Comments on: Choking is not quite the word for it

By: Dominosix

Dominosix — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:24:12 +0000

Kurt. I once held your view about Kallis and the short form game (ODI and T20 but have to admit he has re-invented himself and fits into the shorter formats extremely well. My argument stands: Look at the semi-final facts: Smith skied his wicket at over 5.5 with South Africa on 40 runs. Smith had only ten runs with one four and a strike rate of 7.1. Kallis was already on 30. He went on to make 64 with one six and seven boundaries and a S/R of 118,51. Kallis was named for the so-called international T20 side. In the tournament he scored 238 to finish second on the list with 28 boundaries and four sixes. Smith languished at No 15 with 149 runs with 21 boundaries and one six. Smith’s rash skiers in his last three matches cost him and the Proteas dearly.

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By: Kurt

Kurt — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:20:34 +0000

What do you expect opening the batting with Kallis?He is not explosive and never will be.Gibbs is at his best in the first 6 overs where fielding restrictions are in place.
My point of view is that Kallis should not even be near the 50 over side.He is a great player no doubt, but not suited to this format.

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By: Dominosix

Dominosix — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:13:04 +0000

Chokers? Not a bit of it. There was only seven runs in the loss. The game was lost when skipper Smith foolishly skied a ball after being dropped for a similar shot by Gul. Smith threw away his wicket the same way in the two previous games. All he and Kallis had to do was stay and puncture the field with carpet level boundaries and build the innings. Smith was simply foolish and from his demeanour in the dugout immediately afterwards, he knew it. If – he had struck the ball cleanly, different story. Pakistan took their chances and succeeded. No other team had a game plan that held a bowler of Gul’s quality back to the 13th over onwards. He was a wonderful attack/defence player which made the difference.

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By: gph

gph — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:39:43 +0000

@andrew - firstly, there is plenty of youth. smith is only 28. steyn, de villiers and duminy are all 25. vd merwe is 24. parnell is 19. to criticise the lack of youth is bunk.

second, the fielding has been exceptional throughout the tournament. one bad day does not undo all the mileage gained by exemplary fielding. indeed, it is sa that has taken fielding to the next level.

third, kallis at the top is a sensible move. it’s the best place for him, and ipl experience suggests the same. (have a squiz at his numbers.) gibbs is a dasher. to say that these two fulfil their roles is formulaic is silly. it’s like saying ‘gul bowling yorkers is formulaic.’ i wonder why. maybe because it works.

fourth, to say kallis bowls like a beached whale makes me wonder if you’re talking about someone esle. what nonsense.

fifth, there was nothing disgraceful about the semi or the sa team’s showing at any time in the competition. what have you talking about?

last, ‘talk about misplaced pride’. what are you on about? pride in your country is very rarely misplaced. what are you claiming? ‘oh yes, and where is all the support?’ clearly not where you are, what with you proposing bogus arguments for why sa lost.

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By: Andrew Curmudgeon

Andrew Curmudgeon — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:21:14 +0000

Yes, beaten by a much better side, and one with imagination, flare and a freedom from the stultifying military do-or-die disciplines that have dogged the Proteas for years now. On a technical level, they have spent years trying to play spin, and have just about mastered it - even bringing in an arm-bender as acknowledgment that pace isn’t everyhting (sorry, choking - I thought you said chucking). How long will they take to learn how to play swing? - though as you said, when Pakistanis swing the ball nobody can play it.
The fielding was uninspiring, not least from the skipper, and the old formula of Kallis sheet-anchoring and bowling like a beached whale while Gibbs hits sixes in the school playground is becoming all too formulaic.
Are there no young players in South Africa worth a contract - Boucher, Kallis, Gibbs, Smith - where is the new blood? At least try it for 20-20 and 50-50, even if not for test matches, where stiff joints and a few extra pounds are not so critical.
Sorry, but if it wasn’t a fun game (and when did the Proteas last enjoy a cricket match) it would be an absolute disgrace. Talk about self-confidence, misplaced pride, we are the favourites, we are the greatest … oh yes, and where is all the support? Shopping in Sloane Square no doubt?

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By: Nausher Rahman

Nausher Rahman — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:22:04 +0000

I’d have to disagree on this. Yes, on this occasion they came across a mercurial and unpredictable side- but the fact still stands that when it comes to the big matches (knockout matches, semi-finals etc), SA is absolutely unable to lift their game to special levels.

Obviously there are some notable excetions (434 et al), but generally they lack that special oomph from one player that takes them over the edge.

My own armchair prognosis on this is as follows: too much textbook, not enough imagination. Let’s face it, with the exception of certain players, the overall team has never been a particularly imaginative side. Less rigour and more personality is the answer… I think!

All that notwithstanding, we should indeed be applauding them for reaching the semi’s. That’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of.

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