SA v INDIA

Headlines in today's paper.

"We're ready for India"

Faf du Plessis-probably OK to play,after injury????
De Kock-Hamstring/Wicket Keeper/5 day Test ????
Philander-Very Fragile
Steyn-God only knows

De Villiers back is a big plus but wicket keeping for 5 day Test.???

The way I see it...

Faf, he hasn't has any time out in the middle for months... He is going to be rusty and I would not be surprised to see him battle to get runs in the first 2 tests..

Steyn... I will make a bold call and say if Steyn has to play, he will not get more than 2 wickets in any innings during the entire series. Unfortunately a combination of age and injuries has taken the stuffing out of him and opposition teams do not have the "Steyn fear factor" anymore...

Philander will only be effective in his first, 5 overs of the innings... Unless we are still in the field when the second new ball comes around, then possibly a could more overs, but once the new ball is of a bit of age, he will prove ineffective...

Maharaj... Hard to bring the man down as he has done a good job since claiming a berth in the team.. I however think he will struggle against an India team who we all know can play spin..

This leaves us with Rabada and Morkel.... Imvho, the latter is the key to SA being competitive in the series. I will even go as far as to say, whatever Morkel's personal performance is in the series, will be SA's result..

The problem will be, we will not play 4 front line seemers as well as a spinner, so the selection commitee will have their hands full... I just hope that they decide between Philander and Steyn, and not between Rabada and Morkel.....

On the batting front, another interesting selection "headache"..., unfortunately, due to certain criteria the selection panel has to meet, the obvious choice to sit out for AB, is not so obvious anymore...

Interesting times ahead...

All in all, I think we in for a good spectacle...

ITS A STRAIGHT CHOICE BETWEEN MORKEL AND STEYN ,i would go for morkel and tell steyn to go play in the 4 day game which takes place over the test period unless they prepare a green top and dont play a spinner and use markgram to bowl a few if need be...the team picks itself with faf back in for bavuma if fit ...we have met the quotas for the last 12 months which have to be met 75 percent of the time im told so play the best team on merit ..the team picks itself ..the preparation for the series shocking to say the least...please prepare green tops otherwise we are going down

pirates wrote: ITS A STRAIGHT CHOICE BETWEEN MORKEL AND STEYN ,i would go for morkel and tell steyn to go play in the 4 day game which takes place over the test period unless they prepare a green top and dont play a spinner and use markgram to bowl a few if need be...the team picks itself with faf back in for bavuma if fit ...we have met the quotas for the last 12 months which have to be met 75 percent of the time im told so play the best team on merit ..the team picks itself ..the preparation for the series shocking to say the least...please prepare green tops otherwise we are going down

The team picks itself?
You are confident that De Kock and Du Plessis are fit for a 5 day test?
I wouldn't select Steyn because i 'm not convinced he won't break down and unfortunately he is not the player he was.Though he was a great player.

i just hope we prepare pitches that will suit our bowlers,green tops would be perfect for me and pick bowlers who can bowl out the arrogant indians twice to win the test matches.on home soil i am confident that our batters can cope with the indian bowlers and team selection will be critical for our success.i am glad we have a b back and also philander as they are world class.newlands will be packed for the 1st test so i just hope our boys put on a bold performance for the fans.

Farawaysaint wrote:

pirates wrote: ITS A STRAIGHT CHOICE BETWEEN MORKEL AND STEYN ,i would go for morkel and tell steyn to go play in the 4 day game which takes place over the test period unless they prepare a green top and dont play a spinner and use markgram to bowl a few if need be...the team picks itself with faf back in for bavuma if fit ...we have met the quotas for the last 12 months which have to be met 75 percent of the time im told so play the best team on merit ..the team picks itself ..the preparation for the series shocking to say the least...please prepare green tops otherwise we are going down

The team picks itself?
You are confident that De Kock and Du Plessis are fit for a 5 day test?
I wouldn't select Steyn because i 'm not convinced he won't break down and unfortunately he is not the player he was.Though he was a great player.

If I read it correct, Fax was fit for the 4 day game.. Just that he had a bout of flu, which kept him out...

De Kock will be ready...

pirates wrote: ITS A STRAIGHT CHOICE BETWEEN MORKEL AND STEYN ,i would go for morkel and tell steyn to go play in the 4 day game which takes place over the test period unless they prepare a green top and dont play a spinner and use markgram to bowl a few if need be...the team picks itself with faf back in for bavuma if fit ...we have met the quotas for the last 12 months which have to be met 75 percent of the time im told so play the best team on merit ..the team picks itself ..the preparation for the series shocking to say the least...please prepare green tops otherwise we are going down

Unless SA A have a game theres no 4 day games, its the one day cup that's on

India can get our pace attack is fearless Australia showed england india are not great travellers we need to hold our catches behind richard McEvoy

Im afraid we are in for an embarrassing hiding

[
quote="Titch" post=707198]Im afraid we are in for an embarrassing hiding [/quote]

I don't know about a hiding but they could certainly win the series.
They are No 1 in the World and appear to have strength where ever needed.

Our middle order batting in England was dreadful as the series went on.
Zim is no way to judge.

Titch wrote: Im afraid we are in for an embarrassing hiding

i can't see out team losing to india on home soil,not if we prepare wickets with pace and bounce .i can see us winning 3-0 unless we get rain in the 2nd and 3rd test,because here in cape town we are guaranteed 5 days of cricket.

I agree with Titch, this will be embarrassing