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Ken Borland

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Johan Goosen Q&A 0

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Ken

Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen

 

Your decision to sign with Racing Metro must have been a tough one. What were the key factors that made up your mind?

 

A: Big decisions such as this one are never easy, but I decided to take this opportunity as I would love to experience a different culture, on the field and away from it, work on certain aspects of my game, and, as the World Cup will be played in the Northern Hemisphere, give myself the opportunity to get used to the playing conditions over there while pushing for a place in the squad.

 

 

There are a lot of South Africans playing in France and it is obviously a strong league. Do you believe playing in those conditions will improve your game and are there any particular areas you’re looking to improve in?

 

A: Yes, I do think so. One area which I can still improve in is my tactical kicking and as it’s vital to be able to kick well in those conditions, I think I will definitely benefit from moving to France.

 

 

Were any players influential in your move?

 

A: I chatted to Bernard le Roux and Francois van der Merwe, Flip’s brother, about playing over there and both of them recommended it highly.

 

 

You were in France last year with the Springboks, what were the main attractions for you?

 

A: Paris is obviously a magnificent city and I’m looking forward to getting to know it much better, but the main thing is the rugby and I’m going to work very hard to make my move to Racing a success.

 

 

You were something of a schoolboy prodigy. Tell us about your early days and who was the most influential person in your boyhood career?

 

A: My earliest memories involve rugby so I started playing when I was still very young. Two people have made a massive difference in my rugby career and also my life. One is my dad, who always supports me and gave me the best possible chances in life. And the other is Mr Basson from Burgersdorp Primary School. He made the very important decision to move me from flank to flyhalf and started moulding me into what I am today. And then it was very enjoyable being at Grey College, where you can just live for rugby and wearing their jersey was always a highlight for me.

 

Do you have any role-models as a flyhalf?

A: I think Jonny Wilkinson was the most complete flyhalf. But comparing yourself to other flyhalves, which happens constantly in South Africa, creates pressures that I don’t need. I’m not going to change my natural game because that’s what got me picked and Heyneke’s always saying that too. I have to keep working hard and trust myself.

You’re just 21 years old and already playing international rugby, how special does that feel?

A: Just like all players, it was my ultimate goal to represent my country at the top level one day. But I’m just trying to stay humble and be grateful for everything I do. I was the youngster coming into the Springbok squad and I was all ears, learning as much as I could.

Apart from rugby, what hobbies do you have?

A: I really enjoy Golf and horse-riding and I also go hunting quite a bit. While I was injured last year, I had to keep myself busy and I spent a lot of time at a farm in Bloemfontein riding and grooming horses.

 

After making your debut in 2012, you missed most of 2013 because of injury, how frustrating was that?

A: It was disappointing not to play any Test rugby last year, but I was privileged to go on the tour to Europe in November and that was a great experience, I really learned a thing or two.

 

 

Tags:
Category Rugby, Sport

Jean de Villiers Q&A 0

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Ken

 

KB: There’s been a lot of talk about the Springbok backline and a lack of spark. Do you think changes are necessary and will Elton Jantjies and Jaco Taute make a difference?

JdV: The guys who’ve been added will definitely bring some youthful enthusiasm. Whenever someone is called up for the first time, they always bring some good energy with them, so it’s a great thing to have some new faces. If they get the opportunity to play, then I’m sure they’ll cherish it. Whenever there’s competition, it’s healthy and it brings the best out of the other players. Especially Jaco Taute, he can play centre or fullback, so he brings a lot of utility, he’s a quality player and I’m sure he’s good enough for Test rugby.

KB: You’ve formed a new partnership this year with Francois Steyn, how is it going? And are you happy at number 13 rather than your usual inside centre position?
JdV: Frans is such an unbelievably talented player and I believe the combination can still grow a lot. We’ve had sparks of brilliance, but I reckon we’re still only at 50-60% of our potential. I’m very happy at 13, there’s a bit more space and width out there and I think it will extend my career as there’s not as much traffic out there.

KB: How has Francois Steyn changed since his time in France with Racing Metro?
JdV: Without doubt he has matured a helluva lot and it definitely did him well. He’s such a talented guy and he’s already achieved so much at the age of 25. He made his Springbok debut aged 19, he won the World Cup at 20 and he already has more than 50 caps. He can still improve so much, but he clearly learnt a lot in France, you can see how he’s matured in his play and off the field. He’s now got much more of a decision-making and leadership role in the Springboks and he’s showing that on the field as well.

KB: The inexperienced pack surprised everyone by dominating the All Blacks in Dunedin. How happy were you after that performance?
JdV: I wasn’t surprised because the side selected had individuals who are very talented, they’re the best in their position and of course they’re going to add value. They showed that they are good enough there and hopefully we can build on that. You only get experience by playing.

KB: There was speculation that Bakkies Botha would be called up from Toulon. How close was he to selection and do you believe he has a role to play for the Springboks going forward?
JdV: I’m not involved with selection, although the coach will maybe consult with me from time to time, so I don’t know how close Bakkies was to selection. The situation is that we always see what’s available in South Africa first. Eben Etzebeth has come through and Flip van der Merwe showed against New Zealand that it’s time for him to stake a claim as well. He has all the talent and there’s Springbok blood flowing through him [His father Flippie was a 6ft5 prop who played six Tests between 1981 and 1989]. If those guys are injured and Bakkies is available, then I’m sure he’d be considered.

KB: Is the squad feeling the pressure of criticism from outside and is there a sense that you have to win these last two Rugby Championship Tests at home?
JdV: Pressure will always be there. I put pressure on myself to perform and as a team we put pressure on ourselves because we want to win every game we’re in the Springbok jersey. But the fact is it is a rebuilding year, we’ve basically lost a whole team with Gurthro Steenkamp, Bismarck du Plessis, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger, Pierre Spies, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie and JP Pietersen all unavailable. That’s a massive bunch of experience and we’ve lost it so quickly. That puts our results into perspective, although we need to learn from our mistakes. But we do feel it’s vital to win our next two games and we’re looking forward to the challenge.

KB: How does it feel to be criticised by former coaches and players that were close to the team, for instance Peter de Villiers saying there wasn’t enough transformation in the squad?
JdV: I’d rather not comment on previous coaches’ and players’ comments. Our focus is on working towards a goal and we’re sticking to it. It’s important that we listen to the right people and sometimes I’ve felt that the media criticism has been a bit harsh. We just need to win and then everyone will see that we’re on the right track. We believe that we are and we’ve taken a couple of steps in the right direction even though the results didn’t go our way.

KB: You must have been especially disappointed to lose to Australia in Perth after dominating that game for so long?
JdV: Both games overseas, we felt we should have won, but those are the margins of Test rugby. One or two mistakes and you find yourselves 10 points down, but that’s what we need to learn from. That’s where experience comes in and all those names we’ve lost. It reminds me of 2004, there are a lot of similarities. We came close in Christchurch and Perth and then we won the two games at home and ended up winning the Tri-Nations.

KB: You also made the All Blacks look very beatable. You must take a lot of confidence from that?
JdV: Exactly. We’re not just focused on the result. We were up against the best in the world – the World Cup winners – and we came close to beating them at home, so that was good for us. They will still probably go on to win the tournament, but stranger things have happened in sport. We’re still holding thumbs for our chances, but if we don’t win the title, we at least want to get two good wins to finish.

