Ken Borland

Hi KenDale Steyn has not been at his best for quite a few games now. What do you think the problem is? Do you think it”s just a rhythm issue? Personally, I think he is not being used properly. I think he is a bowler who thrives on bowling lots of overs, and although he is a 145-150 kph bowler, he needs to bowl long (5 overs min.) spells to get into rhythm. These 4 over spells in tests and 2 or 3 overs in ODIs aren”t doing much for his rhythm in my opinion.What do you think needs to be done to get him back to his very best?

Thanks

Matthew

My question to you is everyone is going on about how Philander is going to struggle now that he is on flatter wickets, he runs out and gets 4 wickets in the first innings, why is it that the
SA media always need to over speculate things and always try and bring down or nit pick at a player when he is doing well instead of trying to predict the day he will fail?
Ken answered:
Hi Dale
They did play well in the first test, although their first-innings batting was definitely a stumble!
I think the media has only been supportive of Philander … although it would be remiss not to throw in a word of caution about players. The SA public has the tendency to over-hype somebody based on one or two performances & Philander’s first few tests were on very helpful pitches. Thankfully he has the skill to do well in flatter conditions as well!

Tak asked:
Hello Ken

AB has failed to score in the first test. The 2nd test is going to start tomorrow, right! Well don”t you think, he must bat at number 4 for test, Odi and t20? He should always take that position.

Thank you.
Ken answered:
Hi Tak
I don’t think the batting order had anything to do with AB’s quiet test. He was out to a good ball first up & scored 29 in the second innings. If he bats at four in tests, where do Kallis & Amla go?

Jonathan Naidoo asked:
I think it fair to say that Graham Smith is ”hated” as much as he is loved by SA cricket fans ( at least the ones that I know ) Do you think he cuts it as an opening bat considering that he chases anything and everything that has the slightest semblance of width ? If he pulls it off … great, but more often than not he”s back in the hut putting pressure on Amla and Kallis. Is he what we need at the top of the order ?
Ken answered:
A test average of 49.86 tells you that more often than not Graeme Smith “pulls it off” & that’s also taking into account that he’s been opening the batting in the toughest conditions in the world for openers (SA). Everyone plays a bad shot now and again and I think we can forgive Graeme for his first-innings shot. I think it’s pathetic to focus on that and not the wonderful, match-turning century he scored in the second innings! He was man of the match, you know?

mthobeli asked:
HI Ken

since you take over as s.a coach we improve and we get good result and i want say to you good job and i want see more of TSOTSOBE THANK YOU.
Ken answered:
Thank you … I’m just wondering when I’ll get my first pay-cheque for the great coaching job I’m doing!

Ismail asked:
Hi Ken. notwithstanding the CSA debacle, i feel that the current squad plus the potential we currently with our fringe players are a good sign of things to come. My view is that we probably have the best cricket team & are the envy of the world. I just hope that this potential is converted to actual victories in the coming years. Your thoughts please. Thanx for your time.
Ken answered:
Hi Ismail, there’s no doubt we have the playing talent to be the best in the world!

Brendan asked:
The Dale Steyn question can apply to Wayne Parnel as well. He has the talent and the skill needed to play for SA, no doubt but he”s always in the squad and never playing. Can”t he stay in the squad but play domestic games? Surely he needs to bowl himself into form instead of being thrown into an international game every few weeks? Everyone always says he”s never impressive but he”s never allowed to settle into a rhythm
Ken answered:
Yes – Parnell does need to get more game time with the Warriors. He’s not developing as fast as we’d hoped.

Zak asked:
Should we not replace Tahir with De Lange?
Ken answered:
And not have a spinner on a stodgy, flat pitch?! Tahir bowled the most overs in the NZ first innings (24), only conceded 55 runs and took the crucial wicket of McCullum. He did a good job, better than another fast bowler would have done.

Richard asked:
Y don”t the proteas play 2 spinners in their attack? Can”t Smith bowl anymore?
Ken answered:
I’m not sure we really need 2 spinners in New Zealand. Graeme bowls very seldom these days, I guess he’s a bit out of practice!

