Ken Borland

The CSA T20 Challenge gets underway in Gqeberha on Monday and whether the St George’s Park pitch, which has often been tricky for batting this summer, will favour the powerhouse batting line-ups of teams like the KZN Dolphins and Free State Knights or the strong bowling attacks of sides like the Northerns Titans or Boland Rocks is the big question.

And if it is a bowler-friendly tournament, will it be pace or spin that holds sway?

If it is spin, then Northerns look well-equipped to prosper with Tabraiz Shamsi, arguably the world’s best T20 spinner, in their squad, along with Aaron Phangiso, a perpetual banker in domestic white-ball cricket. They also have two wicket-taking Proteas fast bowlers in Lizaad Williams, with the new ball, and Junior Dala for the key middle overs.

But above all, the Titans have Quinton de Kock in their ranks and there is no doubting his ability to dominate and spearhead a title challenge. There will also be much excitement if U19 superstar Dewald Brevis makes his senior debut.

There are other Proteas sluggers who will have key roles in the tournament, and David Miller of the KZN Dolphins is someone who could have as large an impact as De Kock.

Janneman Malan will be a key player for Boland, while one feels either Reeza Hendricks, with the bat, or Bjorn Fortuin and Sisanda Magala with the ball, need to have big tournaments if the Central Gauteng Lions are to bring the T20 trophy they won at the end of last season back to the Wanderers.

But T20 cricket is the sort of game where an individual wise old head can put in a matchwinning performance at any time and it is advisable not to underestimate Western Province.

They have included former Proteas Richard Levi and Dane Vilas in their squad and they also have current Proteas squad members, and experienced campaigners to boot, in captain Wayne Parnell, George Linde and Beuran Hendricks.

The Eastern Province Warriors should be watched as well because they will know what is required in home conditions, and they have a good balance between veteran campaigners like Jon-Jon Smuts, Dane Paterson and Rudi Second, and explosive new talents like Matthew Breetzke, Wihan Lubbe and Tristan Stubbs.

The tournament comprises the eight Division One teams in a single round-robin format with 31 matches in total. The top four teams will go through to the semi-finals and the final is set to take place on Sunday, February 27.

With more than a dozen current Proteas involved, this season’s CSA T20 Challenge seems set to be highly competitive and entertaining.

Squads  

Eastern Province Warriors: Sinethemba Qeshile, Matthew Breetzke, Diego Rosier, Wihan Lubbe, Lesiba Ngoepe, Jon-Jon Smuts, Tristan Stubbs, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Tiaan van Vuuren, Stefan Tait, Kyle Jacobs, Dane Paterson, Lizo Makosi, Rudi Second, Akhona Mnyaka, Alindile Mhletywa.

Boland Rocks:Pieter Malan, Janneman Malan, Cebo Tshiki, Clyde Fortuin, Christiaan Jonker, Ferisco Adams, Michael Copeland, Valentine Kitime, Hardus Viljoen, Shaun von Berg, Ziyaad Abrahams, Siyabonga Mahima, Achille Cloete, Hlomla Hanabe, Zakhele Qwabe, Imraan Manack.

KZN Dolphins:Bryce Parsons, Grant Roelofsen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Khaya Zondo, David Miller, Jason Smith, Eathan Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Thando Ntini, Daryn Dupavillon, Ottneil Baartman, Kerwin Mungroo, Ruan de Swardt, Marques Ackerman, Odirile Modimokoane, Keegan Pietersen.

Central Gauteng Lions: Joshua Richards, Kagiso Rapulana, Mitchell van Buuren, Shane Dadswell, Ruan Haasbroek, Dominic Hendricks, Tshepo Ntuli, Malusi Siboto, Tladi Bokako, Aya Myoli, Codi Yusuf, Sisanda Magala, Juan Landsberg, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks.

Free State Knights: Farhaan Behardien, Patrick Botha, Mbulelo Budaza, Gerald Coetzee, CP Klijnhans, Patrick Kruger, Wandile Makwetu, Greg Mohlakoana, Mangaliso Mosehle, Alfred Mothoa, Migael Pretorius, Jason Raubenheimer, Jacques Snyman, Pite van Biljon, Nealan van Heerden, Raynard van Tonder.

Northerns Titans:Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dayyaan Galiem, Heinrich Klaasen, Sibonelo Makhanya, Donovan Ferreira, Aya Gqamane, Dewald Brevis, Aaron Phangiso, Lizaad Williams, Tabraiz Shamsi, Junior Dala, Grant Mokoena, Corbin Bosch, Gihahn Cloete.

North-West Dragons: Nicky van den Bergh, Lesego Senokwane, Wesley Marshall, Dwaine Pretorius, Senuran Muthusamy, Heino Kuhn, Delano Potgieter, Nono Pongolo, Duan Jansen, Johannes Diseko, Chad Classen, Lwandiswa Zuma, Eldred Hawken, Taheer Isaacs, Caleb Seleka, Ndumiso Mvelase.