KB: How big a blow is it for the All Blacks that Sonny Bill Williams is not available?
JdV: He’s a quality player and he brought a lot of confidence and skill to their midfield, on an individual basis. But Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith have been a partnership that has served them well for several years, they were probably the outstanding centre combination in world rugby.

KB: What have Argentina brought to the competition?
JdV: They’ve showed that they’re going to be great for the competition. They bring a new feeling, a bit of freshness to the tournament. They’ve been really good, they’ve definitely shown that they belong and we’ll wait and see how New Zealand and Australia do over there.

KB: Is there any chance of you playing in France at some stage in the future?
JdV: Never say never! If a good offer comes … I’ve always said I’d love to play professional rugby in France, just to be a part of the culture and experience the passion for the game there.

 

Tags:
Category Rugby, Sport

Proteas World T20 Q&A 0

Posted on October 07, 2012 by Ken

Asked by:

Jacques Swart (Pretoria) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:28

Question:

Great win for the Proteas yesterday. How much better are the Proteas at, attacking spin, to previous teams? I remember in the past we struggled with attacking quality spin. I see this as being the main concern come saturday, depending on pitch conditions.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

We`ve improved hugely against spin! In fact, I would say we now play spin probably the best in the world, along with Australia, outside of the sub-continental countries. Our record in the sub-continent shows this. But it will be a fascinating challenge to attack Ajantha Mendis!
Asked by:

jimesh chauhan (jhb) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:45

Question:

Will Ajantha Mandis have a huge impact on South African batting line up, considering his last performance against Zimbabwe?
And I still feel that Albie Morkel should bat no. 4 or 5, in order to post a solid platform. Do u agree or disagree? Thank you for ur time:)keep well

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Jimesh
Ajantha Mendis is obviously a major threat, but we do play spin a whole lot better than Zimbabwe do! It will be a fascinating contest between him and the likes of Amla, Kallis and De Villiers.
I think Albie`s batting position should depend on how many overs are left in the innings. If we`re 120-2 after 14 overs, then I have no problem with him coming in. He should be coming when there are about five overs left.
Asked by:

Stephen Lynch (Frankfurt) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:46

Question:

Hi Ken, hope you are well out there in miggie-land. Methinks last night”s game did basically nothing to practically advance the cause in this tournament, apart from Levi getting his eye back in. And the bowlers, of course, but that performance would have been the case anyhow had we bowled second up. Question is; why did AB not bat first to allow match practice for the batters? So now what do we do with the new man, an outing against Zim would have been ideal. Can AB now risk him against SL? I feel we missed an opportunity last night. SA were always going to be far too strong, so a slightly green strip was never going to be a factor. What sayeth thou?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Salutations Stephen!
I agree, not too much can be read into the win over Zimbabwe, but if South Africa have learnt anything in ICC tournaments it`s that you can`t afford to underestimate anybody! So I think AB`s thinking quite rightly revolved around making sure we win well and not approaching the game as a practice session. Obviously it was great that Levi got some runs and the intensity the bowlers showed has laid down a marker for the rest of the tournament.
Asked by:

Bob (hove /england) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:48

Question:

Hi Ken
Why is Vernon Philander not in the SA team.Is this another time where South Africa screw up because someone cant see the wood threw the trees.And why is Justin Ontong anywhere near Sa colours.Is it because of his colour.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Bob
Philander is not played in the limited-overs teams because he`s considered more of a line-and-length bowler and lacks the variety needed, especially in T20. Ontong is most definitely there on merit – he`s been one of the best finishers and most consistent batsmen in domestic cricket. Plus he`s experienced.

 

Asked by:

Jacques Swart (Pretoria) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:28

Question:

Great win for the Proteas yesterday. How much better are the Proteas at, attacking spin, to previous teams? I remember in the past we struggled with attacking quality spin. I see this as being the main concern come saturday, depending on pitch conditions.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

We`ve improved hugely against spin! In fact, I would say we now play spin probably the best in the world, along with Australia, outside of the sub-continental countries. Our record in the sub-continent shows this. But it will be a fascinating challenge to attack Ajantha Mendis!
Asked by:

jimesh chauhan (jhb) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:45

Question:

Will Ajantha Mandis have a huge impact on South African batting line up, considering his last performance against Zimbabwe?
And I still feel that Albie Morkel should bat no. 4 or 5, in order to post a solid platform. Do u agree or disagree? Thank you for ur time:)keep well

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Jimesh
Ajantha Mendis is obviously a major threat, but we do play spin a whole lot better than Zimbabwe do! It will be a fascinating contest between him and the likes of Amla, Kallis and De Villiers.
I think Albie`s batting position should depend on how many overs are left in the innings. If we`re 120-2 after 14 overs, then I have no problem with him coming in. He should be coming when there are about five overs left.
Asked by:

Stephen Lynch (Frankfurt) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:46

Question:

Hi Ken, hope you are well out there in miggie-land. Methinks last night”s game did basically nothing to practically advance the cause in this tournament, apart from Levi getting his eye back in. And the bowlers, of course, but that performance would have been the case anyhow had we bowled second up. Question is; why did AB not bat first to allow match practice for the batters? So now what do we do with the new man, an outing against Zim would have been ideal. Can AB now risk him against SL? I feel we missed an opportunity last night. SA were always going to be far too strong, so a slightly green strip was never going to be a factor. What sayeth thou?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Salutations Stephen!
I agree, not too much can be read into the win over Zimbabwe, but if South Africa have learnt anything in ICC tournaments it`s that you can`t afford to underestimate anybody! So I think AB`s thinking quite rightly revolved around making sure we win well and not approaching the game as a practice session. Obviously it was great that Levi got some runs and the intensity the bowlers showed has laid down a marker for the rest of the tournament.
Asked by:

Bob (hove /england) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:48

Question:

Hi Ken
Why is Vernon Philander not in the SA team.Is this another time where South Africa screw up because someone cant see the wood threw the trees.And why is Justin Ontong anywhere near Sa colours.Is it because of his colour.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Bob
Philander is not played in the limited-overs teams because he`s considered more of a line-and-length bowler and lacks the variety needed, especially in T20. Ontong is most definitely there on merit – he`s been one of the best finishers and most consistent batsmen in domestic cricket. Plus he`s experienced.
Asked by:

Ahmed white (Bulawaya) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:49

Question:

Do u think the choking mindset is stil playing in minds of the players.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

I`d hate to speculate what it`s in the minds of the players. But they seem to be very open about the whole “choking” issue and the first step in overcoming a problem is acknowledging that you have one.
Asked by:

Dave Child (Cape Town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:51

Question:

How important a role do you see partnerships playing in T20 cricket? Is there merit in building partnerships or does the format just encourage high run rates and big hitting?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

It`s surprising how crucial partnerships are, even in T20. One partnership of 80, even if the one batsman just makes 20 off 20 balls, generally sets up a healthy total.
Asked by:

Kevin (Bloemfontein) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:52

Question:

Hi Ken

Thanks for your time. With our team well balanced now, do you see Lobsi and FaF playing a major role if we are to win? And do you see the batting order changing a lot?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Kevin
I think Faf has been earmarked as batting in the top three so, with Levi now making runs, his chances of playing a major role now seem quite slim.
Tsotsobe has been out of sorts with the ball for a while now and, similarly, with Steyn, the 2 Morkels and Kallis doing such a great job with the ball last night, he could struggle to get back in.
The batting order will probably stay the same now, although there might be a shuffle if Amla & Kallis find themselves in at the same time.
Asked by:

Danian (wellington) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:52

Question:

Hi ken do u think that levi is gonna step up agains the big teams?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Danian
I was very encouraged by the way Levi played last night. He was a lot more patient, composed and generally played straighter, half of his boundaries coming through the covers. Obviously it was against a limited bowling attack, but if he can bat with the same mindset against the bigger teams, then I believe he can still be successful.
Asked by:

John (JHB) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:55

Question:

Hi, Would just like to know even if SA beat Sri Lanka They finish second no matter what and do they carry those points into the super 8”s.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi John
We would have to thrash Sri Lanka in order to overtake them in the group.
No points are carried through to the Super 8s.
Asked by:

Tumelo Motlhaloga (Johannesburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:56

Question:

Hi Ken

I was pleased with the compo of the squad with Fahaan getting the nod as he can finish the innings this will in turn let AB bat @4.Which slow bowler would you give a chance to fill in for Botha after the tornament Phangiso as he is economical or Harmer

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Tumelo
Do you know something about Botha that I don`t? He is still available for South Africa moving forward. But if he gets injured, then Phangiso must be in with a good shout given his domestic form. Harmer is still a bit raw and has had more success in four-day cricket.
Asked by:

Jerry Kekana (Mafikeng) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:59

Question:

Hi Ken

I believe the team that played against Zim was the best we have, the only change could be in the no 6position and maybe an extra paceman for a spinner if need be. Our top5 should be like that. Your opinion on that?
Regards

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Jerry
Yes, I also liked the top 5, providing Levi can carry on with that form.
Behardien obviously still needs to prove himself, but he was the best finisher in SA last season and deserves a fair chance. An extra paceman for a spinner would depend on conditions, but it needs to be remembered that spinners are the most successful bowlers in T20 and South Africa have built a strong strategy around Botha & Peterson.
Asked by:

Bruce (Johannesburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:59

Question:

Hi Ken. SA”s performance yesterday was flawless, however, was against a minnow team which hasn”t won a T20 game in 13-odd games. How should we fancy our chances against Sri Lanka tomorrow, with the likes of the Mendis brothers currently dominating their bowling attack, and of course, Slinga Malinga…?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Bruce
Quite right, beating Zimbabwe is one thing, but we were never under pressure. Sri Lanka will be a very tough challenge, at home, desperate to win the trophy, and with some of the best T20 players in the world in Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Sangakkara, Dilshan, Jayawardena!
Asked by:

Mark Van Zyl (Boksburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:01

Question:

Howzit Ken,
I think it was an all round good performance yesterday, but do you think that it will have a positive or negative approach come Saturday knowing that both teams have won quite comfortable bat and ball?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Mark
Apart from the confidence boost it has given both South Africa and Sri Lanka, the wins over Zimbabwe will have no bearing on Saturday`s game.
Asked by:

Christian (Randburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:02

Question:

Hi Ken, many will criticize ICC”s decision to include the “minnow” teams in the World T20, and say that they are not good enough to compete against the bigger teams. But in all fairness, what real opportunities are they given to improve? You already have a Future Tours Programme (set for the next 5-10 years) that is already against them, and then little room for them to get “real” competition not only against each other, but crucially the big teams. Is cricket ever really going to become a true global sport? Or is it forever going to remain a domain of 5 or 6 countries? Your thoughts?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Christian
It`s a difficult one because playing 2 one-sided matches in a world cup probably doesn`t help them much, but it`s better than nothing.
The ICC are working hard to give the second tier more opportunities and more regular tournaments, but there`s still a long way to go. T20 is a good vehicle for them and perhaps the ICC should look at expanding this competition and having a Plate section?
Asked by:

Jody (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:04

Question:

I don”t know much about Farhaan Behardien, is he good enough as a batsmen. If not would fuf d replace him?
Thx

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Faf is more of a top-order batsman in T20, while Behardien was the best finisher in South Africa last year, had a phenomenal run. He definitely deserves a chance at 6.
Asked by:

Sergio Short (Middelburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:06

Question:

Good Day Ken,

I”m glad we got the first win out of the way and the team will be able to build from that. I hope the team is left as it is for now because the mix is very good and can handle just about anything.

My only concern is with the conditions taking a bit of a toll on the guys especially the fast bowlers. Morne Morkel was really tired when bowling his last over and looked like his struggling for breath. How long does it usually take to acclimatise to the conditions in Sri Lanka?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Sergio
I think the guys will take strain especially after coming straight from a couple of months in England! Fortunately it is just 4 overs for the quicks and I`m assured that Rob Walter has them all at peak fitness!
They seemed pretty acclimatised last night, but yes, the heat and humidity will be a factor.
Asked by:

Tengz (East London) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:08

Question:

What do you think could be the catalyst in the proteas winning their first major tournament.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

A bit of luck will probably make all the difference!
I think we need a match-winning performance in the knockout phase from one of our world-class stars – De Villiers, Steyn, Kallis, Amla, one of the Morkels?
Asked by:

louis (pretoria) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:08

Question:

hi Ken
do you thimk watching Levi yesterday bat this will be his new style of batting in T20?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

hi Louis
I hope so! He just needs to give himself more time. With his power and timing he will still get great value from more orthodox strokes.
Asked by:

Elvis chauke (Phalaborwa) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:14

Question:

We beat zimbabwe by 10 wickets,ok.zim r minnows as they r unranked in test rankings.cn da proteas keep da momentum going against big guns like england n australia in da big stage?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

That remains to be seen. I would certainly back us against England and Australia, but there are bigger guns in the tournament like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, India …
Asked by:

Kau Magashe (Polokwane) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:16

Question:

Hello ken now that we have qualified for the super eight, is it time to rotate our batsmen aswel as our bowler to give them some game time or will it upset our starting eleven?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Kau
I think rotation should only happen if the conditions demand it. It`s not like a 50-over World Cup where there are a whole string of matches and you can afford to tweak your team.
We have some momentum now, we need to build on that.
Asked by:

Talha (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:20

Question:

Great start for the Proteas, my only fear is that this appears way too familiar with last tournaments, demolishing teams at the beginning and then when it really counts, can”t handle the pressure – would the proteas ever get that Big Match Temperament? Considering how fully aware they”ve become of the chokers tag? Secondly the fact that our openers were barely tested against Zim, it feels like the cup hasn”t yet started for them – what do u think the mind frame would be going into the next round?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Obviously the team still has plenty to prove, but would you rather they struggled to beat Zimbabwe? At least they`ve laid down a marker now and they have a base to build on.
They`ve shown plenty of BMT in England so why can`t they in Sri Lanka?
I think the tournament has most definitely started for Richard Levi, he`ll be mightily relieved to get some runs and that will do his confidence a world of good.
I`m sure their mindframe will be the same going into the next round, although they will need to be a little more aggressive.
Asked by:

Ismail (Pietermaritzburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:20

Question:

Hi Ken. T20 is a lottery type cricket game… & on top of that a weather affected/influenced match is an add-on lottery also … all in all i hope that the team that actually wins this ”gambling tournament” is not one that chance seems to have favoured [unfairly]! & that this really silly ”chokers” medal is not brandied about because of this. Six or nix, hit or miss – its just not cricket is it? Whatever happens wishing SA & all you lucky scribes out there all the best & the most giggling fun you have ever had in an international tournament! ENJOY! 🙂

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Ismail
You`re quite right, there`s a lot of luck involved in T20, but also plenty of skill! Hopefully skills will win the day, although when the games get really short, some outrageous good or bad fortune can decide the outcome!
Asked by:

kashief davids (Cape town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:28

