Major Fan

Hi All,

I am on my way with a long drive to the Free State ahead of me for the Xmas and New Year “jolly” festive seaon. So I just want to wish all the bloogers out there a happy festive time!

I look forward to next week, with cricket at Centurion (although I know most are doubtful), although I will not watch day 3, because of the drive. Then I look forward to the New Years test at Newlands, where I will don my SA Cricket shirt and watch day 3, and make sure I am as close to the Barmy Army as I can get!

So here is to a great 2009 and an even better 2010!!

Cheers

Major

Hey All,

Cricket is my sport of choice and I can sit and watch every single ball of an entire 5 day test, but now the question arises, will there be a full 5 days of cricket or will afternoon highveld rain disrupt what is set up to be an epic battle? I personally hope the rain will stay away and we will see some good cricket! This is my quick team that I would select for this epic battle (in Batting Order):

1. Graeme Smith

2. Ashwell Prince

3. AB de Villiers

4. Jaques Kallis (?)/Hashim Amla

5. JP Duminy

6. Alviro Peterson

7. Mark Boucher

8. Ryan McLaren

9. Paul Harris

10. Dale Steyn/Friedel de Wet

11. Wayne Parnel

Now I know most will be sitting there thinking, “is this guy whacked, where in Morné, or Makhaya?”. My answer is simple, Friedel de Wet has proved himself in the domestic tournament and feel he deserves a chance to represent his country. At the same time I will not be disapointed if he is left out of the first test to get some more experience on the field in the form of Morkel or Makhaya? but I do feel that he has the maturity to handle the pressure of this battle. Secondly most are even saying, “lets take McLaren out and put Makhaya or Morkel in his place?”. Well, as I have said before, I feel McLaren is a bowler with a dynamic that will use the pitch to his advantage, where Makhaya has no slower ball (although he does in the nets) I feel that McLaren will be a better option because of this.

Then the choice between Steyn and Friedel is a difficult one, because Steyn, like Kallis, must be fully fit, we cannot have him taking a chance and injuring himself further in this game and then being out for the rest of the series. We would rather have him in the side when 100%.

Then obviously I have put a question mark with Jaques, and this is for the purpose of if he is injured or not? We should not take the chance of injurying him even more, and I feel that he is more important to get completely fit rather than have a full range of injuries all the time. So if he is not 100%, Hashim must stand in at number 4 or go up to open and drop AB to 4 and Ashwell to 3.

I feel that the squad is a strong squad and any selection will be a good one, this is just what I would do, but I would not be suprised if Dale Steyn is in and not Friedel and if Morné is in and not McLaren.

I do feel that any team we choose from this squad will have the ability to win a test against England, but I don’t think any game is going to be an easy walk in the park game, and I feel we need to be on our toes to beat this side.

I look forward to the tests and I hope to go and watch day 3 at Newlands, I will sit near the savages of the Barmy Army, just to hear them silenced by the Proteas.

Chat soon,

Major

Hi there,

Me again, last one just before the game!! My question, would we cope fielding a side with only 5 bowlers? Because here is what I was thinking:

If we were to put Gibbs in at no.2 and shift Amla down to 4 with AB at 3 and JP at 5, to strengthen the batting line up just a tad? So the team will look like this:

1. Smith (Captain)

2. Gibbs

3. AB

4. Amla

5. JP/Alvera

6. Alvera/JP

7. Boucher (W/K)

8. McLaren

9. Parnell

10. M. Morkel

11. Langeveldt

Ok here is my thinking on this one, firstly we need versatility in the batting line up so that we can make sure that JP and Amla do not partner, I just feel that both of these guys need someone at the wicket to make big runs while they get going, and if they are in together, it may a slow down in the middle order. Then JP has shown that he can lead the spin attack and make a world class 10 over bowler, may be a little early, but worth a try. We need to open our bowling attack with Parnell taking the first over and Charl taking next, but again, use versitility if need be and use Ryan McLaren or Morné Morkel early if needed, he uses the pace of the pitch well.

It is time we maybe mix the pace that we have with a slightly slower attack, making the batsman have to make his own pace creates pressure on a damp surface… or any surface. I must admit that I feel like I shouldn’t leave Botha out, but his batting is what is worrying me, and his bowling performance is mediocre, with sparks of what he should be. Pop him in the nets a bit more and let him get back to form, he will come right.

I know I harp on the bowling alot, but I myself am a fast bowler so I have a knack to look more into the bowling. But back to the batting, Smith and Gibbs can form a solid partnership and Gibbs also gives Smith a different confidence, and vice – versa so this pairing will work for a do or die game (I hope). With Kallis out the picture it is obvious that AB take the role of damage control if needs be. I would put Amla at 4 because I feel he is not a capable no.3 and AB is a better option (Although some may disagree that no. 3 is where you best batsman bats). This shift in the order will also put Boucher and McLaren back in the spots that suite them and they can then soak up a different kind of pressure later on in the innings rather than earlier.

Like I said I look forward to the game and hope the Proteas pull it off, and the rain stays away.

Chat soon,

Major

Good day to all,

It has been a while since my last post I have been a bit distracted. Anyway lets get down to it. The question that I am posing is can we win Durban this friday or are we going to have another dismal performance?

Well, lets start with something I read in the Weekend Argus that speaks volumes for SA cricket at the moment, if Graeme Smith does not perform then SA are doomed in the middle order. This sounds a little bit like our rugby, if the captain doesn’t come to the park, then no one else does? So Durban will rely heavily on the pivotal patting of Graeme Smith, a man who has proven that he can perform. But putting all the pressure on the cappy is not healthy, this is where the experience of Gibbs and Kallis come in very handy, because time has shown that even if Smith doesn’t perform, these two show the strength to still follow through with great innings.

As much as admire and respect AB, I feel he has not got what Kallis and Gibbs have and I do think he can play that role if Smith fails, but now he needs to prove it and prove me wrong he is a great performer and can do great things for SA cricket, but he must not rely on Smith so much. I fear that Hashim is also not the best starter for SA cricket, but we should either bring Gibbs back or maybe even lets look to the future and take Elgan from the Free State or even Mr. Cook (but I think he is a 5 day player). It must be said though that we have found a rock in Alvera Peterson, and I look forward to watching his performance in the future, lets just hope we don’t scrap him after 1 or 2 bad performances!

Although alot relies on the batsmen, I do feel it is time the bowlers came to the park and started absorbing some of that pressure and defending our lower totals, it is fine that we can bowl England out when we have made 360 odd runs, but what about when we make a dismal 120 – 180? or even 220? Could we ever go back to the times when we could defend lower totals because we had confidence in our bowling attack? At the moment if SA don’t make 300+ our bowling attack crumbles, and it is sad to see when an international bowler bowls to every strength of each batsman? Our bowling attack needs to be more versatile and must have the ability to use the pace of the wicket, there is no point in just banging them in there as fast and hard as possible when defending small totals. Our once formiddable spin attack has become a pinch hitting spree for the opposition so far and this needs to be worked on.

Last but not least, I feel the toss is of major inportance and the weather must be watched? we cannot have another D/L loss because we forgot how to read the piece of paper!!

Our record in Durban of do or die matches is dismal, lets just hope we can at least level the series.

I still think our boys have what it takes, so lets go Proteas and play your heart out!!

Later

Major