Western Province Blitz:Jonathan Bird, Junaid Dawood, Tony de Zorzi, Beuran Hendricks, Gavin Kaplan, George Linde, Richard Levi, Aviwe Mgijima, Tshepo Moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana, Wayne Parnell, Kyle Simmonds, Daniel Smith, Yaseen Vallie, Dane Vilas, Basheer Walters.

 

When Australia arrived in South Africa for their four-Test series, it was billed as the battle of the bowling attacks, and it was the Proteas who had the gas required to take 80 wickets, while the tourists could claim just 70 wickets as they went down 3-1.

So just how did South Africa manage to bowl Australia out in all eight innings of the series?

“Firstly, you’ve got to have good fast bowlers and we’re lucky that we do, and they’re good in any conditions. And then you add Keshav Maharaj to the mix and Lungi Ngidi came in and made his mark as well. There were guys putting their hand up all the time.

“Kagiso Rabada was Man of the Series, but I was especially pleased with Vernon Philander. I set him a challenge at the start of the series and he exceeded it, he bowled the overs and got the wickets, so I’m delighted for him. It’s a shame to see Morne Morkel go with the way he’s bowling at the moment, he’s a handful for batsmen,” Proteas coach Ottis Gibson said.

The solid batting performance was also down to the unit as a whole performing, with four different batsmen getting centuries.

Gibson said he was also especially pleased by the way his team handled the controversies and enmity that would burn through the series, until Australia arrived at the Wanderers a beaten side.

“One thing I focus on all the time is keeping the focus on the cricket. It was disappointing that after every game the story was never about the cricket. We lost the first Test badly and we needed a strong statement and we did that. But still our performance didn’t take centre stage, even though we had played really well.

“They were playing under the whole pressure of not winning a series against Australia here since readmission, fixing that was our goal and focus, and after not being at our best in Durban, the guys said it’s okay, there are three Tests left. It was a fantastic performance, with youngsters Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada leading the batting and bowling, but when we needed to see the experienced players come through, they did that. We performed across the board,” Gibson said.

https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-citizen-gauteng/20180405/282325385537518

 

It’s not exactly been a glorious week to be South African with disgraceful xenophobic attacks adding to the regular shame brought on the nation by corrupt leaders and authorities, and Eskom. But on the sporting front, Cricket South Africa (CSA) are facing humiliation as the threads start to come apart about what really happened in yet another World Cup disaster.

Mike Horn, the world-renowned adventurer, who became the first person to circumnavigate the equator under his own steam in 2000, and motivational coach, has no reason to lie about what happened in the changeroom ahead of the semi-final against New Zealand and his allegations of interference in selection have merely confirmed what just about everyone believes happened.

Remember, not one of the players has stood up and supported the “official” version provided by CSA and their staff, and neither has the Players’ Association.

The only possible reason for CSA to lie so blatantly about interference in selection is that they are ashamed of their own transformation model, because all right-minded people surely support the broader objectives of the policy?

And CSA are right to feel ashamed because they have shown little desire for ensuring that the goals of transformation are met, rather than merely fulfilling a quota and jumping into action when some heat is applied to them by politicians wanting a quick-fix rather than actually making the effort required to change our society.

Their utter disregard for the spirit of transformation was shown by Aaron Phangiso not getting a single game at the World Cup, a damning indictment of how shallow the whole #ProteaFire campaign was. If South Africa really were strong contenders to win the tournament, as their leadership constantly assured everyone, then it had to be utter nonsense that playing Phangiso against Ireland and/or the UAE would jeopardise their log position.

Half of the games the Proteas played in the World Cup were with only three players of colour, so why, if three was fine for the quarterfinal against Sri Lanka and the matches against West Indies, Ireland and Pakistan, did there need to be an intervention on the eve of the semi-final? Why didn’t the same interferer intervene for Phangiso?

The CSA board have shown before that they are as self-serving as any odium of politicians and there are members of that untrustworthy body who have previously severely undermined the Proteas and the players with cheap points-scoring efforts designed to further their own ambitions rather than the good of South African cricket.

With Horn having pulled the first thread out, the truth will eventually come out and then instead of having #ProteaFire, CSA will have been exposed as just one big #ProteaLiar.

But the CSA board are ruthless bullies and whoever breaks ranks can expect their privileged position in South African cricket to come to a quick end. Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat is the man sitting with the most egg on his face at the moment, but as an employee of the board, he will certainly lose his job if he reveals the truth.

It’s little wonder then that someone like Fanie de Villiers, whose out-of-touch views of South African cricket have led to him being persona non grata with the team, is sadly able to entice one of our brightest talents, Hardus Viljoen, into emigrating to New Zealand.

The basic truth, as it always has been, is that until Cricket South Africa have a board whose priority is the good of the game in this country and not their own ambitions and fiefdoms, real transformation will not be achieved.