Question:

Hello ken, seems sa must get the tummy bug more often i would say that was of our most clinical victories yet. my question is about our batting line up dont you think it would be a better option to have ab devilliers open the batting with hashim and if hashim falls kallis comes in and if ab falls depending on how far along in the innings we are levi or albie comes in i think Levi is not an opener he would be better utilised as a lance kluzner role what do you think.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Kashief
Ha ha good point about the tummy bug!
I think Levi is very much an opener and his role is to go hard at the new ball and if he scores 30 off 15 we`re off to a great start. If he comes in lower down, he won`t have as much pace on the ball to work with and he`s not as effective against spin. I know we want AB to bat as many overs as possible, but I`m happy with him at 3 or 4.
Asked by:

Ronesh Ellam Dukhanti (Midrand) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:29

Question:

We had a great win against ZIM, What sort of team will play against Sri Lanka?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

The same XI I`d imagine.
Asked by:

Damien (Cape Town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:39

Question:

Do you think, the lack of pre-tournament hype will be in the Proteas favors.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Well I can assure that they are already being hyped up and set up to fail! Just yesterday I heard someone call them the favourites!
I think if your heads are in the right place, then being called the favourites is not a bad thing though …
Asked by:

chokersagain (jhb) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:48

Question:

The balance of the T20 side can be improved by dropping Hash. There is no place for both Hash and Kallis in this current squad. Kallis=all rounder should get the nod. With Hash in the squad we will always get to decent scores but not great scores. We dont need Hash as anchor in T20”s. We need a more destructive batsman to replace Hash.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

It`s clear by your handle that you`re willing South Africa to fail which is why you want Hashim dropped.
Hashim is in unbelievable form, has been our best batsman in recent T20s and we should allow him to show us what he can do.
A lot of people had doubts about him in ODIs too – and now he`s number one in the world!
Oh, and he`s our T20 vice-captain which shows you in what high regard the team, management and selectors hold him in.
Asked by:

Moeketsi (Johannesburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:54

Question:

Morning Ken with some of our T20 players not in good form what are our chances of going all the way to win the world cup? Do we have enough depth to dig deep in high pressure games against tough opposition?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Moeketsi
I think the only guys not in great form now that Levi got 50 are maybe Behardien, Albie Morkel, Faf du Plessis and Tsotsobe. Only two of those are in the starting XI and both Behardien and Albie batted very well in finishing the innings in the warm-up match against New Zealand. So I think we have the team and the depth!
Asked by:

Luvo (Cape Town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:59

Question:

I don”t we can read too much in the Zimbabwe game as they never truly tested SA. The real test will be on Saturday!

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Correct.
Asked by:

Gregg (Grahamstown) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:59

Question:

Ken good day
Who do you see winning this competition and why
Thanks
Gregg

Player:

Ken

Answer:

hi Gregg
I think Sri Lanka and Pakistan are favourites, with West Indies not far behind. That`s because they have twenty20 match-winners.
Sri Lanka have the added benefit of being at home, they have the best T20 pace bowler in Malinga, an awesome spinner in Ajantha Mendis and three of the best batsmen in Sangakarra, Dilshan and Jayawardena.
Pakistan have been in great form, they have one of the world`s best spinners in Saeed Ajmal, death bowler Umar Gul and the explosive Afridi.
West Indies have two of the best T20 players in Gayle and Narine, as well as matchwinners like Pollard and Bravo.
Asked by:

Nivash (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:00

Question:

Hi Ken,
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.

I would like to ask you 2 things: 1) Do you think we should have batted first in order to give our batsman ” game time” at the crease? 2) Is there any insight that we can take from the game against Zimbabwe? They were ill-equipped to test us in any way, shape or form.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Nivash
History suggests you can`t underestimate anyone at ICC tournaments so we had to play Zimbabwe like we would anybody else. In those conditions, just after rain, bowling first was definitely the right decision.
But yes, apart from confidence and momentum, Levi`s return to form and the intensity of the bowling, there wasn`t much to take from the game.
Asked by:

Hagashen Naidoo (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:01

Question:

Hi ken. S.A have a well balanced side but don”t you think kallis should bat at 3 & not be pushed down the order because we know he is capable of scoring quick especially if he spends more time at the crease & we have seen that in the IPL especially that final match in the IPL

Player:

Ken

Answer:

hi Hagashen
Kallis was down to bat three and I`ll guess we`ll have to wait for one of our openers to get out to see if that happens!
I hope he does bat three, except if we lose our first wicket with just five overs to go, in which case De Villiers or Albie Morkel must come in.
Asked by:

jeremy (somerset west) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:04

Question:

glad to see richard levi playing a little more circumspectly, bodes well for the rest of the tournament – i wouldn”t `tweek” the team too much, this on paper appears to be our best team.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Agreed.
Asked by:

Ian (Nelspruit) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:08

Question:

Hi Ken
It looks as if most of the top sides are pretty evenly balanced and individual performances seem to swing the games one way or another do you think we have enough of those “x” factor players to win it? and who do you think the major threats are?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Ian
De Villiers, Steyn, the Morkels, Kallis and Amla are all world-class match-winners, with that X-factor.
Major threats are Sri Lanka, Pakistan and West Indies, as explained above.
Asked by:

Tim (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:09

Question:

Hi Ken
It was a very clinical performance by the boys,as a result,it was a very boring game to watch from a entertainment point of view.Do you think minow teams should be included in ICC events?Because the t20 world cup can be better if the top 8 teams in the world play each other once in the round one,then the top four progress to the semis.That will mean all games being competitve and enjoyable to wacth.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Tim
I think the ICC has a responsibility to grow the game and give opportunities to the “minnows”.
Besides, who can argue that the likes of Afghanistan and Ireland add something, even if they lose?
Asked by:

denver (cape town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:09

Question:

Hi Ken
Farhaan baehardien in for justin ontong,is it just a rotation policy or is this permanent for the whole tournament,will be unlucky for justin seing that he hasn”t had much of an opportunity in this format with the bat and can bowl a bit.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Denver
Yes, Ontong hasn`t had much chance but I think Behardien has been picked ahead of him based on his incredible form in last year`s domestic T20.
Behardien can also bowl a bit, at least as much as Justin, by the way!
Asked by:

Doug (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:09

Question:

Do you think form in the t20 arena could translate into ODI”s? I am a big Johan Botha fan and I hope he has a fantastic world cup so it can warrant his selection in the ODI team. I can”t fathom why he is left out of the ODI squad.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

I think the best players can thrive in all formats. There are exceptions, like Levi still has to prove himself in 50-over cricket. But I have no doubt Johan Botha should be in our ODI squad. At the moment he`s not in the XI because he apparently doesn`t take enough wickets …
Asked by:

Terry (Cape Town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:12

Question:

Hi Ken, I think we have a pretty solid team but would have liked a more attacking spinner like Tahir in there to give us more options on attack. Morkel is good when on form but too inconsistent for this format of the game. I still cannot understand how the ICC go about their rating of players and teams? Thanks

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Terry
Tahir would bowl too many loose deliveries for T20 cricket. Peterson is there as an attacking spinner.
Are you criticising Morne Morkel? I think that would be harsh, he was superb last night and has been consistently good this year.
The ICC ratings are done through a complex system of calculations, the details of which you can find on their website.
Asked by:

Bongane Nhlapo (Rondebosch) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:12

Question:

Do you think yesterday starting xi is capable of going all the way to the finals?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Yes!
Asked by:

HARI PRASAD (trivandrum) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:14

Question:

This squad looks absolutely strong and formidable.Do you think SA can deliver the killer punch in the second phase of the tournament ?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

We certainly have the players to do it.
Asked by:

musa (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:14

Question:

What means you made that when we loose 1st 2 or 3 quick wickets , the rest of the team dont crash. If that was dealt accordingly, surely this T20 is ours. Lasy, why Robben Peterson you dont bring him in as batsman No.5 or 6? All the best to the whole Proteas team.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

I`m happy with the batting line-up as it is.
Asked by:

Jason (Port Elizabeth) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:19

Question:

Hey Ken,
Just a quick question, why was Colin Ingram dropped from the T20 side?
I have all the respect for the current squad chosen but don”t think Colin deserved to be dropped.
Your thoughts?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Jason
Colin went through a dip in form and I`m not sure he`s explosive enough or consistent enough to challenge the other batsmen there.
Asked by:

Lazola JOni (Cape Town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:21

Question:

Hi Ken, I saw a very settled side yesterday, as much as most of our batsman were not tested. I like Berhadien in the middle order, he will do a lot for us in the latter overs, who would you choose between him and Faf?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Lazola
For that position, batting at 6 and finishing the innings, I would give Behardien a fair go to see if he can repeat his domestic form.
Asked by:

Jake (Joburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:36

Question:

I”m confused by your answer about the possibility of the Proteas finishing above SL. If we win against SL we finish with 4 points no matter the margin and they stay at 2 points. Why do we have to thrash them to finish above them??

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Ooops. And so you should be. I was talking rubbish.
Sorry, of course if we beat Sri Lanka, we finish first in Group C!
Asked by:

Warren (Jozie) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:36

Question:

Hi Ken, I really dont see the problem with opening KallisAmla. If they both get going, we will have a huge score. One gets out, then bring in your hitters with an anchor still there. Especially if we are chasing. Your opinion pls.

Warren

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Warren
Well they`re not going to open together but I think the worry is if Levi gets out after 5 overs then you have Amla & Kallis together. But we should back Kallis to score at a good enough rate in that situation. I would only move Kallis from 3 if there are only a handful of overs to go.
Asked by:

kevin pillay (durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:38

Question:

Hi ken. I”m Particularly pleased wid SAs bowlding Performance.kallis as proven y he is valuble in any formate.jest want 2 get ur thoughs on how do u think our back up bowlders will fare if called apon and who is ur money on 4 man of the tournament. I”d go wid kohli or king kallis

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Kevin
I`d actually go for Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Ajmal or Gayle as man of the tournament!
It would be a concern if one of our frontline bowlers were injured … Tsotsobe has not been in good form and Parnell has improved recently but has been inconsistent in the past …
Asked by:

Johan Van Der Westhuizen (Cape Town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:39

Question:

Hi Ken

Don”t you think we are too complacent and peak at the absolute worse times?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Johan
There was certainly no complacency last night. As for peaking, the team are aiming for consistency. Would you rather we struggled to beat Zimbabwe?
Asked by:

Wynand (Potchefstroom) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:42

Question:

Obviously its great that Levi scored some runs again.But dont you think with what we saw from from Faf in the IPL (Batting,Bowling and Fielding wise) he will be a better man to have in your team come play-off time?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Faf is a very useful player and a quality batsman. But I don`t think he`s as explosive as Levi and, with Amla and Kallis also in the top-order, we need Levi there.
Asked by:

zama (East London) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:42

Question:

It was a great win for our boys against zimbabwe.But do you think we will improve in next match against Sri-Lanka or should we expect a below par perfomance against big teams.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

I expect us to carry the momentum from the Zim game and build on it.
Asked by:

William Rudd (Cape Town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:43

Question:

Good morning Ken. My thinking is as follows: Richard Levi finally scored some runs after failing miserably on the recent England tour. Is this not the worst thing that could of happened? I say this because it is now likely that the selectors will persist on playing him and I don”t think he will match up to the likes of Mendis and Malinga. I would rather see Kallis and Amla open the batting with someone like Farhaan Behardien slotting in at 6 given his recent form, what are your thoughts?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi William
Well Levi surely deserves the chance to show what he can do against world-class bowlers. English conditions were tough for batting. Behardien is already at 6, so who would you have at 3? Faf? It`s not a bad option, but I think we need more explosiveness in our top-order and Levi offers that.
Asked by:

Kyle (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:44

Question:

Now that we through to the super 8, is there a need to try and win the match since the groups are already made? and it seems as if the host nation were given an easy run due to this, whats ur thoughts on this?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

It makes little difference whether we beat Sri Lanka or not because points are not taken through and we`ll still be seeded C2 regardless.
But if we finish level on points in the Super 8 then the result could matter!
Asked by:

Danian (wellington) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:46

Question:

Hi ken good win for S.A but its time for albie morkel to deliver for what is aspect to do wih the bat and ball caus he likes to leaks runs an than fall with the bat

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Danian
That`s a bit harsh. Albie didn`t get the chance to bat and bowled tidily 1-26 in 4 overs!
Asked by:

Agie (Jhb) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:46

Question:

Hi Ken seeing that south Africa and Sri Lanka are both through how do you think it will affect the game plan of both teams
Do the teams carry the points over to the next stage

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Agie
No points are carried over to the Super 8 and I don`t think the wins over Zimbabwe will have any influence on how South Africa and Sri Lanka play going forward. Apart from keeping Levi in the team of course!
Asked by:

kevin (umkomaas) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:51

Question:

Do you think with kallis back in T20 we can go all the way

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Kallis is one of our potential match-winners when the knockout stages arrive …
Asked by:

Julius K (Marble Hall) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:59

Question:

What about bringing Duminy for Behardien cz he brings allround performance in bowling,batting and fielding as well especially if the Proteas loose 2 many wickets upfront but overall it was good performance by the Proteas WHAT”S UR VIEW PLEASE.

Player:

Julius

Answer:

Duminy is already in the team.
Asked by:

yaseen (cape town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 12:08

Question:

Hi ken
I”m very happy with the guys performance specially kallis with the ball and levi with the bat and I”m not to worried about mendis 2mrw I think we got the best players of spin the likes of kallis amla and ab my concern is thou that no 6 spot I would love to c muller there why is he not in the team is he even in the squad he”s to good of a player to miss out your take pls thanks

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Yaseen
Miller has only just come out of a bad slump in form.
Asked by:

joshua (Pretoria) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 12:10

Question:

hi Ken
Do you think it would be a bad idea for Levi to be tried at 3

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Joshua
Yes, Levi must open and give us an explosive start against the new ball.
Asked by:

Maluleke Desmond (Polokwane) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:47

Question:

HI Ken!

In which area do you see us winning the tournament? And who are the players do you think are gonna play that vital role?

