Sport! Sport! Sport!

Source : http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-champions-trophy-2013/content/story/634926.html

Just thought I would share this article by the wonderful Firdose Moonda, an excellent piece that gives you a reality check with regards to how important Smith and Kallis are for the Proteas

Take 45% away from a house and you could be without the foundations, some of the walls and maybe even the roof. Take 45% out a car and it will be minus the engine, the gearbox and perhaps the safety belts. Take 45% out of South Africa’s one-day squad and it is missing Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis.

Between them, the pair have played 514 ODIs. The remaining squad members have only amassed 652. Had Smith been fit and Kallis not opted out, they would have made up almost half of the experience and would have more games to their name than all the remaining batsmen collectively.

Kallis alone has played more matches than all of the bowlers combined. He would also have been the only man from any squad to play in both the first and last Champions Trophy. He was part of the 1998 South Africa team that won what was then called the Wills International Cup but has not been able to add major tournament silverware to his CV since then.

Neither have South Africa. Now they will attempt to break the 15 year trophy drought without two of their sturdiest pillars. But what do they miss out on besides experience? After all, in 12 tournaments after that – four World Cups, four World Twenty20s and four Champions Trophies – South Africa returned empty handed despite having the services of both Smith and Kallis for all but one event. Smith did not play the last World T20 in Sri Lanka but Kallis was recalled to the format specifically for the competition.

In fact, some of the time the two heavyweights were deemed the cause of the team’s shortcomings at major tournaments, especially the 2007 one. Smith and Kallis were among those accused of being unfit in West Indies and Kallis was blamed for dramatically slowing down the chase in a group stage match against Australia in that World Cup.

But those examples are exceptions. More often than not, the pair are credited for forming the consistent base that has allowed South Africa to win matches and series, albeit not the most important ones.

On reputation alone, they would earn a place in most teams. Kallis’ two-in-one ability has given South Africa what Gary Kirsten often calls a 12th man who does more than carry drinks. Smith has frequently come under the spotlight for being out of form in the 50-over game but he always rectifies that with important innings at important times. Since January last year, he has notched up three half-centuries and two hundreds but it is not the numbers that illustrate his real worth, especially not this time.

It is Smith’s value as a captain without the title that will be missed most because AB de Villiers is still uncertain in the job. De Villiers has admitted he is still finding his feet and that is obvious in some of his decision-making, such as fielding positions and bowling changes. Over the last summer, Smith was obviously assisting him with both despite having relinquished the leadership role after the 2011 World Cup.

	Graeme Smith’s ankle injury strips South Africa’s ODI captain AB de Villiers of a valuable resource © AFP  Enlarge

With de Villiers also taking up the wicketkeeping role permanently in ODIs, he needs as much senior counsel as can be provided. In Smith and Kallis he had two of the best. With both gone, he is now the most experienced man left and will have to rely on the willingness of Hashim Amla and instincts of Faf du Plessis to assist where needed.

There is also the question of how South Africa will strengthen their top-order without the big two. One of the solutions could involve bringing Kallis back. The selectors will have to ask if he feels his mental state is up to making the trip, because that was the reason Kallis cited when he asked to be left out. There’s a chance they may succeed, because Kallis has always been a man who responds to what he thinks is his duty.

Without Smith, Kallis may be told the team needs him and he will likely agree no matter what his own feelings. Should Kallis come back in, he will occupy his usual spot at No. 3 in the batting order, which would require someone, like du Plessis, to play a makeshift role at the top. The same would apply if an allrounder like Chris Morris, who has had a good IPL, is called up.

South Africa may not want to go into a major tournament with players operating out of position so they could seek a like-for-like replacement for Smith and keep Colin Ingram at No.3. Four candidates stand out, with Henry Davids leading the pack.

The Titans’ opener is a classy strokeplayer, was the third-highest scorer in the domestic one-day cup, in which he averaged 40.90, and has played four T20s for South Africa and scored two fifties. He has been around for long enough to have developed a level head and is a confident and serious man, who will understand the importance of the role if it is given to him.

Quinton de Kock is the popular choice. The young wicketkeeper-batsmen made his name at the Lions through powerful hitting and caught the eye of the national selectors last season. He played three T20s and four ODIs, including one as a replacement for Smith against Pakistan in February, without much success. He is currently at the IPL where he has made scores of 2, 0 and 4 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. His inexperience will work against him, especially because South Africa cannot take gambles at this stage.

