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Ken Borland

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SA go hard at Sri Lanka 0

Posted on October 08, 2012 by Ken

South Africa went hard at Sri Lanka and hammered them by 32 runs in their rain-reduced ICC World T20 match at Hambantota on Saturday.

: http://www.supersport.com/cricket/article.aspx?id=1593311

With rain delaying the start of play for two-and-a-half hours, the match was reduced to a faintly ridiculous seven overs a side, but it didn’t stop South Africa from playing with the same intensity as in their overwhelming opening victory over Zimbabwe.

Captain AB de Villiers led the way with the bat, plundering 30 off 13 balls as he lifted them to 78 for four after they had lost the toss and been sent in to bat.

South Africa’s much-vaunted new-ball pair of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel then had Sri Lanka’s batsmen in immediate submission. There was no question of them treating the batsmen with kid gloves as they bowled with aggression and control to leave the hosts on 13 for two after three overs and out of the contest.

South Africa have some weighty decisions to make at the top of their batting order, but Hashim Amla again did a good job opening the batting, scoring 16 off nine balls, with three fours.

Richard Levi scored 4 off four balls but, after a diet of normal seamers from Nuwan Kulasekara, he was then deceived by a back-of-the-hand slower ball and Dilshan Munaweera covered the ground well from midwicket to wide mid-on to take a fine catch.

The loss of Amla, beautifully stumped down the leg side by Kumar Sangakkara off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, at the end of the third over brought De Villiers to the crease and he was quickly away, hitting a four and two sixes, but also using the size of the outfield well with cleverly-placed shots that saw him collect two runs on five occasions. He and Faf du Plessis, and then JP Duminy, also kept the pressure on the Sri Lankan fielders with excellent running between the wickets.

Du Plessis found batting more of a challenge and could score just 13 runs off 11 balls, but Duminy went to 12 not out off five balls with ease, suggesting he should have batted number three instead of the out-of-form Titan.

The left-hander also gave the innings a wonderful finish as he scooped Thisara Perera for four and then drove the last ball straight back over the bowler’s head for a magnificent six.

With Ajantha Mendis allegedly resting a side strain (the mystery spinner is more likely just being kept hidden from the Proteas until the knockout stages), Lasith Malinga was Sri Lanka’s only truly top-class bowler, but he had a difficult time, conceding 27 runs in his two overs.

Morkel and Steyn then came tearing in with the ball as Sri Lanka made a sorry start to their run-chase, with Tillakaratne Dilshan suffering the agony of being run out without facing a ball.

 

The match situation was tailor-made for the hard-hitting opener, but he was back on his heels as Mahela Jayawardena called for a quick single and De Villiers was able to turn a wayward throw into a run out with some brilliant work behind the stumps.

Jayawardena struggled to four off six balls before flicking Steyn high to deep square-leg and Sangakkara came to the crease with the required run-rate already 14.20 runs per over.

Sangakkara tried some wild sallies but his only boundary in scoring 13 off 11 balls was via a classic cover drive off Johan Botha.

One of the world’s greatest batsman was removed by the grand old man of the South African team, Jacques Kallis, who bowled a marvellous over that could easily have gained him two more wickets.

The pace of Steyn then accounted for Thisara Perera (1) and Munaweera, who looked out of his depth in scoring 13 off 14 balls, fell in the final over, bowled by Albie Morkel.

Sri Lanka ended their seven overs on 46 for five and suffered a massive defeat for such a truncated game.

Steyn finished with magnificent figures of 2-10 in his two overs and Morne Morkel conceded just nine runs in his pair of overs up front, and they are giving South Africa an edge in helpful conditions that gives them penetration and makes run-scoring difficult.

Tags:
Category Cricket, Sport

High-quality SA fast bowling stuffs Sri Lanka 0

Posted on October 08, 2012 by Ken

South Africa’s high-quality fast bowling stuffed Sri Lanka as they beat them by 32 runs in their rain-reduced ICC World T20 match at Hambantota on Saturday.

7th over – WICKET – Dilshan Munaweera’s struggles are over as, after scoring 13 off 14 balls, he cuts Albie Morkel to Farhaan Behardien at deep point. Albie should have another wicket two balls later as Lahiru Thirimanne tries to steer his first ball, a shortish delivery, over short third man, where Morne Morkel leaps, gets two hands to the ball above his head but it slips through.

6th over – Thisara Perera is out for one as he pulls a back-of-a-length delivery from Dale Steyn straight to deep midwicket. Jeevan Mendis collects a well-struck boundary as he bashes the fast bowler straight down the ground for a one-bounce four.

5th over – Jacques Kallis is introduced and has Kumar Sangakkara dropped for a second time with his first ball! Sangakkara, on 10, top-edges a hook as Kallis bangs the ball in short on the receptive surface, the ball steepling to midwicket, where Albie Morkel is perfectly positioned, but the ball slips out! Two balls later, Kallis also digs the ball in short to Munaweera, whose hook shot it also top-edged, but it flies over short fine-leg for four. WICKET – But Kallis eventually gets reward with the penultimate ball of the over as Sangakkara edges a wild swipe to leg and is caught behind by AB de Villiers for 13 off 11 balls.