Thanks for your time

Player:

Ken

Answer:

hi Maluleke
If conditions continue to suit our fast bowlers then we have the best attack to take advantage of that, led by Steyn and Morne Morkel.
Otherwise, we`re going to need one of our world-class batsmen – De Villiers, Kallis or Amla, to hit a purple patch and produce match-winning innings in the knockout phase.
Asked by:

Firhaat Abrahams (Cape Town) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 09:49

Question:

Hi Ken, do you think that there is place for FAF, Amla and Kallis in the starting XI? I think they all take a bit of time to get going (by T20 Standards) and are the “anchor” of the innings so would 3 anchors way us down or give us stability?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Firhaat
I think they had the selection right with just Amla and Kallis in the starting XI.
Asked by:

Bart (Roodepoort) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:12

Question:

Hi Ken,
I would love to see AB open and include a specialist wicket keeper to give AB that mental break that he needs so that he can focus on his batting (at which he is so brilliant). Your thoughts?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Bart
AB kept very well last night and I`m happy with him as our T20 wicketkeeper. You don`t need a specialist in T20.
In terms of mental fatigue and concentrating on his batting, you`re right but that break needs to come in test matches.
Asked by:

steven (upington) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:39

Question:

South africa had a great game yesterday.will they be able to keep it up and win the tournament?or fail near the end again like in previous years?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Who knows Steven? Tomorrow`s game against Sri Lanka will give us a better indication of their chances.
Asked by:

Ivan (Randburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:50

Question:

Hi Ken

Fact!! Kallis is the best all rounder and maybe even the best cricketer ever.

That”s all I have. Can not be negitive about our cricket after the season we”ve had.

Go Boytjies!!

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Ivan
Well that`s your opinion … and one I heartily agree with!
Asked by:

Raja (Kashmir) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 10:57

Question:

Why don”t you guys have settle top 4 position in batting line while having quality batsmen in your side?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

I think the top 4 will be quite settled now with Levi, Amla, Kallis & De Villiers in the ICC World T20.
Asked by:

Michael Craig (Pietermaritzburg) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:01

Question:

Morning Ken
Who do you see winning the T20 world cup and why?
Thanks
Michael

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Michael
As said above:
I think Sri Lanka and Pakistan are favourites, with West Indies not far behind. That`s because they have twenty20 match-winners.
Sri Lanka have the added benefit of being at home, they have the best T20 pace bowler in Malinga, an awesome spinner in Ajantha Mendis and three of the best batsmen in Sangakarra, Dilshan and Jayawardena.
Pakistan have been in great form, they have one of the world`s best spinners in Saeed Ajmal, death bowler Umar Gul and the explosive Afridi.
West Indies have two of the best T20 players in Gayle and Narine, as well as matchwinners like Pollard and Bravo.
Asked by:

Collen (Malamulele) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:07

Question:

Hi Ken

Thanks for giving us this opportunity.

I”m glad Levi got his form at right time. Can we expect ommission of Faf and lopsy in the first 11 for the rest of the tournament after a very good solid start from the selected 11. or the selection is determined by the pitch condition and game plan. Wish this time we will catch the crown after a season dominant in all format of the game.

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Collen
I think it will be very hard for Faf and Lopsy to get back into the XI now. I don`t see conditions being any more seamer friendly than last night and even then we played 2 spinners, which has become a firm part of our strategy.
Asked by:

David HB (Australia) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:27

Question:

They done well on a fast deck, Spin will be tested, but if teh Proteas play the same team the options will be the same and will beat Sri lanka, it does not matter what teh odds would be the Proteas at this stage looks very well balanced and is teh ebst fielding unit in teh world, Just one question why was Smith dropped he is teh higest run scorer for SA, and it is greta to open with a left and right hander combination…just need to know was it his choice or was the selectors not in favor of him and belive that Levi will be the next kind of Gibbs ?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Smith was dropped in order to get some younger, fresher blood in and Levi can be very explosive up front, combining well with the more accumulative Amla & Kallis.
Asked by:

Michael (Durban) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:33

Question:

Hey Ken. Who do u think will win in da sa vs sl game. Wat are SA”s chances of winning da WC?

Player:

Ken

Answer:

Hi Michael
It will be a very tough game against Sri Lanka, but if we can beat them at home it will show we are contenders for the title.
Asked by:

Mike (Stellenbosch) Friday, September 21, 2012 – 11:44

Question:

Hi Ken, hope you enjoying your time in Sri Lanka. Just wanting to know if the fields are as big as they look on tv, if so i believe fielding and turning ones into two and two”s into threes when batting could be key to winning this tournament. Finally would this be part of the planning for a team like South Africa? thanks

Player:

Ken

Answer:

hi Mike
The fields are big and will definitely play a major part in South Africa`s planning, both when batting and fielding.

Tags:
Category Cricket, Sport

Post-ODI series Q&A 0

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Ken

–

James asked:

Hi Ken, why did the Proteas” performance dip so dramatically in the 2nd and 3rd tests? Did they experiment too much, or is the lenghth of the tour taking its toll?

Ken answered:

Hi James
I presume you mean the 3rd & 4th ODIs?
I think there was some mental fatigue involved as well as perhaps some complacency after the big win in the 2nd game. We just didn’t bat well enough, and that was partly due to too much experimentation in the batting order too, I believe.

Peter asked:

Ken,the last ODI proves yet again(when under severe pressure) that we are not chokers and respond to pressure pretty well(Newlands test v Aussies)We are self destructors(the Qval and World Cup v NZ)when we become complacent and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory when on top. Your thoughts please. .

Ken answered:

Hi Peter, I don’t think the World Cup defeat to New Zealand had anything to do with complacency, probably the opposite! We succumbed under pressure and expectation there. But yes, on other occasions we have self-destructed and there has been a hint of complacency. I just think some of the batsmen are so good that sometimes they fail to give their opposition enough respect.

zaheed asked:

Why is there no fixed batsman in the middle order,its keep changing

Ken answered:

Gary Kirsten has wanted to experiment, but I would be far happier if Kallis/Elgar and De Villiers are fixed at 3 and 4, then, depending on how many overs are left, 5,6 and 7 can shuffle.

Chris asked:

Hi,Ken
Waarom probeer boul Lonwabo nie oor die paaltjie in plas van linksom nie,as jy sien hoe skuins moet sy paaltjiewagter in sy aflewering gaan.Dit is om sy aflewerings af te wissel of hoe?

Ken answered:

Hi Chris
Vergewe my as ek in Engels skryf!
I think Lonwabo does go over the wicket a lot – he’s a left-hander remember so it will be the other side to Steyn etc.If he comes around the wicket, there’s the danger of him angling into the pads of the batsman. From over the wicket, he can bring the ball back into the right-hander as a surprise delivery.

 

graeme asked:

Hi Ken , Vernon Philander is #2 in test rankings , how come he is not selected for the ODI

Ken answered:

Hi Graeme
The feeling is that he’s a bit predictable for ODIs, needs to work more on slower balls and other variations. His great strength is putting the ball in the same place every time, which doesn’t work in modern-day limited-overs cricket.

robert tapiwa mandeya asked:

who is our #3 batsman when kallis is unavailable,,these guys have to serious & where is our petersen the gret open

Ken answered:

Well Dean Elgar was meant to be Kallis’s replacement, but I was disappointed to see him batting at 6 in one innings! I guess one could include Alviro Petersen either as an opener or in place of Graeme Smith. Hashim at 3 perhaps, but maybe 1,2 & 3 will all be too alike then?

Tshepo asked:

Hi Ken
Do you think AB made a mistake in a 3rd ODI when he chose to bat first because I think SA perform better when we field first.

Ken answered:

Hi Tshepo
No, if anything the pitch became slower & lower, with more turn. We just batted really badly after a good start!

Daniël asked:

Hi Ken

The ODI”s was a bit boring for me don”t know if is becaues of the high of the tests, don”t know if it is because of the 2 new balls, you”re thoughts? Secondly, Ricard Levi don”t we need him at the top in ODI”s just to get it going?

thank you!