Richard asked:
Y dale styen does not bowl inswingers,he only takes most wickets by outswinger delivers.
Ken answered:
Dale’s stock ball is the away-swinger, which is more dangerous, especially when he pitches it on leg and hits off! Dale does have an inswinger, especially when the ball starts reversing, he just chooses to use it sparingly, as a surprise weapon if you like.

Laurence asked:
Hi Ken, how long do you think a slighly under par M Morkel can keep De Lange out of the test side? When M Morkel came onto the scene a few years back I thought he was an incredibly exciting prospect, do you think he has underperformed through his career (bat & ball) and if so what is the problem with this obviously talented player?
Ken answered:
Hi Laurence
I thought Morne bowled very well in the first test – his spell after lunch on the second day was outstanding and he deserved more success. He has underperformed in terms of consistency in the past, his “long levers” mean that his action can easily get out of synch and perhaps he lacked a bit of self-confidence. Having De Lange chasing him probably won’t do him any harm though! Morne has taken 21 wickets in his last 7 tests, which is not too bad.

Kobus Olwagen asked:
Why is Albie Morkel rated so high. in my view his stats are so below par that he does not belong in the ODI squad.When last did he have success with either ball or bat.
Just asking
Ken answered:
In his last game! He scored 41 in Auckland.
But yes, for a player of such talent, Albie should have better figures & should be performing more consistently. For some reason, the SA team can’t get the best out of him like the Chennai Super Kings do! Maybe he just needs the sort of backing MS Dhoni gives him …

Russell Longworth asked:
Hi Ken, for me Tahir has been disappointing.The best spin bowler is Johan Botha.He is the best captain around and can bat and field.Your thoughts
Ken answered:
Hi Russell
Johan Botha might be the best spin bowler in limited-overs cricket, but even that is debatable seeing as though the SA team prefer Peterson at the moment. Johan Botha, by his own admission, is not a test bowler!
Ivan asked:
Hi Ken.

Not really a question, just my personal opinion.

I really feel people should get of Graeme Smith”s back. He still preforms consistantly at test level, He is our second highest Test run scorer and he is still a good leader. And I can”t understand people questioning his tecnique all the time, it may not be pretty but he has scored more that 8000 test runs like that.
Ken answered:
Hi Ivan
Co-Sign!!

mohit sharma asked:
hi ken
well i might sound a bit negative in my comment but i dont think imran tahir is international class bowler..he can take wickets in county circuit but not in international matches..thats for sure..i think its better to give a chance to an off spinner considering that we have 3 right arm fast bowlers..so rough created by their footsteps can only be used offspinner….
Ken answered:
Hi Mohit
I think we need to give Tahir more time – he has taken 16 wickets in his first 6 tests, which isn’t too bad.
Just on the rough, a right-hand pace bowler bowling over the wicket will create rough outside the leg-stump of a right-handed batsman at the same end … perfect for a leg-spinner.

Greg asked:
Hi Ken
I am concerned that the flat pitches in New Zealand are not conducive to results. Any play lost and its a draw. The time is right to pick Marchant De Lange and pepper them with short pitched deliveries, even though the boundaries are very short square. What do you think?
Ken answered:
Hi Greg
Well it make sense for them to have flat pitches to try and nullify our pace attack. A drawn series would be a victory for New Zealand! But because of the flat pitches, we need a spinner and Steyn, Philander & Morkel are quite capable of doing the peppering! Unless it’s a real greentop, I don’t see space for De Lange at the moment.

Dion Pieterse asked:
I”ve seen a couple of pictures recently of an injury to Dale Steyn – his left toe to be more specific. It looked really painful. Interestingly enough though, there has been minimal reference to it in the press. Is there any indication of how bad this injury is and could it be the reason why Dale is not performing at his best? Many thanks. Regards Dion
Ken answered:
Hi Dion
I think it’s definitely affecting his performance, but it hasn’t been bad enough to actually stop him bowling. Hopefully he’ll be pain-free and back to his best in the second test!