4th over – Sangakkara creates some room for himself with good footwork and drives Johan Botha crisply through extra cover for four.

3rd over – Another superb over from Morne Morkel but the last ball sees Sangakkara dropped on one as he slices a leg-side heave towards third man, poor old Faf du Plessis running from point, getting under the ball but spilling the catch!

2nd over – A great over from Steyn has cost just three runs and frustrated Sri Lanka. WICKET – Mahela Jayawardena has scored just four off six balls and he steps outside leg stump for the last ball of the over, but Steyn follows him, the Sri Lankan captain flicking the ball high to Behardien at deep square-leg.

1st over – Jayawardena gets the benefit of the doubt on a very close lbw shout first ball, swings wildly outside off stump and misses the second delivery, before driving Morne Morkel’s third ball inside-out high over cover-point for four. WICKET – But disaster then strikes for Sri Lanka as Tillakaratne Dilshan is run out without facing a ball! Jayawardena drives the ball to mid-off, where Albie Morkel fumbles. But Dilshan is on his heels and slow to set off for the single, Albie quickly recovers and throws the ball at the wicketkeeper’s end. The throw is a little wayward, but De Villiers does brilliantly to gather the ball and dive forward into the stumps, colliding with Dilshan’s bat in the process and injuring his forearm. But the dangerous opener is caught centimetres short of his ground!

South Africa innings

Captain AB de Villiers provided the perfect spark as he lifted South Africa to 78 for four after their seven overs in their ICC World T20 match against Sri Lanka at Hambantota on Saturday.

7th over – WICKET – Faf du Plessis holes out to long-off with a lofted drive off Thisara Perera, having scored 13 off 11 balls, but JP Duminy ends the innings in style with a perfectly-executed scoop for a one-bounce four to fine leg and then a superbly struck straight six back over the seamer’s head.

6th over – Lasith Malinga returns, but his first ball is a wide outside off stump and his second is short and hooked magnificently for a massive six by De Villiers. The wicketkeeper/batsman slices the next delivery just over the covers for a couple more runs. WICKET – De Villiers steps outside off stump for the last ball of the over, but goes too early, Malinga sees him and pitches the ball full and wider. De Villiers can only mistime a lofted drive to deep mid-off, having plundered 30 off 13 balls.

5th over – A good start to the over for South Africa as De Villiers belts a reverse-sweep for four off Rangana Herath. Three balls later, the left-arm spinner thinks De Villiers is going to come down the pitch, but the South African captain hangs back, waits for the flatter, short delivery and pummels it over long-on for six.

3rd over – A superb over from left-arm spinner Herath costs just six runs and ends with the wicket of Hashim Amla. WICKET – Amla comes down the pitch for a heave-ho but misses an arm-ball, wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakarra pulling off a superb stumping from outside leg stump. That was beautiful glovework to send Amla on his way for 16 off nine balls.

2nd over – Malinga’s first ball is superbly driven over extra cover for four by Amla. Three balls later, Malinga is striving for his famous yorker, but it’s a half-volley and Amla carves the ball over extra cover again for another boundary.

1st over – WICKET – Richard Levi is deceived by a back-of-the-hand slower ball from Nuwan Kulasekara and his attempted lofted drive skews off the bat, high to wide mid-on, where Dilshan Munaweera, running from midwicket, dives to take a splendid catch. Levi scored four off four balls. Amla’s flashing blade scythes his first ball over the covers for four.

Tags:
Category Cricket, 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

SuperSport Q&A 0

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Ken

My Q&A for SuperCricket on the South Africa v Sri Lanka ODI series (lots of Test overflow too …) 
alfred asked:
d u think it ws a nice move to replace d.elgar wit albie ahead of c.ingram by da way im a big fan of albie
Ken answered:
I can only imagine they wanted someone who can bowl a bit … Elgar bowls a bit of left-arm spin and Morkel is of course a seam bowler, so that’s probably why.
Alex asked:
Good Day.
I would like to hear your thoughts on the inconsistencies in the Proteas” performance. In recent test series, they have often started well in the first test, only to fail miserably in the second (West Indies, Australia, Sri Lanka). ODI performances have been similarly erratic, do you consider this aspect a substantial issue in their OD-game, or rather inherent to the shorter format?
Ken answered:
Hi Alex, I think inconsistency is their biggest problem across all formats! We keep losing matches we never should given the talent in the side.
Great asked:
Is the captain greame smith is doing enough for proteas in test series!?.
Ken answered:
Graeme has averaged 40 in the last year of Test cricket – and South Africa is the hardest place in the world to open the batting. So yes, I would say he’s doing enough.
ravi moodley asked:
Lets face it our batsman are chokers. After years of denying this , I have finally accpted this. Do they lack big match temperament.How do you solve this.
Ken answered:
If I knew the answer, I could probably be the batting coach! They’ve chased down over 400 in Australia, many other successful 4th innings chases, 438 in an ODI game … so they have the temperament. But I think when things start going wrong, they panic. And at times they play too aggressively so that things start going wrong!
siddharth asked:
do you think the 2-1 series victory for sa was satisfactory as i felt it was not? why did sa give venues that would srilanka wouldnt this go against us or is it possible sa could still influence groundsman to prepare a bit of life in pitch by leaving some grass? your thoughts
Ken answered:
Conditions are absolutely no excuse, we were still playing at home and there was more than enough in it for our bowlers. Newlands was flat and we bowled them out twice in two days! Yet another batting failure in Durban stopped us from winning 3-0, which is what we should have done.
Ashley asked:
Hi Ken,Do you feel that upcoming ODI series will be closely contested ? In which departments will the series be won/lost. My starting eleven for the first ODI will look like this, Smith; Amla; Kallis, De Villiers, Duminy, Du Plessis,A Morkel, J Botha; M Morkel; Steyn; Tsosobe. What do you think? I would have included Alviro Petersen in the ODI sqaud.