Ken answered:

Hi Daniël
I think there was a bit of a hangover from the tests and yes, having two new balls in English conditions will keep the batsmen quieter.
I think Levi probably deserves a look opening the batting in ODIs.

Adrian asked:

Hi Ken do you think SA will still be a force to be reckon with after Kallis retires! And is AB is real solution to our keeper problems! It seems that the keeping is taking its toll on his batting! One fifty on this tour so far! To captain, to keep and to bat is a lot to do if you ask for consistency!

Ken answered:

Hi Adrian
What you say about AB is exactly what I’ve been saying for months! For potentially the best batsman in the world to score just one half-century the whole tour is very disappointing. AB should be a consistent match-winner with the bat for us, much like Amla.
There is no doubt Kallis will leave a massive hole when he retires. We’ve seen the difficulties in balancing the side in this series. But I believe we have the talent to still be a major force, it will just be tougher!

Mandlenkosi asked:

Who will captain the proteas in the T20 match against England

Ken answered:

AB de Villiers

KR asked:

GoodDay Ken,

Just one question…..

With all the experimentation going on in out one-day set-up.
Provided everyone is fit what would you say out best first 11 is in batting order please?

Ken answered:

Hello KR
I would go Smith (although maybe Levi should be looked at), Amla, Kallis, De Villiers, Du Plessis (deserves another chance), Duminy, A. Morkel, Peterson, Parnell or Tsotsobe depending on conditions, Steyn, M. Morkel

Barend asked:

Hi Ken.
Last year in the World cup SA also used a spinner to open the bowling,and just like the last England game it paid off. Is that because the pitches in the sub continent is similar to england”s? If not don”t you think SA should more gamble with that decision cause it seems the opening batsmen are strugling with the new ball spinning?

Ken answered:

Hi Barend
I think in their planning, nobody expected the pitches in England to be so uncharacteristically slow, low and turning. The decision to open with a spinner was a belated one, especially given England’s history against spin. It’s a good surprise tactic and we should keep using it from time-to-time.

mike asked:

Hi, Is it possible to get stumped of a free hit? if not can the keeper run you out of a free hit, in the fashion that prior got morkel out in the tests?

Ken answered:

Hi Mike
You can’t be stumped off a free hit, but you can be run out. Prior stumped Morkel because he wasn’t making any attempt at a run. That would be the key for a free hit as well, was the batsman attempting a run?

Tumelo asked:

Hi Ken

I think the team was not well balanced in the 1st 3 games played,with Parnell coming in at 7 and with the same type of pace bowlers in Parnell and Styne.My 2nd point is AB and Gary were a bit naive in the last odi by not sending AB in @3 i knw faf is not a finisher hence Dean and faf have to fight for that spot and Ontong, Farhaan and Albie for the no.7 spot

Ken answered:

Hi Tumelo
Yes, balance was an issue but more so the batting order. I agree, Parnell should not be as high as 7, but he and Steyn are very different bowlers, never mind the whole left-arm/right-arm thing!
I don’t mind AB not batting 3 if there’s a Kallis or Elgar there, but he must bat 4! He’s our best ODI batsman and needs to face enough overs. Elgar is not a finisher, he’s an accumulator, while Faf is less a finisher than a good guy to rotate the strike, take singles etc with the occasional boundary. For me, Albie is the obvious guy at 7, maybe Miller if we have enough bowling.

Philip asked:

Do you believe that Wayne Parnell is worthy of a place in the team?

Ken answered:

He’s certainly worth having in the squad. He’s been bowling better and obviously has potential as a batsman. Not sure if we can afford both him and Tsotsobe in the XI, but I wouldn’t discard either of them just yet.

kevin pillay asked:

Hi ken jest a bit worried wid the lack of a quality cover for kallis. We seam to have a lot of bawling allrounders but none of them can do the job kallis does at the top of the order. Is there someone in the domestic game that”s a batting allrounder n can play a similar (not same coz kallis is a legend) rowl to what he does. Coz I can”t see anyone putting the hand up an saying pick me I”m a top allrounder. Thanx ken

Ken answered:

Hi Kevin
Well we’re highly unlikely to ever find someone who can cover what Kallis does! But guys like Elgar, Duminy, Du Plessis can develop into genuine batting all-rounders. They’re probably the best available at the moment. As far as bowling all-rounders go, you’re looking at Albie Morkel, McLaren, Parnell. But everyone knew it would take two players to replace Kallis!

Abdullah asked:

Hi Ken,Dont you think Faf or Kallis should open the batting alongside Levi in the T20”s.Dont get me wrong Amla is world class but jus not in this Format

Ken answered:

Hi Abdullah
I think Hashim has proven conclusively that whenever someone says he can’t play a certain format he’ll prove them wrong! Plus he’s in such great form at the moment, it would be crazy not to use him. For me, Levi, Amla, Kallis is the way to go, although Kallis will have to be more explosive if we don’t lose early wickets, or drop down the order.

Victor asked:

Hi Ken, deducting from the 3rd and 4th ODI performance of our former skipper Gream Smith, don”t you think is the time he steps down because he”s costing us. Most successful teams win matches because of their good start and Smith in two matches he didn”t even make 50 runs. So I personally think is time Alviro comes back to the ODI setup as a opener to partner with Amla maybe going forward we can be a threat to many teams. What”s your say on this matter?

Ken answered:

Hi Victor
I think in difficult conditions, Graeme didn’t do too badly. He scored 52 in the 2nd ODI, and in 3 of the 4 completed games the opening partnership was more than 50 in good time. I think Alviro is too similar to Amla and if the selectors wanted to look at another option, perhaps Levi should have a go?

Gino Ruiters asked:

The series clearly showed that we need a big hitting all rounder at number 7. Albie”s the obvious choice, but who can really make that role their own keeping the 2015 world cup in mind?

Ken answered:

Albie is the obvious choice but is now adding frustrating injuries to a certain lack of consistency! The other option is a specialist batsman like David Miller, with Duminy and Du Plessis having to bowl more overs …

Jason asked:

Don”t you feel like our ODI middle order needs to be strengthed?

I feel like Faf Du Plessis has had more than enough chances and he hasn”t made a big impact in the batting department. I know his fielding is incredible.

I would definately play Jacques Rudolph in the ODI team and recall Dave Miller and give him a proper shot. I would also give Justin Ontong a proper go as he is such an improved cricketer compared to a few years ago.

Lastly Wayne Parnell is not an allrounder.He is a bowler who can bat a little bit…

What are your thoughts?

Ken answered:

You’ve mentioned bringing in Rudolph, Miller and Ontong, so who are the three players to drop out? Du Plessis, Duminy and ?
Faf has failed in his last 3 innings, but it’s the first time he’s failed for any length of time!
I don’t think Jacques Rudolph is suited to the middle-order, he’s an opening batsman in limited-overs cricket.
Parnell can become a bowling all-rounder, he has potential with the bat.

Lwazi Matiwane asked:

Why cant we try Justin Ontong on no.3 because Elgar has failed twice now.Your take

Ken answered:

Elgar only failed in his last innings. I don’t think Ontong’s really a number three, see him more as the busy player rotating the strike in the middle to late overs, probably at 5.

Werner asked:

Hi ken

Watching the tour off england is very exciting and i thing we are doing very well in England.Just one question.

Who is our finisher in the lower order when albi morkel are not playing

Ken answered:

Hi Werner
I would suggest Duminy is the man for the job, but why was he batting number three then?! But we certainly missed Albie …

phillip.bergh asked:

Am i correct in assuming that big V Philander is on a hat trick in the next test.

