ODI Cricket - I wrote a thread under the Rugby Heading and want to repeat it here for commentts

The latest SA score is 72 for 5 after 22 overs - what a disgrace.   Problem is the SA team is made up of all the wrong players - They have some really good test players - slow in batting run rates - and trying to turn them into ODI players - while also including some real failures of the past in the team.

The SA ODI series is on the go and a number of players drafted in has been weak in the local competition.

The problem start right at the top of the batting order.  Smith is a real test player and his scores in ODI's are not pretty.   This has been the case now for a long time.   With him as opening batsman with a ridiculously low run rate,  there is always pressure on the lower order batsmen to score faster to keep up with the opposition run rate or set a reasonable target.   The second problem is Ingram - but he is not an opening batsman and the further he is from the squad the better.   It would be better to have Duminy lower down in the order - at 3, because of Ingram and Smith, he is virtually an opening batsman - which he is not.    

I would say the team should be as follows:-

1 Rilee  Rossouw

2 Quinton De Kock

3 Amla

4 De Villiers

5 Miller

6 Elgar

7 Duminy

8 Morris

9 McClaren

10 Steyn

11 Morkel

If we need another spinner - because of pitch conditions - put in Tahir.

That will give them 6 batters (all big hitters of cricket balls), 4 all rounders (all big hitters), 1 spin bowlers and 5 fast and medium bowlers  - an ideal mix for ODI's.   Steyn and Morkel can all hit sixes and fours as well.

Whether you like it or not Smith, Ingram, and the rest of the squad are just not ODI players anymore or have never been.  

 The third ODI showed a massive improvement already - Morne was replaced by De Kock and the latter scored more runs than Smith scored in the last two ODI's using many less balls than Smith did in his two games.   An adequate scoring rate by an opener reduces the pressure on subsequent batters and adds value to performances of all batsmen in the middle and lower order.  Good move.

Amla should not open in ODI's - he should come in at 3.  Scoring ratio very good  - but he was clean-bowled by a yorker and would have been better at 3.

Tsotsobe was good insofar as the bowling is concerned and should definitely be in the squad.  

 OK - play him as an opener - I have no argument with that. In recent ODI's Amla was often enough used at 3 with Pietersen and Smith the openers.  With the latter two being so ineffective, he was in practice an effective opener in any event.   

My main point is that we better get rid of all proven  ineffective batters in the ODI squad.  The last two ODI's showed a massive improvement -

*   when Smith and Ingram was not playing; and

*   it was not required from AB to keep wicket and captain the team as well.

They are getting there - but still has some way to go before they can go for top rating.  My one problem is that Smith is not out for keeps - he will be back for the forthcoming two series against Pakistan and India in SA and the batting will deteriorate as a result.