Scott Duncan asked:
Hi Ken,

Any news on Steyn”s toe? Can”t see it healing in time, surely can”t play like that. De Lange rattled the Kiwi”s in the ODI”s and showed what he can do in Tests at Durban. Can we expect a straight swop for the 2nd Test between these two?
Ken answered:
Hi Scott
No news on Steyn’s toe yet … but isn’t it wonderful to know that if he can’t play, we’ve still got Marchant de Lange as back-up!

Brandon asked:
Hi. Dale Steyn”s problem for me appears to be one of rhythm. I don”t think the super short spells works for him (in one day and tests).

The man needs time in the middle but we are not providing that opportunity. Is he carrying an injury or are we just over-managing the man?
Ken answered:
Hi Brandon, I think you’re spot on. His knee is troubling him and I agree, he’s being over-managed! If he wasn’t going to be used in the T20 internationals, then he should have played some domestic cricket.

Aalok asked:
How long will it take till we get to see Quinton de Kock in the green and gold? He has been performing outstandingly well in the domestic t20 competitions.
Ken answered:
I guess the question is whether De Kock will play as a wicketkeeper/batsman or specialist batsman? He still has work to do to get his wicketkeeping up to international standard. There’s no doubt he’s a great talent, but I think a season or two of dominating in franchise four-day cricket (SuperSport Series) will do him a world of good.

Mthetheleli Lindwa asked:
Hi Ken
I just want to salute the boys for the they have been playing lately. All the players now seem to know that they have the responsibility in the pitch. Bowlers are doing great job even batesmen are also scoring runs. I am very happy for Smith and Ruldoph, Kallis, Mark Vendon, Phillander, Tsotsobe, Ab and Morkel brothers etc. Gary and Allan are doing a wonderful job.
Ken answered:
Hi Mthetheleli, agreed, nice to have such positive vibes out there!

Siyabonga asked:
With Mark Gillespie replacing Tim Southee in the New Zealand squad, how does that make their bowling department strong or else. Is Mark going to be a problem to the SA batsmen?
Ken answered:
Gillespie is a short, skiddy fast bowler who does swing it – especially reverse with the older ball. Southee has been so innocuous so it’s bound to be an improvement!

Brendan asked:
Hi Ken, I was wondering what your thoughts are on Dale Steyn at present. He”s still taking wickets and still bowling well but he doesn”t seem to be taking wickets as he did before. Is this because of him not bowling enough and being over managed and can”t settle into a rhythm, South Africa”s lack of test cricket or Vernon Philander taking so many wickets that Steyn doesn”t seem to have as many left to take? I know he”s not bowling poorly but he doesn”t look like he”s at his best at the moment
Ken answered:
Hi Brendan
I’m not sure all these periods of rest are doing him much good, but there’s no doubt his painful toe injury is also affecting him. Philander has been hogging the wickets lately, but who cares as long as we get all 10 as quickly as possible! And you’re right, it’s not as if Dale is bowling badly! Shows you what high standards we’ve expected from him!

Masixole Maxwell Ndala asked:
Does the draw with NZ affect our top rankings in test matches? I mean if we can win the remaining matches will still rise up??????
Ken answered:
We can only overtake England after the April 1 cut-off for the annual prizemoney. If we beat New Zealand 2-0 & England lose 2-0 to Sri Lanka, then South Africa will be number 1.

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120313/QA_Review_2nd_test_preview

Hi Ken Why do you think Wayne Parnell is being persisted with at the moment? Sure, he bowled a great over in the second T20, but overall over the last few months he has done anything but impress. I think he has immense potential but potential alone isn”t enough. He needs to perform. And he hasn”t done much when he”s gone back to the Warriors either. Perhaps he needs to play a good full season of domestic cricket and then we can re-look at him?

Guys like Marchant de Lange deserve an opportunity. I believe we need to be a little bit firmer with youngsters who are not performing, otherwise they will become complacent.

By the way, its very early I know, but what are your first impressions on Chris Morris from the Lions? He seems to have a lot of potential as an allrounder! Also will be keeping my eyes on Zondo and Chetty in the future!