Ken answered:
Hi Ashley
Yes, I think Sri Lanka will be very competitive, especially since conditions in Paarl, East London, Bloemfontein and Kimberley will suit them.
I think South Africa’s batting holds the key – whether they can dominate Malinga, Kulasekara & Mendis and post big scores.
I like your starting XI.
Petersen is probably not far away, but at the moment the top-order is quite settled.
gasan asked:
Why isn”t levi added in the od squad sa need a opening batsman that”s aggressive?
Ken answered:
I think Smith and Amla have shown they are quite aggressive enough.
Thurst asked:
Do you not think that we should build up a team for the next CWC? Are players like Kallis,Smith,Prince etc going to be around for the next CWC? Why not start developing a team now? And why are the groundsmen not preparing pitches that give us the home advantage?
Ken answered:
Well Prince has been out of the ODI side for years and Kallis and Smith will be the big questions that need answering.
Groundsmen should just produce good cricket pitches, our side should be able to win on them and therefore be better prepared for conditions elsewhere in the world. The last test at Newlands was a case in point.
Jacques Human asked:
Hi Ken, I apologize for this question not being ODI related, but don”t you agree that the time has come to seriously start searching for a replacement for Mark Boucher and who do you believe could be the player that can fill those shoes?
Ken answered:
Hi Jacques, the Boucher succession issue is getting urgent, but I don’t even know who it is!
Kuhn, Smit, Tsolekile and Vilas have all put their hands up superbly at domestic level. Smit and Tsolekile are the best glovemen, while Vilas is the most destructive batsman and Kuhn bats in the top-order as well.
denver asked:
Why is van Zyl of the Cobras not in the squad? Will they only use him for T20”s?
Ken answered:
Stiaan? I don’t think he’s having a great season … even the Cobras have left him out.
Julius Kola asked:
Why the selectors did not select Richard Levi than Albie Morkel because I think he is too better than Albie or how do you take this
Ken answered:
Richard Levi does not bowl and I think they wanted someone to slot in at 6/7 who is a hard-hitting batsman and bowler. Levi bats in the top-order and that’s pretty settled at the moment.
daren asked:
Do u think SL should have played Medis in tests and do you think he will be a factor in the odi”s?
Ken answered:
I’m sure Mendis will be a factor in the ODIs. He didn’t play in the Tests because conditions never really warranted 2 spinners – plus they had Dilshan to support Herath. Mendis is more of an attacking spinner and sometimes struggles to build pressure, which you need in Test cricket.
Tsepho asked:
Hi Ken,
i”m glad the proteas showed some character in the final match of the test series but i have niggling worries about how we lack the momentum of keeping the good perfomance, so do you tink this ODI series will go to the final match as 2-2 or we will kill this one convincingly.
thank you
Ken answered:
Hi Tsepho
History suggests your worries are well-founded! The Proteas far too often follow up a good performance with a poor one. And, playing in venues like Paarl, East London, Bloemfontein and Kimberley with potentially slower pitches, will also suit Sri Lanka, so I think the ODI series could be tough.
Muki asked:
Hi Ken,Do you think that we tend to be a bit too premature with our celebrations and praise when in comes to Protea”s victories and not honest enough with our selves when it comes to honest scrutiny of performances?

Who in your opinion should be the final eleven in both tests and ODI with the captaincy?

Thanks for your thoughts

Ken answered:
Hi Muki
I think the fans tend to be too extreme in both their praise and criticism. When we win, we’re the best in the world, when we lose, we’re the worst! There’s no middle ground.
I would leave the test team as is.
For the ODIs, a lot depends on conditions and whether the opposition as more left-handed or right-handed batsmen … but something like this – Smith, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers, Duminy, Du Plessis, Morkel, Botha/Peterson, Steyn, Morkel, Tsotsobe.
Craig Scannell asked:
HI Ken,Overall I am happy with how we ended the test series but I am still concerned over the lack of that “killer” instinct. I think we should have been more clinical, and never have given them a sniff.

