Cricket Story

Because I have no trust in the opening pair of the Proteas I took  a bet on Monday with World Sports Betting that the English team would have a bigger opening partnership score than the Proteas - the odds was 9/10  - so I put R50 on the bet.  
After the English opening partnership only made 3 runs I thought there goes my R50 and apparently Betting World thought the same until the Proteas opening partnership scored a duck.   I found my account not credited with the win and eventually phoned them to find out why I was not credited with the winning bet.   They eventually found the bet and credited my account with it.
Shows what I think about the present Protea test team.   The team is totally constructed to ensure losses in tests - should have laid a bet that Amla and Du Plessis would score less than 10 runs as well - at least the odds were more generous for such a bet.
Disgusting performance.   The team is disgracing the good name of the SA Cricket.     
    

Hehe Mike. They only trail by 150. Elgar is looking good and if the next two contribute 25 each and tail wags a bit then a lead might be on the cards. I thought bowling first was a mistake. Everyone knows Durban is flat these days, so why throw away the opportunity to make England bat last? Doesn't help when your opener leaves a ball that goes on to hit off stump though. As far as the bowling is concerned, I hope in the second innings they get closer to off stump for the new batsman. I hate watching a new batter being able to leave five out of his first six balls. That's partly why i still rate Philander. Those nibbling steamers just outside off are perfect balls to guys that have just come in, especially when they are not playing aggresively and striking through the line. The most likely scenario in my opinion is a low second innings total for England. Somewhere around 150 - 200. Piedt and Abbot to take most of the wickets. And then a 4 wicket victory to the Proteas. Just a guess.

 Like the man said ,if you win the toss and its a nice batting strip bat first  ,and if its not then think about it fer a bit then bat first ! .Always  bat first . .

 MikeName your side.

 Denny
It is rather difficult - but I would prefer the following side:-
1   Elgar2   Rossouw3   Duminy4   De Villiers5   Mabuna6   Van Zyl7   De Kock
8   Steyn9   Abbott10 Piedt11  Morkel
I would send Amla and Du Plessis to play provincial; cricket and only if they get over their betting vows get them back into the squad.   Van Zyl is NOT an opener -  he normally play franchise cricket as a middle order batter - hence my dewcision for him to move down in the batting order.
As to Amla - when he started off on international level - he was very, very poor.  He overcame that deficiency and became a top player.   In recent tests he got back to all the technical deficiencies he showed initially and they must get out of him or he will only go down.   I also think his captaincy ws damaging his playing abilities and making him captain was a mistake.      

 1   Elgar - Continues to struggle at a high level2   Rossouw - No Test experience and bats at 3 in ODI's3   Duminy - Is a lower order batsman4   De Villiers5   Mabuna - Who is this guy?6   Van Zyl7   De Kock - A proven failure at Test level
8   Steyn9   Abbott10 Piedt - Ordinary at best11  Morkel
Based on the above team  I conclude that your team will not provide any remedies to the current state of the Proteas.

 Denny
Sorry I am wrong - the player is Bavuma - a real Bee selection.
I love the 118 runs made by Elgar in the first innings this test.   Would take a chance with him  - because at least he can bat.

Rossouw regularly open for the franchise he plays for and he has opened the batting in ODI's as well.  Definitely a better option than Van Zyl.
De Kock a proven failure - are you joking or what?

QDK is by no means a proven failure. I haven't looked at the numbers but i bet in ODIs and tests he has a better average than AB did when he had played the same.amounts games. In other circumstances he'd have been given the spot indefinitely but in the absence of Smith and Kallis and the uncertainty that has caused, QDK has been put on a back burner as it were while.they try to stabilise the rest of the squad...by over-using AB. QDK obviously has the talent and the temperament. No? Well he is 10 times as.good as Boucher ever was, and Bouch is a legend. Needs no more explaining than that. They need to stop screwing with the team. Make early decisions now, suffer some losses and build. Rossouw, QDK, De Lange and Abbot must get in now and stay in. Duminy won't get any better and they can't justify keeping him in unless he bowls a lot more.

 "QDK is by no means a failure" Really?? Please note I said TEST Failure and to prove my point here are his TEST stats unless you believe 33% is success, furthermore it's clear that his best TEST bat was against Zimbabwe...  
Career averagesSpanMatRunsHSBat Av100WktsBBIBowl Av5CtStAve Diffoverall2014-201562648133.000----202-ProfileMatch by match listBat1Bat2RunsWktsConcCtStOppositionGroundStart Date73441--00v AustraliaPort Elizabeth20 Feb 2014Test # 2121513687--81v Sri LankaGalle16 Jul 2014Test # 212903737--60v Sri LankaColombo (SSC)24 Jul 2014Test # 213181DNB81--50v ZimbabweHarare9 Aug 2014Test # 213518*-18--00v West IndiesCenturion17 Dec 2014Test # 21500DNB0--11v BangladeshChittagong21 Jul 2015Test # 2172

 
How about your side, Denny?

Let's have it.

 You spare no peace....busy touring the beautiful sapphire coast. My team, firstly I'm not upto speed with the best of the local talent and secondly I'm going to cop a blast for my order even though I offer good reasons. Here goesElgarAB De devilliersRuler RossowVan ZylAmlaQDK. - sickieDuminyMorkelRabadaPriestAbbott
feel free to laugh at my order

 
Nope I shan't laugh at anything ... not right now anyway.

I need to first familiarize myself with the boys .. then I'll post my two cents worth.

I must say though ... I'm a little surprised to see Duminy in your side ... and ... no Steyn?? How come? 

Faff Du Plessis was rather disappointing. He'd be the first I drop ... well that is ... right after Amla.

 Simple......for no other reason Duminy rounds off the quota of 4 players and Rabada fills in for the injured Steyn.

 I hear Biff assisted the Proteas in the nets yesterday and is contemplating further official involvement with the team after he completed his TV commitments for the English Tour.  Good move methinks.