big sixes in the recent series and in local competitions and when Miller is in form he is another one.  They also hit many fours as well.                  

Dave

I do not think that Bavuma will be available for the game on Thursday and cannot see how Du Plessis with his experience in India - especially in the IPL - will  be left out of the lime-up.   If th games were played ion SA conditions your team would be the best option - but the game is in India.   

If Van der Dussen has one shortcoming it is facing spin bowlers of the quality of the Indians on pitches. in the sub-continent.    Verreinne is likely to get the vote in the ODI on Thursday,  

As to the bowling, they may use two spinners and use Linde as the all-rounder ahead of Phehlukwayo.  But my guess is the fast bowlers may be limited to  Nortje and Ngidi, with Van der Dussen, and/or Smuts or Verrreinne sharing the fifth bowler requirement.   

We will have to see what com es out of that one.