Ken answered:

Ha ha, yes he took 2 wickets in 2 balls to end the Lord’s test, but it won’t count as a hat-trick if he gets another wicket first ball of his next test.

Peter asked:

Ken thanks for your reply.World Cup vs NZ at 100 odd for 3 needing 4 an over,Kallis threw his wicket away and AB was needlessly run out. Only then came the severe pressure.

Ken answered:

Well I think AB’s wicket was down to pressure but yes, Kallis was out of the blue!

Ronald asked:

Hi Ken, we all know the middle order struggled this ODI series. All the relative “new” players that came in,I believe are guys with extreme talent…I would like to see them (same players)get at least another chance in the next ODI series and see what they can do then after their first experience for the Proteas. What is your feeling around choosing the same (relative) squad for next ODI series based on the outcome of the ENG ODI?

Ken answered:

Hi Ronald
Yes, I mostly agree with you. Kallis should come back, so not sure whether Elgar stays in the squad then or not. Graeme Smith might become an issue, in which case you might want to look at Levi.Plus hopefully Albie Morkel will be fit, otherwise someone like Miller might need to be called up.

Roberto asked:

Hi Ken
I just want to comment on the AB keeper issue. You said that he shouldn”t keep because that”s the reason (or could be) he didn”t perform in this series. I”m not sure about that, since he didn”t bat well every time we batted first (wich means he didn”t keep yet), and when we batted second he made a good score. I fully agree that he shouldn”t keep in tests, but ODI”s and T20”s I”m not too sure. Your thoughts on that?

Ken answered:

Hi Roberto, yeah I don’t think the issue of him keeping in limited-overs games is cut and dried yet. I see the value of him doing it, and maybe his quiet series had more to do with him not being settled at 4 where he should be! Your point about making runs batting second does have merit.

Johann asked:

Happy with performance yet not with that of Faf.

Why did they persist with him being totally out of form.

Ken answered:

They persisted with him because he has only failed in his last 3 innings! Before that he was doing a great job, and his bowling and fielding make him a very valuable limited-overs player.

Bongani M asked:

Well done to proteas for the fight back, still believe the balance of 7 batsmen and 4 bowlers is correct combination for Champions Trophy 2013 and WC in 2015 especilly with luck of having ABDV give us in wicketkeeper-batsman.

I”m worried with depht in our batting and combinations I tend to think we should standard batting order and everybody know his position and role clarity so that a player can be hold responsible for poor perfomance.
Too dependent on Amla too much when he does not score no-one seems to take responsibility what are your thoughts.

Bowling is perfoming well AD is doing good work.

Ken answered:

Yes Bongani, I would also like to see a settled batting order. I know Gary wants the batsmen to learn about playing different situations, but that will happen naturally because one day you’re 220-3 the next you’re 20-3! The players have obvious strengths and it’s not going to work trying to turn Elgar into a David Miller or JP Duminy into a Hashim Amla!

Thabo asked:

Hi Ken id love to know that everytime South Africa played in the ODI,have changed their bating order a number of times,is this to prepare for the 20-20 world cup of is this going to be an on going thing.THANKS

Ken answered:

Hi Thabo
It was to give the batsmen experience of playing in different situations, but I think this happens naturally in the game anyway. It was unsettling so hopefully we will settle on a batting order now.

yaseen asked:

I”m happy with the effort of our team but I think our batting in the middle order lacks experiance if we could make one change I believe we will be a better team that is dropping smith and putting kallis there in the opening spot an then we could add a batter like ontong at seven

Ken answered:

I don’t think Ontong at 7 is the answer. We need a more explosive hitter there, like an Albie Morkel or David Miller.
50 overs is a long time and, as Jonathan Trott showed for England, having a solid number 3 who can lay a platform is important. Kallis is one of the best!

Christian asked:

Hi Ken,

My question is a bit deviant from the topic at hand. What do you think needs to be done to promote cricket as a global sport? How do we expand it? Isn”t it counter productive if a future tours programme has already been arranged for the next 5-10 years? How are the “associate nations” supposed to develop if they cant get adequate chances to play against the “full members?” I know the Woolf report addressed this, but it looks like it has quietly been thrown in the trash can. What are your thoughts?

Ken answered:

Hi Christian
The FTP does obstruct a lot of progress in cricket, but it was also essential to ensure the lesser nations – New Zealand, West Indies, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe – get cricket against the top 4. There is a pathway of tournaments for the associate nations to progress, but only at ODI level. Ireland want test status and it will be interesting to see how that goes …

Siyabonga asked:

We had a good ODI series didn`t we? I mean despite that we had a chance to top all three formats of the game in terms of ranking.

My question is, our bowlers are picked in terms of their perfomance/form. Shouldn`t they do the same to batsmen. I feel like as much as we need batsmen who can get runs on the board, we also need people who can score runs regularly beside Amla, deVilliers and Smith??

Ken answered:

I actually think the ODI series was disappointing because, apart from the second and last games, we really didn’t bat well.
Batting has a lot to do with confidence and before we start dropping people, perhaps we should settle on their positions in the batting order first.

Sechaba asked:

Hey Ken….with the T20 World Cup in a short do u think this T20 series will be enough preparation?

Ken answered:

Hi Sechaba
It’s preparation value will be limited because conditions in England should be very different to Sri Lanka! I guess they can get some team spirit and momentum going, build confidence, but most of the prep will have to be done in Sri Lanka.

ashley asked:

Hi ken, what is your take on the absense of albie in this series as I felt #7 was one postion to high for parnell.the form of faf du plessis, do u think he will be under pressure to hold his spot going forward, as I am a huge fan. Thanks

Ken answered:

Hi Ashley
I think we missed Albie badly because his finishing power was lacking. 7 is definitely too high for Parnell at the moment.
Faf had a bad run in this series, but has done very well in his other 23 ODIs. I guess he will be under some pressure, but he deserves another chance, not least of all because of the great package he provides with his fielding and bowling too.

Bart asked:

Is Greame Smith rested for the T20s? Why is it so difficult to beat England in their own conditions? When they tour SA we usually beat them handsomely!

Ken answered:

Graeme is not in the T20 squad, either for England or the World T20.
The England team have obviously grown up in their conditions, they hone their techniques in county cricket and it is very different to playing in the sub-continent or even in South Africa/Australia. Swing and seam bowling plays a much larger role. So they will obviously be much harder to beat at home, like all teams.

Johan Kleynhans asked:

Hi Ken, looking at the current squad and the way they performed in England, witch I think was a huge succes, do you think this squad has the ability to break the hoodoo of doing well in an ICC event and then loosing it when it matters? We realy need a title and I hope the T20 WC is the one.

Ken answered:

Hi Johan
I think this year might be a little early for this team, it’s still getting settled. But you never know, we have world-class match-winners and maybe not having the expectation will do the trick!

Andy asked:

Hi Ken
We seem to persist with Parnell despite his inconsistency. Surely we must give Philander an opportunity in limited over cricket before he seeks the big money elsewhere.

Ken answered:

Hi Andy
I seriously doubt that Philander is going anywhere! He’s such an integral part of our test line-up. Philander needs more variety, slower balls etc to do well in limited-overs internationals.
Parnell has been inconsistent, but I thought his bowling has improved and he bowled well through the series.

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    Jesus needs to be the source, and not our own strength, that enables us to grow spiritually in strength, beauty and truth.

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