For that reason, they may turn to Alviro Petersen, even though he has not played an ODI since January 2012. Petersen is currently with Somerset and has adjusted well to conditions in the UK. In his first two Championships matches he scored 437 runs, including two hundreds. One was against Smith’s Surrey and the national captain said his Test opening partner is hitting the ball better than ever.

The wildcard option is Richard Levi, who topped the one-day cup run charts with 620 runs at 56.36 but has not managed to translate that internationally. Levi has played 13 T20s with the highlight his century against New Zealand but his technical problems against the short ball and spin were exposed soon after. He seems resigned to not being included and put on his Twitter page that there are “plenty men in the country worthy of the spot”.

Other names could include the likes Rillee Rossouw, Dean Elgar and Stephen Cook but none of have the gravitas of Smith or Kallis. Then again, who does?

So Below are details for the bloggers pool for the June Test and Champions Trophy, I know most bloggers automatically get invited but for those who have joined in recent times, you can join up below:

Champions Trophy:

http://www.superbru.com/championstrophy/pool.php?p=11080657
Pool name: Battle of The Egg Lovers 2

Pool code: globtill

June Internationals:

http://www.superbru.com/juneinternationals/pool.php?p=11080659

Pool name: MOB2013

Pool code: curlglim

Source : http://www.enca.com/sport-cricket-opinion/kallis-conumdrum

I have a friend, who shall remain nameless, but who comes with excellent cricket credibility, having represented South African Schools in the 1990s and subsequently played first class cricket for two different provinces.

He also knows his cricket and he has a theory, but it’s an unpopular one. Basically, whilst acknowledging that Jacques Kallis is arguably the greatest cricketer ever produced by South Africa, he doesn’t believe that Kallis is as big a test match-winner as Graeme Smith, and hasn’t ‘won’ enough games for the Proteas, commensurate with his talent.

Now, before you all start demanding his name and seeking out the nearest and most suitable stoning venue, just listen to what he has to say. I’m going to paraphrase him, so just bear with me.

Kallis, without question, has the most incredible record. He’s played 162 test matches and scored 13,128 runs at an average of 56.10, with 44 hundreds and 58 half-centuries. That, on its own, is the record of one of the world’s greatest batsman. But, on top of that, he’s picked up 288 test wickets at 32.43. His one-day international (50-over) batting stats have him at 11,498 runs at 45.26 and a strike rate of 72.97, to go with 277 wickets.

Now, I would argue that those are the most important stats you need to know about the cricketer, although you could probably throw his catches (test – 194; ODI – 125) in as well, to complete the package. Either way, those are outstanding stats and place Kallis easily amongst the all-time greats of the game.

But, the argument put forward by this friend of mine, is that Kallis hasn’t batted or bowled South Africa to test victory on enough occasions, taking into account his considerable talent.

Basically, there haven’t been enough innings of the calibre and match-winning quality of Smith’s 154 not out in fading light at Edgbaston in 2008, which won the match and the series for the Proteas – their first series victory in England since 1965. Or Smith’s 108 in the fourth innings of the first test against Australia in Perth, later the same year, as the Proteas chased down a mammoth 434 to win the test, and ultimately the series a few games later.

Kallis came of age with his first test century against Australia in Melbourne in 1997 – a hundred that helped secure a draw for South Africa on a wicket turning square, with Shane Warne is his prime. Match-winning knock? No. But an innings that saved his side from almost certain defeat. Then there are the numerous first innings hundreds he’s scored that have helped set up a big first innings total and put South Africa in control. Further to that, I was fortunate to be at Headingley in Leeds in 2003, when Kallis produced a spell of quickswing bowling that was up there with the best you’ll see, resulting in a haul of six for 54 and South Africa taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

With all of this in mind, I thought it might be revealing to compare Kallis and Smith’s test hundreds, and see what impact they had on the games in question, as well as see in which innings they were scored.

