A couple of days before the IPL final I made contact with Faf du Plessis in Dubai where the Chennai Super Kings were awaiting news of their opponents in the final. He was in good spirits, understandably, not primarily because he’d enjoyed an outstanding campaign but because he was sharing his hotel room with his wife Imari and their two young children.
Well written, Neil. I've already opined on Faf's exclusion. All that remains to be said is that another opportunity to win an ICC cricket championship goes by the wayside, sadly. I wonder if the disagreeing reader celebrated the rugby triumphs using 'mercenary' players. Anyway, hoping our team makes it through a tough group.
In the words of the great Maxwell Smart, 'Just one question, Chief. Who gets dropped?'
It has to be one of Markram or ven der Dussen. I just can't see how you could drop one of those guys who have shown 100% commitment to playing for their country, for a person who chose not to be part of the WI, Ireland or Sri Lanka tours, and instead committed to PSL, the CPL and The Hundred.
I am interested in the comment "South Africa produce more top level cricketers than any other nation, always have done." If I think of the consistently high level of cricketers produced over the years, and the number of top performing South Africans currently playing county cricket (never mind in South Africa), I can see how this can be true. But I would be interested to read a more in depth study of this.
Once again a well written and fair column. I am sure many of our opponents are very happy Faf is not part of our team for the T20 World Cup - I am sure they would have loved to have had him in their teams. Question - How well prepared is Temba Bavuma? When last did he hold a bat? What happens if he is unable to play? Gets injured? As far as I know our replacements are Lizard Williams, George van de Linde and Andile Phulakwayo. None of these strike me as an opening batsman. I know there is Reeza Hendricks, but will the team be able to call up a like for like replacement and how long will he have to quarantine? Looking forward to watching how some of the minnows perform in the next few days, especially Namibia.
If we go the route of using freelancers to represent the national team, then what is the world cup other than another version of the "X"PL, it is just another tournament featuring guns for hire...
The team that represents the nation should be made up of players that have for the last 3 seasons played only local cricket, within the borders of that country, "franchise players" players that have worked hard and been loyal to county/province/franchise, sure they can be guns for hire locally, within the local national system, and any play outside of the country renders them not selection worthy...
We need to encourage players to stay, we have lost enough players to the travel, to freelance, no longer does a team in KZN represent KZN residents, just goons brought in at great expense, this robs the local game of funds, of growing the sport, of maintaining grounds, of teaching coaching, scoring, umpiring.. And for what???
If we want goons for hire, then they are paid a minimum wage, they are paid fixed rate of R5000 a game, no more, no less.. We need to start to protect the local players, if we don't then there is no future... I don't respect the national team selected unless it is made up of 100% local in country players, the T20 world cup becomes just yet another tournament for washed up retired players looking for a last hurrah..And that is not fair to the 20 yr old up and coming SA A, or SA U19 players....If you retire from this or that level, then you are retired period.. You can play private leagues until your 90th birthday if you want, but you are not on the list for national duty.. If you want national honours, then play 3 seasons locally and only locally... For R5000 a game....
The gross stupidity of CSA has caused me and many other supporters (and sponsors) to see SA Cricket as a farce!
The T20 World Cup is upon us. Great to see teams like Papua New Guinea and Oman contesting for silverware.
What price a Papua win??
1 million to 1?
Where is Papua New Guinea anyway?
Google? Google?
Well written, Neil. I've already opined on Faf's exclusion. All that remains to be said is that another opportunity to win an ICC cricket championship goes by the wayside, sadly. I wonder if the disagreeing reader celebrated the rugby triumphs using 'mercenary' players. Anyway, hoping our team makes it through a tough group.
In the words of the great Maxwell Smart, 'Just one question, Chief. Who gets dropped?'
It has to be one of Markram or ven der Dussen. I just can't see how you could drop one of those guys who have shown 100% commitment to playing for their country, for a person who chose not to be part of the WI, Ireland or Sri Lanka tours, and instead committed to PSL, the CPL and The Hundred.
I am interested in the comment "South Africa produce more top level cricketers than any other nation, always have done." If I think of the consistently high level of cricketers produced over the years, and the number of top performing South Africans currently playing county cricket (never mind in South Africa), I can see how this can be true. But I would be interested to read a more in depth study of this.
Very well written! Sadly as long the current Sport Minister remains nothing will change. All we can do is wish Faf well!!!
Once again a well written and fair column. I am sure many of our opponents are very happy Faf is not part of our team for the T20 World Cup - I am sure they would have loved to have had him in their teams. Question - How well prepared is Temba Bavuma? When last did he hold a bat? What happens if he is unable to play? Gets injured? As far as I know our replacements are Lizard Williams, George van de Linde and Andile Phulakwayo. None of these strike me as an opening batsman. I know there is Reeza Hendricks, but will the team be able to call up a like for like replacement and how long will he have to quarantine? Looking forward to watching how some of the minnows perform in the next few days, especially Namibia.
If we go the route of using freelancers to represent the national team, then what is the world cup other than another version of the "X"PL, it is just another tournament featuring guns for hire...
The team that represents the nation should be made up of players that have for the last 3 seasons played only local cricket, within the borders of that country, "franchise players" players that have worked hard and been loyal to county/province/franchise, sure they can be guns for hire locally, within the local national system, and any play outside of the country renders them not selection worthy...
We need to encourage players to stay, we have lost enough players to the travel, to freelance, no longer does a team in KZN represent KZN residents, just goons brought in at great expense, this robs the local game of funds, of growing the sport, of maintaining grounds, of teaching coaching, scoring, umpiring.. And for what???
If we want goons for hire, then they are paid a minimum wage, they are paid fixed rate of R5000 a game, no more, no less.. We need to start to protect the local players, if we don't then there is no future... I don't respect the national team selected unless it is made up of 100% local in country players, the T20 world cup becomes just yet another tournament for washed up retired players looking for a last hurrah..And that is not fair to the 20 yr old up and coming SA A, or SA U19 players....If you retire from this or that level, then you are retired period.. You can play private leagues until your 90th birthday if you want, but you are not on the list for national duty.. If you want national honours, then play 3 seasons locally and only locally... For R5000 a game....