With the ODI”s starting now I think we should really nuckle down and clean them up. I am happy to see Albie in the team and do you think Gary will give him more time in middle and not just 5 overs at the end? He is a quality player and not just a finisher. If he can get more overs he could really be devastating. Personally I think he should be in number 6 with 15 or 20 overs left in the match. Looking forward to to seeing AB captain – the man for future – a super guy.

Ken answered:
Hi Craig
Agreed, we should have won the tests 3-0.
Albie – like most batsmen – likes a little time to get himself in, so, depending on match situation, it would be ideal, I think, if he comes in with 10 overs left.
I think we’re all looking forward to the beginning of AB’s captaincy.
kemiso asked:
am still worried abt morne performance wit test dat he played he stl average on 30s we need to do sumthng abt it tsotsobe wil do the holding job better and get wickets coz wer want to be brutal
Ken answered:
Morne is not doing the holding job, he’s a strike bowler. He wasn’t at his best against Sri Lanka, agreed, but he showed glimpses of his best form. At his best, he’s amazing – he’s not number five in the test rankings for nothing!
Tsotsobe lacks penetration at test level and was injured, but I expect him to play a major role in the ODIs.
Jerry Kekana asked:
Hi Ken
I would like to know since Smith is no longer captain of ODsquad is not fair that if he is not performing he should be dropped?
Ken answered:
Hi Jerry
Smith certainly no longer has the protection of being captain and will be under some scrutiny for his place. If he fails in all five of these ODIs, then I would expect the selectors to start looking elsewhere, with an eye on the 2015 World Cup.
Mike Hirst asked:
Has the game changed so drastically that it”s necessary to have such major changes in the team when changing from 5 day tests to ODI”s? Why can”t your “best” team feature in both to test their skills against one another in new circumstances. The ODI team always looks experimental, almost like a watered down test side.
Ken answered:
The ODI game is pretty different from what’s required at test level, but the best cricketers can adapt to all formats. That’s why the core of the side is the same – Smith, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers, Steyn, Morkel.
Your middle-order batsmen need to have more hitting ability than in test cricket; your spinner needs to be more of a container than wicket-taker, and a bowler like Tsotsobe comes to the fore in restricting batsmen.
Andile asked:
if Proteas can just walk over the visitors by 5-0 win, how can it affect the ODI rankings?
Ken answered:
It looks as if South Africa will go from 4th to second, replacing Sri Lanka, who will drop to 6th!
We would still be seven points behind Australia …
Petrus asked:
Hi Ken.Don”t you think it would be nice if albie can play at 5? So he can get himself in to really get going.

Ken answered:
Hi Petrus
For Albie I think it’s more a matter of how many overs are left, rather than an actual batting position. I’d send him in with 10 overs to go.
Igenatius asked:
Hi Ken. Is it just me or does it feel like every time the Proteas have a win they have these massively inflated ego”s and need a good thumping to come back down to earth? Happened against the Aussies as well, only once they were on top of us it was really difficult to get back. It really looks like there is a problem with the players mind set. Win one convincingly then get hammered.. A lack of consistency and yet we think we the bees knees when we win. I”m not singling anyone out, but rather the team. Now I know we cannot win everything, but with the talent we have I am nearly positive we should be the best team in the world!
Ken answered:
Hi Igenatius
Consistency is the problem, but I’m not sure it’s because of over-inflated egos. If it is, then the public shares the blame because we’re the ones who shower unrealistic praise on them! But I agree, with the talent we have, we should be challenging for the number one ranking.
Glen asked:
Will Albie Morkel start?
Ken answered:
I would imagine so … but it depends on conditions in Paarl, they might prefer two frontline spinners.
ally asked:
by south africa winning this series of ODI convincingly it will place them above india who are currently second am i correct? another question is why hasnt tahir been selected?
Ken answered:
Yes, if South Africa win 5-0, 4-1 or 3-1 (1 washout), then they will overtake India in second place.
Being at home, South Africa have decided to attack Sri Lanka more with pace & seam, with the spinner as a container. That’s why Tahir has been dropped – he was more of an attacking option in the sub-continent.
Husein Ravat asked:
Hi Keni would like to point out something which i picked up from the series – We have AB Devilliers as our Keeper and Captain in the Odi,however in the test matches where there isnt the added responsibility of being Captain we opt not to play him as keeper.Your view?