As mentioned, Kallis has 44 test hundreds. Only one of those hundreds (2.27%) was scored in the fourth innings of a game – the very first one in Melbourne in 1997, and that resulted in a draw. Ten of those hundreds were scored in the third innings, but only two (20%) resulted in a test win for the Proteas. In contrast, 33 test hundreds were scored in a Proteas first innings, and those resulted in 19 (58%) wins, backing up the point I made earlier that Kallis has often contributed to a big first innings total, which shouldn’t be disregarded or underestimated.

But then you look at Smith’s test hundreds, of which there have been 26. Four (15%) of those were scored in the fourth innings of a game and all four contributed to South Africa winning the game – 125* against New Zealand in Wellington in 2004, the two I’ve already mentioned, and 101* against Australia at Newlands in 2011. A further four of Smith’s test hundreds came in the third innings, but none of those resulted in a win. So, 18 of Smith’s hundreds were scored in a Proteas first innings, and those resulted in 13 (72%) test wins.
Overall, the Kallis test hundreds (44) have played a part in 21 (48%) Proteas test victories, whilst the Smith hundreds (26) have helped secure 17 (65%) wins.

Those are the stats, bare as they are. Of course, there are always variables and mitigating factors, but those are the cold, hard facts.

Kallis is a living cricket legend – of that there is no doubt. But, those figures make for interesting reading.

You make up your own mind.

So News just in is that Kallis has made himself unavailbale for the Champions Trophy and therefore not in the 15 man final Squad.

AB de Villiers (Titans – captain), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Farhaan Behardien (Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (Titans), Colin Ingram (Warriors), Rory Kleinveldt (Cape Cobras), Ryan McLaren (Knights), David Miller (Dolphins), Morne Morkel (Titans), Robbie Peterson (Cape Cobras), Aaron Phangiso (Highveld Lions), Graeme Smith (Cape Cobras), Dale Steyn (Cape Cobras), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (Dolphins)

What exactly are the “personal reasons” Kallis has for making himself unavailable? We needed him for this competition.

There are five key men that will play and will have to take SA on their shoulders and try and win the damn thing.

Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla will need to carry the team batting wise while Morkel and Steyn the bowling.

Kallis should have been there

I often sit and ponder what it must have been like as a Lions supporter when it was announced the Kings would take their place in Super Rugby 2013.
Sad? Yes, Painful? Sure, Angry? Understandable. Yes emotions would be flying high and the dissapointment would be justified, but sometimes only sometimes do supporters get a little
out of Control, this is a story about a man who couldn’t let go the past, A Lions supporter so wrapped up in anger that he turned on other teams and took his anger out on their supporters and players. This is a story about a sad, angry, delusional man . . .

Disclaimer : This post is by no means a jab at the Lions Rugby Union or Lions supporters countrywide, Lions are my second team and I would never diss or make fun of them, this post is directed at the general public’s interest about one sad man who couldn’t let go.

Before I start my rambling, here are a few quotes from this very delusional and sad man, bare with me here:

“ the Sharks are unable to score tries”

Yes They are, you right, thats why they scored 10 of those try thingy’s in one game 3 weeks ago
“The Sharks backline has been non-existant”

Correct again, totally non-existent, Sharks are 3rd on the overall log because they don’t have a backline, makes perfect sense
“Sharks don’t have a settled team” 

Yip, because settled teams win games hey? and The Sharks don’t so right again!
“Pat Lambie is a Morne Steyn Wannabe”

You’re getting smarter, Pat Lambie once said “I wish I could be just like Morne Steyn, he is my hero and my life” so another one right
“Sharks are the new Stormers, their backline is impotent” 

Once again you are correct, The Sharks Springbok Laden backline mixed with exciting youth and talent are impotent and will probably never have kids
“Sharks don’t even look like scoring tries”

Ummm, yes ok

Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that the man in question obviously has major issues with the Sharks, It is well documented that people become jealous about other people success and the jealousy turns to hate. You’re either extremely Delusional or a very jealous man. Give it up Pal, don’t hate, just bask in the awesomeness of the Sharks.

Just to Awesome for you

Mr Blog Ed how about some help? Powachair reported the upload image function was not working last week already, I see some can upload and others can’t.

The error is :

“138979.jpg” has failed to upload due to an error
The uploaded file could not be moved to /var/www/html/blogs.sport24.co.za/wp-content/blogs.dir/382/files/2013/01.

Please can we at least have a bit of feedback? Shot