Tumelo asked:

If you would name 5 batsman that have international potential with no caps who would they be and what would they individually bring to the team and 5 bowlers alike in which format?

Ken answered:

Dean Elgar, Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Stiaan van Zyl & Jon-Jon Smuts are uncapped batsmen who have all performed consistently at domestic level. But whether they can succeed at international level remains to be seen! 
Amongst the bowlers who are uncapped, Quinton Friend has consistently been one of the best fast bowlers in the SuperSport Series, while Simon Harmer looks a very promising off-spinner. 
Ethan O’Reilly has had some fine performances in limited-overs cricket, while Kyle Abbott has also done well.

Jerry Kekana asked:

I dont think they did the right thing by sending Levi back. Don”t you think they should groom him for the opening batsman position in particular the position Smith holds.

Ken answered:

Yes, but they’ve already announced that Smith and Amla are the opening batsmen and there are only three ODIs in New Zealand, so it’s only fair that they are given a decent opportunity as well.

Sergio Short asked:

Whats your take on Richard Levi being sent back?

I know his new and needs to gain more experience but wouldn”t it have been better to keep him there even if he does not play but to observe and learn maybe get 1 game if its possible. His the type of guy we need at the top of the order a Sehwag, Warner, KP or Guptil type player that takes advantage of the powerplay

Ken answered:

It’s just a three-match series so it’s going to be hard to fit in a game for him. Smith and Amla are also very capable of taking advantage of the powerplay up front!

Lohann asked:

Hi Ken,

Why do you think have all the SA bowlers, especially the speedies, been bowling so many balls down leg? It just seems more than usual?

Lohann

Ken answered:

Hi Lohann 
I agree with you 100% – there was a lot of leg-side bowling. I can only imagine that they wanted to bowl straighter to the New Zealand batsmen, try and cramp them, but started sliding down instead.

Walter aka Pangela asked:

Ken, what would be your 11 starting line up for the Proteas in the first ODI game

Ken answered:

Hi Walter/Pangela, 
I would go with Smith, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers, Duminy, Du Plessis, A. Morkel, Botha, Steyn, M. Morkel, Tsotsobe. 
But I haven’t seen the pitch of course!

louis nutt asked:

1)why are they sending Levi home
2)why dont they keep him there if something happens or is it becuase the quota for colour is filled already

Ken answered:

It has nothing to do with colour. Levi is white by-the-by. 
There are only 3 ODIs and they have already chosen the opening batsmen for those and they deserve a decent opportunity.

Gavin asked:

Why do the proteas persist with playing Abie when he clearly is carrying an injury. Is Mark Boucher so out of form that he cannot be used as keeper while Abie get”s over his niggeling injury? Hasim Amla is has shown that he is more than capable to captain the team.

Ken answered:

Well I think AB only injured himself while he was batting in the last game! AB’s back seems to be okay so I see no problem. And they haven’t called Boucher to come over early, so we can take it AB is fit enough to keep in the ODIs.

Tumelo asked:

David Wiese?your input as an allrounder

Ken answered:

Talented … needs to work on his bowling to become more consistent at domestic level.

Jean asked:

Hi Ken.

I”m very chuffed with the T20 series win as I think it was NZ”s best chance of beating us. I believe we are much stronger in the longer versions of the game. Hopefully the win in the last match gives us enough confidence going forward. Do you know if AB was injured in the last match? He seemed to be struggling a bit, when batting but still kept wicket through NZ”s innings. Your thoughts on Tsolekile getting a CSA contract? Not sure his batting”s strong enough at test level. Probably need to pick another batting alrounder above him in the order and shift him lower than is the case with Boucher.

Cheers

Ken answered:

Hi Jean 
AB did pick up an injury in the last match, but I presume it’s nothing serious because he kept wicket and we haven’t heard anything since. 
Tsolekile has averaged over 50 in two of the last 3 SuperSport Series seasons, so there’s not too much wrong with his batting, and his glovework is immaculate, so I’m happy with the decision. I don’t think there’s a batting all-rounder around who can bat six, Duminy is closest, so you’re looking at whoever bats 8 to become more of a bowling all-rounder. I believe Dale Steyn can improve his batting even further.