Ken answered:
Hi Husein
There’s a lot more pressure on AB in test cricket in terms of his batting – he’s a key figure. He wants to concentrate on his batting in test cricket, quite rightly, because he’s our long-term successor to Kallis. Keeping wicket as well would be an unnecessary extra burden.
Chris Adams asked:
Surely if the selectors want to repay good form they would recall Colin Ingram?? He was 2nd top runscorer in the 1 day cup and has been getting lots of runs in the 4 day games. The captaincy seems to have helped him mature and he seems to understand his game better. I feel he was stuffed around in the national set up and we must remember he averages over 40 after 13 games. What are your views for Colin at 4 or 5??
Ken answered:
Ingram has been in great form – 3rd highest run-getter in 1-Day Cup. But Faf du Plessis & Elgar scored more than him, and Duminy had a better average. Plus all 3 of those batsmen are bowling options as well. He can consider himself unlucky not to be selected, but I reckon there just wasn’t space for all of them!
Deen asked:
Winning the toss and deciding to field by Sri Lanka and the chance that Kallis gave early in his innings not taken, could have changed the outcome of the test completely. To win a test with 10 wickets standing is a good win but the Proteas could be in great trouble if they underestimate the strengthened Sri Lanka team in the One Days”s
Ken answered:
I think Sri Lanka will be an even stronger outfit in the ODIs. Malinga is playing & conditions in Paarl, East London, Bloemfontein and Kimberley could suit them.
Tim Pillay asked:
hi Ken , SL will definitely be good opposition in the ODI competition , what do you believe are the key factors to SA success in the series ? and one more question is one that lingers for everone surely is that boucher should be ably replaced in all forms and why not start in this form of the game with a specialist keeper/batsmen and not AB ,we have plenty candidates which would allow AB to focus on being the skipper and racking up runs.thanks & regards
tim

Ken answered:
Hi Tim
At the moment the leadership are happy for AB to keep in ODIs as well, but I guess someone like a Vilas could be an option for the future if AB’s worload is getting too much.
The keys against Sri Lanka will be getting away to a good start against the new ball and scoring consistently through the middle overs, because Malinga is a handful at the death!
Nhlanhla asked:
AB de Villiers or Michael Clarke
Ken answered:
For what? Favourite singer?
Kyle asked:
Howsit KenWhats your thougths on this line up,Maybe one for the fure
H.Amla R.Levi C.Ingram (w) de Villiers(c) D.Smit(w) D.Miller D.Elgar J.Duminy Philander D.Steyn M.Morkel

Ken answered:
Well you’ve only got 3 frontline bowlers which is going to be a serious problem.
Lorna Browning asked:
Nobody ever mentions Morne van Wyk as a replacement for Boucher.
He always seems to score well and at a good rate.
Would appreciate your opinion.
Ken answered:
Morne van Wyk would be a capable replacement – except he’s 32 and wouldn’t really provide a long-term solution.
Tumelo asked:
Our captain has always been reluctant to keep wicket as he says he wants to concentrate on his batting, so why don”t we give a Dane Vilas a chance as he always proved to be a Batsman/wicket-keeper just like AB is
Ken answered:
AB is happy to keep wicket in the ODIs. But if the workload gets too much, then I would love them to have a look at Vilas.
Sizwe asked:
Given the way Kallis is playing, woudn”t it be good for him to open the batting with Amla with Smith coming on at 3. I remember he opened batting during the last Twenty20 World Cup and did well. Kallis & Amla can get quick runs for us which would take off some pressure from Graeme Smith.
Ken answered:
Both Graeme and Jacques are far more comfortable at 1 & 3 respectively. Don’t forget Graeme is a quicker scorer historically than Kallis, who can build the foundation of the innings after the openers take advantage of the first powerplay. Smith’s career strike-rate in ODIs = 81.72; Kallis 72.88.
Ruan asked:
Hi Ken
Would you give the new guys debuts in Paarl or would you wait till later in the series? what is SA best 11 in your opinion?
Thx
Ken answered:
Hi Ruan
Depends on the pitch, but I would go Smith, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers, Duminy, Du Plessis, Morkel, Botha/Peterson, Steyn, Morkel, Tsotsobe.
Tumelo asked:
Don;t you think we should be gambling with players like Levi?Do you think it was a great idea to choose 2 spinners in our conditions? cos we”d be playing to their strenth if we prepared a turning wicket

Ken answered:
Why gamble? We need to win the series first!
The two spinners are there to cover bowling against predominantly left-handed batsmen or right-handed. Botha turns the ball away from the left-hander and Peterson away from the right-hander.
Peter asked:
Leaving out Vernon Pilander and including Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell amazes me.
Ken answered:
Even the Cobras leave Philander out of their limited-overs team! He’s more of a line-and-length type bowler, needs more variation. Morkel is awkward to score off because of the length he bowls and the bounce he gets; while Parnell is a swing bowler.
Scott Duncan asked:
Hi Ken,Would you keep AB behind the stumps or bring in a another keeper to see what life after Boucher may be like? Villas is in good form and wouldn”t weaken the batting at all. But assuming he doesn”t bat well, our batting line-up is rather strong with most our bowlers being capable with the bat so surely a risk worth taking. Let”s give a new keeper international exposure so when Bouchers time comes we won”t be left gambling behind the wicket. As the new captain, perhaps a little less work for AB wouldn”t hurt. Your thoughts?

