The Cricket Test Series has been completed

With South Africa winning the series 2 - 0 with rain causing the seond test not to be completed.   There is no way Australia can overtake SA in the rating and SA will end the ICC year progamme (ending 31 March 2015 in the number one ranking.   The ICC has already handed the mace to the team - together with a cheque for $500 000.   Wonder how much of that money is ending up with the players?

Although SA has a strong team - there are some defects in the team and some adjustments will be advisable.    I think that the following may be advisable:-

*    Alviro Petersen is way past his best and it i time that he be replaced.   I think the better move would be to try Stiaan van Zyl as the other opening batter - but it may be necessary ultimately to use Quinton de Kock in that position.    Whatever happens van Zyl is a must to remain in the starting line-up.

*    Serious attention should be paid to Philander - he is not taking enough wickets anymore.  I think that Marchant de Lange should be considered as a replacement for him.

We have very good back-up batters to replace any of the other players in the case of injury.   Those are David Miller and Rillee Rossouw.   

With all injured players back - the starting line-up should look like the following:-

1     Dean Elgar

2     Quinton de Kock/Stiaan van Zyl

3     Faf du Plessis

4     Hashim Amla

5     De Villiers

6     Stiaan van Zyl/Quinton de Kock

7    JP Duminy

8     Dale Steyn

9    Simon Harmer

10   Marchant de Lange

11   Morne Steyn

Back up Batters -   Rilleee Rossouw, David Miller

Bak-up bowlers  -   Philander,  Abbott.

1     Dean Elgar

2     Quinton de Kock/Stiaan van Zyl

3     Faf du Plessis

4     Hashim Amla

5     De Villiers

6     Stiaan van Zyl/Quinton de Kock

7    JP Duminy

8    Dale Steyn

9    Simon Harmer

10   Marchant de Lange

11   Morne Steyn

Morne Steyn - huh? - Oh, OK, but then you must also select Matfield.

On a more serious note:

Team did well, but will they do as well in the ODIs?

At least the doomsayers who said that Smith and Kallis departure will show, were proven wrong.

Oh please Mike

Some people are just so quick to dump a player these days.

Philander has played 29 matches, scored 697 runs with a highest of 74, and average of 26.80 and taken 121 wickets at a bowling average of 21.95 with fivers in 9 of those innings, against the worlds top sides, not minnows, with a best of 6/44.

That is not the type of player to dump because he has had a bit of a lean season 

I say you are little bit too hasty in throwing him to the wolves and only leaving him as a backup bowler

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I agree Ceradyne

It's very short sighted to want him out of the side 

Oldest Test cricketers still playing at Test level

Oldest Test cricketers still playing at Test level, by country

• Australia: Chris Rogers – 37 years, 128 days
• Bangladesh: Abdur Razzak – 32 years, 205 days
• England: Kevin Pietersen – 34 years, 193 days
• India: Zaheer Khan – 36 years, 152 days
• New Zealand: Daniel Vettori – 35 years, 344 days
• Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq – 40 years, 223 days
• South Africa: Imran Tahir – 35 years, 285 days
• Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara – 37 years, 71 days
• West Indies: Shivnarine Chanderpaul – 40 years, 143 days
• Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza – 31 years, 150 days

Note: The previous record holder, Sachin Tendulkar (born 24 April 1973), retired from Test cricket on 16 November 2013 at the age of 40 years, 206 days.

Wow Mike you want to drop Philander......are you bloody crazy?

That is not worth debating.

Alviro, Robin and Bavuma must go.

Rossouw and Miller need to replace the two bats, Harmer has replaced Robin.......de Kock will return as will JP.

de Lange and Rabada need to be in the squad

The SA squad going forward should be:

1. Elgar 2. v/Zyl 3. Amla 4. AB 5. JP 6. Rossouw 7. de Kock 8. Philander 9. Harmer 10. Steyn 11. Morkel 12. Faf 13. Miller 14. de Lange 15. Rabada 16. Parnell  

Beenkop stop speaking crap......Miller was only really seen as an ODI player and has little exposure in the longer format. My call is that given he has made the grade at ODI level and has a very good technique, there is no reason in the world he could not make it at test level.

This of course goes straight over your stupid head.......from a technical and mental point, Miller looks the part.

His average in the longer format would increase given the experience and confidence he now plays with. My guess is that his average is lower due to his early career.

As for any fool thinking Philander should not start for SA in tests, clearly indicates they know stuff all about the game  

2      Rillee Rossouw

3      Stiaan van Zyl

4      Hashim Amla

5      De Villiers

6      JP Duminy

7      Quinton de Kock

8      Vernon Philander

9      Dale Steyn

10    Simon Harmer

My test side would be:

1.Elgar 2. v/Zyl 3. Amla 4. AB 5. JP 6. Rossouw 7. de Kock 8. Philander 9. Steyn 10. Morkel 11. de Lange  

JP would be my spinner, he is more than a part timer, in my opinion he is better than someone like Petersen but that's a tough call on Harmer who looks good.

So if we are to play Harmer then de Lange misses out.