Johan asked:

The Proteas have a way of surprising anyone either by playing brilliantly or losing from an impossible place. What do you think will be our main problems/obstacles to overcome in NZ? Personally I feel that AB is the right captain for this time and he will pulkl the boys together, nut our middle overs scoring rate (even a struggle in T20I) and our death bowling is where I feel we lack the most.

Ken answered:

We need more consistently good starts, the late middle-order will be under pressure and yes, death bowling is still a concern!

Husein Ahmed asked:

Hi Ken

Still slightly concerned about our ever changing fields in the T20”S.de villiers seems like a brave caprian however in the same breath the fielders cannot be moved around every second ball.We at times seem to be chasing the ball around.Your view

Ken answered:

Hi Husein 
Yeah, as I said before I thought AB did a good job, especially since it was his first experience of T20 captaincy. I’d rather he was flexible than not being willing to try anything and, as he learns, he will make mistakes. But so far it’s been a good start.

Husein asked:

Hi Ken

we could employ a similar line up to the tests in future odi;s- that is – Smith,levi,amla,kallis,villiers,duminy and the bowlers.We would still be able to accomadate the Smith.Just a thougth

Ken answered:

Hi Husein, 
Yes, that is an option, although I feel it does make us a bit top-heavy.

marnus asked:

What is your opinion off AB”s captaincy? To me it seems as if he is struggling to build pressure and is constantly changing his approach. Don”t you think J Botha would be a better captain in the T20 format and perhaps Amla in the test when eventualy Smith leaves.

Ken answered:

No, I think AB has made a very promising start. I would prefer him to be flexible than not being willing to try anything – predictability has been one of our downfalls in the past. 
The problem with Botha is that he’s not certain of his place in the team, while Amla is a reluctant captain.

Quentin asked:

Thanx for this forum Ken,
Your thoughts on the following please:
1. AB scores more runs when he does not keep (and also have to captain at the same time) and –
2. AB saves runs in the field and is a cathing fielder in the Jonty mould, that changes a game;
3. If so, he is worth more playing as batsmen and fielder, where he will win more games, which allows for a proper keeper to be groomed, not sure who (I still like Boucher at present although he won”t be in the mix for the next WC).

So, should AB be the only mindset as keeper for the next WC?

Ken answered:

Hi Quentin, good points and I think the selectors are waiting to see how AB (and his back) copes with being the captain, key batsman and wicketkeeper. If he’s struggling then there certainly are other options like Vilas around for the ODIs. But having AB as wicketkeeper does give the team more options in the middle-order.

Justin Le Roux asked:

Isn”t the selection of Tsolokile just proof that they want Quota Players in the South African Team? how can you replace a 36 year old for a younger guy that is 31 years old??

Ken answered:

It’s got nothing to do with quotas. Tsolekile has been the most consistent performer in the SuperSport Series over the last three years. He’s averaged 58.10, 25.54 and 59.50 in that time and is one of the top two glovemen in the country as well. At 31 he’s pretty much in his prime. Brad Haddin made his test debut for Australia at the same age!

wesley asked:

S.A are struggling againt guptil. I think when Lopsy was dropped they shud have replaced him with Rusty instead of the spinner. Rusty is not only a gud container but I think he wud do well against guptil. Your views?

Ken answered:

Theron didn’t cause too many problems in the one game he played and I actually think he got away with some leg-side balls. Tough call.

luthando asked:

Don”t you think faf is wasted down the order?I know his a great player but I think we have to accept he is a top order batsman n the is no place for him in the top order,but wuld like to hear what you think,and what did imran tahir do to be dumped out of the ODI team after a wonderful world cup?

Ken answered:

But where would Faf bat in the top-order? He can’t open and Kallis, De Villiers & Duminy are all settled and performing. I think 6 is the place for him at the moment, he’s quite capable of excelling there. 
Tahir has been unlucky – but the conditions at home and in New Zealand haven’t really suited an attacking leg-spinner. The grounds are also very small in New Zealand – tough for a leggie.