Ken answered:
Hi Scott
I think the first option is to see how AB goes with batting 4, captaincy and keeping. If he’s not handling it all well, then yes, someone like Vilas should be looked at.
Gert James asked:
For a long period of time now there have been this sword hanging over Boucher”s head. I am a huge fan of him, but just looking at his recent test performances it has becoem abundantly clear that we need to bleed a new keepr into the SA setup immediately. wouldn”t it have made more sense to include one of either Smit, Villas or An Other in the one day squad against Sri Lanka and then have the option to take that player with when the face off against NZ and England later this year?
Ken answered:
The ODI demands are very different to the test demands, so I’m not sure it would fully answer the question of Boucher’s successor in the test team. I think the right move is to see how AB goes first, perhaps take a reserve wicketkeeper to NZ for the tests there.
Alan asked:
Hi Ken,The squad for the ODI”s looks strong and there seems to be much variety both in the batting and the bowling departments.

My question is on the exclusion of Imran Tahir? A leg spinner is definitely a very potent weapon in the shorter version of the game, and SA could have used his googly to try pick up wickets. What are your thoughts on his exclusion?

Ken answered:
Hi Alan
A leg-spinner only really works in limited-overs cricket as an attacking bowler, because they tend to be expensive. Playing at home, the selectors have felt our spinners will be more containing bowlers, while we attack the Sri Lankan batsmen with pace and seam.
Morne asked:
Seriously no Levi? Is this not our next big ODI hope?
Ken answered:
At the moment our top-order is pretty settled – Smith, Amla, Kallis – I don’t think there’s space for him at the moment. But he can’t be too far away …
Shiraz asked:
Hey Ken,I have a few questions:

1. How long do you think Mark Boucher has left in the test team and who do you think should replace him?

2. Do you think it would be better to have one captain across all formats as there might be a bit of a clash between the two?

3. And lastly, there was alot of hype over Imran Tahir being this destructive wicket-taking spinner but after watching him for the past 5 tests, he does not turn the ball that much for a Leg Spinner, do you think this was because of the pitch? He did not seem to persistently give the ball alot of flight especially against the top order batsmen which was disappointing. What are your thoughts?

Regards
Shiraz

Ken answered:
Hi Shiraz
Boucher has probably done enough to go to New Zealand and I know the coach and captain are very keen for him to go to England as well. I have no idea who should replace him! Kuhn, Smit, Tsolekile and Vilas have all put their hands up with great performances domestically. Smit and Tsolekile are the better glovemen, but Vilas is the most destructive batsmen & Kuhn is a top-order bat as well.
I doubt there’ll be any clash between Smith and De Villiers, so I think the current set-up is great. It allows Graeme to groom AB and AB gets plenty of experience under pressure in the ODIs.
Tahir didn’t get much opportunity in the tests because of the pitches, but I was heartened by his performance at Newlands, especially against the left-handers.
Nikhail Pillay asked:
Hi Ken…In my opinion Justin Ontong has been the best finisher in domestic limited overs cricket this season. Throw in his bowling and fielding and you have the complete ODI cricketer. Surely its time he was recalled?
We have seen major breakthroughs at test level in the last season of talented youngsters with very little first class experience i.e. Cummins, De Lange, Pattinson etc. I think SA have 2 potential superstars in wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and spinner Prenalen Subrayen and perhaps they need to be thrown into the deep end sooner rather than later.
Ken answered:
Hi Nikhail
I agree with you 100% about Justin Ontong! He’s been magnificent in domestic cricket this year, is in his prime, experienced, and should be close to the team.
De Kock is a dark horse for the wicketkeeping berth – similar to when Boucher was first chosen! He’s obviously a great batting talent but, as a tall fellow, needs to work on his keeping a bit.
Subrayen, I’m afraid I’ve heard of, but have never seen, so I can’t comment.
The three guys you mention are all fast bowlers and it is perhaps easier for them to make an impact immediately, at a young age. It takes a long time for batsmen, spinners and wicketkeepers to fully know their games.
Dale asked:
Hi Ken,I hope that you are well.

I have a 2 part question.

1. Do you believe that Graeme Smith should still be in the ODI side, considering his recent form in ODI”s shouldn”t we look at giving another player an opportunity?
2. What do you think about Albie Morkel”s inclusion in the squad over a guy like David Miller?

