SA A Squad is Boosted by Gibbs

One of South Africas most talented batsmen has been cast aside for the tour against England, but due to some injuries has managed to sneak into the SA A side to face England on Tuesday. Gibbs has been given a lifeline, and most of us hope he will use it.

The squad is made up of: Hashim Amla (capt), CJ de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Herschelle Gibbs, Rory Kleinveldt, Heino Kuhn, Morne Morkel, Andrew Puttick, Rilee Rossouw, Juan Theron, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Vaughn van Jaarsveld

There are 4 youngsters to watch: Rilee Rossouw, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Dean Elgar and CJ de Villiers

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T20: SA Smash England by 84 Runs

South Africa have set the highest partnership in T20 with Graeme Smith making 88 and Loots Bosman getting 78 in the 170 runs stand. In their innings of 241 there were 17 sixes, another T20 record and it is the second highest ever T20 score. 

Loots Bosman succumbed on 94, which is the highest score by a South African in T20 cricket.

 England had 4 players in their side from other countries, with Morgan from Ireland, Pietersen, Trott and Prior all learning how to play cricket in South Africa.

 The game was a one sided affair, with England falling to the wayside and managing a paltry 157/8 off their 20 overs. The highlights for England was Jimmy Andersons bowling anjd the batting of Trott who managed to reach 51 in 40 balls.

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Pietersen in the T20 Game

Recently Pietersen reckoned: 

“I’m looking at playing the warm-up game on Tuesday next week at Potchefstroom and then, I hope, the first one-day international,” he told reporters. “But we’ll just see how this next week goes. I’m certainly not going to rush things – I tried that a while back. So that’s the plan, and I feel good for it at the moment.  “I’ve done some rigorous training over the last six weeks, I’ve done a lot of work at Lord’s in the last week before I flew out yesterday and I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fresh mentally. I had a bad day on my Achilles yesterday, but I think that was just purely down to the flight. I’ve woken up feeling really good today.”

 However he has been included in the game today and will be looking to dominate South Africa. South Africa have made 3 changes, with Kallis, Abdulla, and Kuhn coming into the squad.

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South Africa vs England Fixtures

Sun Nov 15
12:30 GMT  2nd T20I – South Africa v England
SuperSport Park, Centurion  

 
Tue Nov 17          
14:30 local | 12:30 GMT
12:30 GMT  South Africa A v England XI
Senwes Park, Potchefstroom  
 
 
Fri Nov 20          
14:30 local | 12:30 GMT
12:30 GMT  1st ODI – South Africa v England
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg  N/A 
 
Sun Nov 22
10:00 local | 08:00 GMT
08:00 GMT  2nd ODI – South Africa v England
SuperSport Park, Centurion  N/A 
 
Fri Nov 27          
14:30 local | 12:30 GMT
12:30 GMT  3rd ODI – South Africa v England
Newlands, Cape Town  N/A 
 
Sun Nov 29
10:00 local | 08:00 GMT
08:00 GMT  4th ODI – South Africa v England
St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth  N/A 
 
Fri Dec 4          
14:30 local | 12:30 GMT
12:30 GMT  5th ODI – South Africa v England
Kingsmead, Durban  N/A 
 
Wed Dec 9 – Thu Dec 10
10:30 local | 08:30 GMT
08:30 GMT  South African Airways Challenge XI v England XI
Buffalo Park, East London  N/A 
 
Fri Dec 11 – Sat Dec 12
10:30 local | 08:30 GMT
08:30 GMT  South African Airways Challenge XI v England XI
Buffalo Park, East London  N/A 
 
Wed Dec 16 – Sun Dec 20
10:30 local | 08:30 GMT
08:30 GMT  1st Test – South Africa v England
SuperSport Park, Centurion  N/A 
 
Sat Dec 26 – Wed Dec 30
10:30 local | 08:30 GMT
08:30 GMT  2nd Test – South Africa v England
Kingsmead, Durban  N/A 
 
Sun Jan 3 – Thu Jan 7
10:30 local | 08:30 GMT
08:30 GMT  3rd Test – South Africa v England
Newlands, Cape Town  N/A 
 
Thu Jan 14 – Mon Jan 18
10:30 local | 08:30 GMT
08:30 GMT  4th Test – South Africa v England
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg  N/A

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South Africa Knocked Out

South Africa were knocked out of the ICC Champions Trophy tonight, but cricket in South Africa has not looked better. Graeme Smith decided at last to play a captains innings and if he has turned a corner the rest of the team will follow suit. For years we have watched Smith make 30 off 20 balls or some equivalent, occasionally getting to 50 and then getting out. Smith has been great to score at a run a ball in his innings but has failed to put together a captains knock under pressure for ages.

Hopefully tonight is the coming of age for Smith, and for some of his peers. Watching the replays of how the guys got out, apart from Duminy who had a fantastic arm ball the rest of the team imploded. Morkels run out effectively ended the game, but Kallis and De Villiers fell for the trap while Gibbs and Botha mishit one. I am still at a loss of why Steyn is at 11 and Parnell at 10. I might be wrong but I dont think Parnell has batted for SA and senior level yet. I understand he has hit the middle of the bat once or twice but Steyn is fairly accomplished with a test 50 and some great runs in the England circuit.

There were mistakes made tonight and we all hope that Mickey, Graeme and SA learn from it but only time will tell.

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ICC Champions Trophy England reach 323/8 SA to win?

Unfortunately I am nowhere near live coverage of the game and what a cracker it could turn out to be. Following the commentary on cricinfo I picked up that it is a flat track. The shots described make the pitch sound an absolute belter. Looking at the english line up, only Jimmy Anderson poses a problem with his mixed bag. If Jimmy gets it right this wont be a contest, however knowing Anderson’s general performance, Onions and Swann will be the men to be careful of.

I predict SA to win it, and it will be close. SA will have to break the record for highest run chase at Centurion but it can be done and I hope it will be otherwise SA will again be embarrassed on home soil.

Update: 3/0 after the first over

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Sri Lanka Smash South Africa

I have questioned Mickey and Smith before – what on earth makes you field in a day night game???? Without doing any research I can guarantee you the side batting second loses the game more often than not. Granted on the highveld it can be different but I will still go out on a limb and say the side batting second is disadvantaged. I will go one step further and challenge any reader to indicate a ground in a day night game that the side batting second wins more often than not????

Day games are different but on day night games unless the weather is terrible to begin with BATTING is the answer. I have mentioned before about Smith and Mickey choosing to field and LOSING – its not the right strategy and I would think SMothers has learnt from this but its a mistake that has been repeated often.

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ODI Rankings

South Africa are top of the world after England scrape a win against Australia in the final ODI

1. South Africa 127 points
2. India 126
3. Australia 125
4. Pakistan 109
5. Sri Lanka 108
6. England 105
7. New Zealand 105
8. West Indies 78
9. Bangladesh 55
10. Zimbabwe 26
11. Ireland 25
12. Kenya 0

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