Ken answered:
Hi Dale, all good thanks.
I think Graeme deserves his place, now that he’s unburdened of the captaincy, to show what he can do. But if he fails in all 5 ODIs, I would expect the selectors to start looking at their opening options.
Albie is in great form and brings a bowling option, so you can’t really compare him to Miller who, by the way, has been in awful form!
Ismail asked:
Hi Ken. Thanx for your time. I think AB is being put under immense but unnecessary pressure w.r.t. his captain/batting/keeping positions. With the stresses of international fixtures, a better route would be to get in a specialist keeper/batsman & thereby easing the burden on AB both mentally & physically. A recurrence of his back injury & the important innings he is expected to play will ultimately be our downfall as a human body can only take so much. I surely hope the selectors/Kirsten make decisions based on longetivity for all players concerned. Your thoughts on my concerns. Thanx.
Ken answered:
Hi Ismail,
Well it’s really funny that so many people are clamouring for AB to keep wicket in the test side as well, where the demands are far greater!
Your concerns are valid, but I think we need to look first at how AB handles captaincy, batting at 4 and keeping wicket. This is a good series to start.
Marnus Nolte asked:
Hi, is it a worry for the Proteas that they have played the least ODI matches in the top 10 with 22 matches? would that affect the overall form of the team?
Ken answered:
Hi Marnus
The Proteas do seem to be susceptible to rust, so yes, it is a concern. But there’s not much they can do about the schedule, and I guess the long break after the World Cup would also have been mentally and physically refreshing.
mabunda hj asked:
why J.kallis not be partnering H.Aamla in opening?What am predicting their partnership can be beneficial to the tea and the nation as well.
Ken answered:
I think Kallis is doing very nicely at 3, there’s no reason to move him. He can build an innings and provide a great foundation from there.
louis asked:
how far is that openar Levy from the national team?
Ken answered:
Not far at all I’d imagine! Next opening batsman in line?
Grant asked:
Hi Ken. Who do you think should open the batting for SA tomorrow and who”s gonna miss out on a place in the team?
Ken answered:
Hi Grant
Smith and Amla to open.
I’d expect Kleinveldt, Parnell and one of the spinners to miss out.
lunga gobozi asked:
isn”t this the right to introduce a young keeper like Villas to the squad to get a feel of international cricket? coz Boucher will not last forever
Ken answered:
Boucher is not in the ODI squad and De Villiers will keep wicket.
Nathi Duma asked:
looking at players like Kallis,Boucher and the World in 2015 is it a good idea to have them in the side rather than bringing in youngsters with 2015 as a vision.?Also Smith has under fired in recent series is the possibility of maybe bring back Gibbs whom current form down under questions the wisdom of the selectors of letting him go .
I also want to state that I am not taking away from these great cricketers of the past years

Ken answered:
I think Kallis and Smith are really the only questions for 2015. Will they still be up for it? Managing them and their successors – and Boucher – will be the biggest challenge for Gary Kirsten.
Gibbs has retired from international cricket, now only plays T20 at domestic level has well.
Otto Saayman asked:
Hi Ken! Thanks for the Q&A session. The recent success of debutants de Lange and Philander has given me reason to believe our domestic cricket standards have been lifted and the players find it easier to adjust to international competition. This is also, probably, due to better “off-the-field” preparation dedicated to new players in the national team. 4 – 5 years ago it seemed that the step up to the Proteas was too much to handle for new talent. Do you agree with these statements? And why, please, in your opinion do we see better performances from new Proteas? OR Do you think de Lange and Philander”s debuts were just a happy accident which we won”t be able to repeat?
Ken answered:
Hi Otto,
I would be inclined to say Philander has spent a long time honing his trade so that’s why he was ready. De Lange maybe more of a happy accident, although he is a great talent.
I’m not sure about our franchise cricket … I’ve watched some that is pretty poor, but it does still seem to produce good international cricketers.
Andre asked:
Good Day,
I would like to have your opinion on the whole Mark Boucher debate that has been taking place for a while now. People feel that he is below average and that his stats do tell a tale. The feeling is that D.Villas of the Cape Cobras is a more than capable replacement for Boucher.
Thank you
Ken answered:
Hi Andre
Boucher made important runs and kept really well at Centurion, but was disapppointing in Durban and Cape Town. I don’t know whether anyone’s quite ready to step up.
Vilas has been amazing for the Cobras, but needs to do a lot of work to get his wicketkeeping up to international standard.
Moses asked:
Is Boucher still the right man for the job?Would it be appropriate for V Philander to be given a chance on the ODI stage?
Ken answered:
Boucher is no longer in the ODI side and I don’t know if there’s anyone quite ready to replace him in the test side.
Philander is more of a line-and-length bowler, needs more variation for limited-overs cricket. He needs to play consistently for the Cobras in one-day cricket first.
Gerie asked:
Maybe the question is more applicable for test cricket, but anyway, why are helmets dark instead of white? Surely white will be much cooler than the dark colours. (Just look at the hot spot footage to see the hottest part of the body!!)
Ken answered:
Ha ha! I can remember when most helmets were white … not sure why they’ve changed. I guess it is cosmetic, all the times you get dinged on the head would show up as stains on the helmet!
Braam asked:
Hi Ken.What”s your thought on Venron Phillander playing for the ODI team? I feel he can become quite a good bowling allrounder, and play a similar role as what Shaun Pollock did for the Proteas. He”s a very disciplined bowler and can be quite explosive with the bat. Or is his batting not up to scratch to fill the role of an allrounder in the team.

I also want to know where”s Dave Miller? He looks to be a player with great potential?

Thanks!

Ken answered:
Hi Braam
Philander is more of a line-and-length bowler who needs more variation for limited-overs cricket. His batting has been disappointing at international level so far, so you can’t really consider him as an all-rounder.
Miller does have great potential but has suffered a dreadful loss of form this season.
lionel asked:
Hi is Abe going to be captain and wicketkeeper in the odi”s glad albie is back
Ken answered:
Hi Lionel
Yes, AB will be captain and wicketkeeper.
mohammed asked:
do u think sri lanka will win the odi series? they do have a really good odi squad
Ken answered:
They will be very competitive, I’m sure.
Rajean asked:
Hi Ken, I think that Rudolph was chosen to open the batting and should not be dropped down the order at the expense on Prince. In that case why not give another player who is in form at 6? What you think?
Ken answered:
Hi Rajean, Rudolph can bat anywhere from 1-6, that’s one of the reasons he was chosen.
Gary asked:
Hi KenHere”s my starting XI for Wednedsay.

Smith
Amla
Kallis
De Villiers (c)
Duminy
Du Plessis
A. Morkel
Botha (is he available???)
Steyn
M. Morkel
Tsotsobe

To be honest I would have replacedMOrne Morkel with Vernon Philander. He reminds me of a Shaun Pollock/Glenn McGrath tyoe bowler. He”s very valuable. Why is he not in ODI sqaud?

I would like to hear your comments.

Regards

Ken answered:
Hi Gary,
Yes, Botha is available and I like your starting XI.
Philander doesn’t even always play in the Cobras limited-overs team! He’s more of a line-and-length type bowler, needs more variation. Shaun Pollock found the same later in his career …
Tino asked:
Hi Ken,Question on Imran Tahir. It may be a bit too soon to call it, but personally i feel he has been heralded more than he was able to deliver, do you think its a case of lack of experience or its an issue of nerves at the highest level? I would not blame the pitches coz the same pitches he is bowling on are the same pitches that he has made a name for himself in domestic cricket…

Ken answered:
Hi Tino
The Centurion pitch was totally unsuitable for him and there was not as much bounce in Durban as there is often for Dolphins games.
He showed plenty of promise at Newlands and will get better the more test cricket he plays.
Greg asked:
When is Richard Levi going to get a chance – how much more can he do?? It really is schocking that he isnt playing any 4 day cricket either – and then we wonder why we lose players to England!
Ken answered:
Well you must ask the Cobras why Levi isn’t playing any four-day cricket.
The national ODI top-order is pretty settled with Smith, Amla and Kallis, but I reckon he may well be next in line.
rob asked:
does mark boucher warrant his spot in the team, would think its time to start finding a replacement – who would you recommend if not boucher?
Ken answered:
Boucher is not in the ODI side.
For the test team, see my answers above.
Adrian Caley asked:
Now that Boucher is no longer keeping in ODI”s do you not think that this will put added presure on AB, Captain, batting and keeping. Is it not time to blood a new keeper like Dane Vilas, who has been outstanding recently.
Ken answered:
Well I think we need to see first how AB handles the extra responsibility …
rh asked:
Don”t u think the way the Aussies have dealt with captains handover 4 the past few eras is the way to go rather than wholesale changes which is SA is fond of doin?
Ken answered:
No. Australia have sometimes had wholesale changes and at other times 3 different captains! Their current T20 captain, Cameron White, struggles to make the ODI side, so that can’t be good.
I’m excited about Smith grooming De Villiers and his eventual takeover.
James asked:
Hi Ken, As much as i admire Mark Boucher, are we doing enough to groom a replacement?
Ken answered:
Hi James
I think the problem is identifying the right replacement …
Edrich asked:
Boucher has been SA”s # 1 wicket keeper for many years. Enough”s beem said of his form (batting and keeping) of late. Who would be the most logical replacement for him if he retires / is dropped?
Ken answered:
See above answers.
Beano asked:
Hi, what is the decision behind leaving Imran Tahir out? and is this an indication of future ODI planning?
Ken answered:
Hi Beano
I’m sure Tahir will be back when conditions are more suited to using an attacking spinner.
Thabiso Lenkoe asked:
Do you think the inclusion of Albie Morkel will really boost the Proteas Squad?
Ken answered:
Yes – he’s in great form, very experienced and a frontline bowler as well as a devastating hitter.
Angus Clarke asked:
Relating to gen cricket stats, why are 50”s lost from a played stats when he gets a ton and 100s when he gets double? Everyone”s waiting for Tendulkar”s 100th 100. What if he gets a double ton? Does he lose his 100th ton? Is it not time to revise the way these stats are Calculated?
Ken answered:
I’m not sure who started that fallacy, but hundreds are not lost when a player scores a double! Nor does he get 2!
Lovemore samu asked:
why they didnt replace elger with JP Duminy,i think that would have been a wise move…i like his batting performance in middle order
Ken answered:
Duminy was already in the squad.
Francois asked:
Do you think big hitting A Morkel will have ”n influence in the series.
Ken answered:
Yes, hopefully – he’s in great form, very experienced and a frontline bowler as well as a devastating hitter.
johan asked:
Why do we put the unnecessary pressure on AB as to be wicket keeper as well as captain and specialist batsman [top 4]. Ideal opportunity to introduce future SA keeper [Quinton de Kock or Vilas] ?
Ken answered:
See above answers.

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