Sifiso Mabaso asked:

Morning Ken

Firstly I have to say I”m enjoying the boldness in AB”s captaincy and the way he backs his bowlers especially. I really did not expect Merchant to bowl the last over after going for 33 in his first 3. And how wonderful for Merchant to return the favor to his skipper!

If Levi stayed in NZ and had middle time it would have been at the expense of Graeme Smith. Do u think they sent him back because they think Smith is regaining his form after the ton against Sri Lanka or does Smith has that much “sway” on the selectors that they would have kept him on without that recent ton?

Ken answered:

Hi Sifiso 
Yes, AB’s captaincy has been refreshing and we must just accept that there are going to be one or two hunches that don’t come off! 
I don’t think Smith has any “sway” over the selectors, but the way he finished the series against Sri Lanka, he definitely deserves his place. So yes, Levi went home because Smith has been selected and deserves the chance to build on his last couple of innings.

Ross Penniall asked:

It was obvious, through what we saw in the T20 games, that New Zealand will try and bowl as much spin to our batsmen as possible. They have 5 or 6 of their players who can bowl decent spin and fulfill a ”Duminy” type roll; quite impressive. What do you think the batting strategy will be in order to combat this?

Ken answered:

We must be positive! Williamson, Nicol, Nethula and McCullum are hardly frontline spinners so we need to dominate them, without doing anything reckless. Three of them are off-spinners, so I expect us to use our feet and sweep a lot.

James Macdonald asked:

Why has Richard Livi been left out of the odi squad after his performance in the 2nd T20

Ken answered:

Levi wasn’t originally selected for the ODI squad and there are just three games so the selected guys deserve a fair opportunity.

shaun asked:

Hi Ken its sad to see Levi return home don”t you think if Smith doesn”t perform well in this series that Levi should rather play against england

Ken answered:

Hi Shaun, 
If Smith doesn’t perform then yes, Levi can be looked at in England.

ofhani asked:

Who do we drop to accomodate de lange as he seems to be our best death over bowler? And why is AB wasting himself at 5 and 4 while he seem to score a tone everytime he comes in at 3? Can”t he comein at 3 or open?

Ken answered:

For the T20s I totally agree that De Villiers should be batting 3. He’s our best batsman and needs to face the most balls. These pinch-hitter experiments aren’t working. 
De Lange is still very inexperienced and it worked in his favour in the last match that there were lower-order batsmen in so he could just pitch short and beat them with pace. That won’t work if there’s a top-order batsman in!

Bongani asked:

Hi Ken
Great win on T20 series.
2015 in Australia is around the corner, we need increase power hitting at the end of the innining and take advantange of first 10 overs so Levi could be answer for the fisrt 10 but with only Morkel and Parnell (if finds form)what should be the strategy for us as I think 350 is going to be a par score going forward?

Ken answered:

Hi Bongani, it’s difficult to predict what the game’s going to be like in three years, but I would tend to say 300 will more likely be the target because Australian pitches do a bit and there’s now two new balls being used. In the series currently underway there, the average total as actually been around 230. 
But power hitting is very important at the end of the innings, as are boundaries in the powerplay overs up front.

Ruan asked:

Any news on AB”s injury?

Ken answered:

I haven’t heard anything on AB’s injury, so I presume it’s nothing serious.

joseph williams asked:

do you think the proteas bowlers is up to standard

Ken answered:

I was disappointed with the bowling in the T20s, but we must remember Dale Steyn wasn’t playing, so that will help matters. If Steyn, Tsotsobe, Morne Morkel and Botha/Peterson are all firing, it’s actually a very decent attack.

Tumelo asked:

Hi Ken,

I think we are playing too many bowlers at the moment and that we should try either Riley or Vilas because if AB was to aggrivate an injury batting who would take the gloves in the opposition innings.

Ken answered:

Hi Tumelo 
Well Rilee Rossouw doesn’t keep wicket so that’s not going to work. And besides, very few teams in world cricket play a reserve wicketkeeper! The chances of AB injuring himself batting are very slight … even though it happened in the last game!

Dale Kent asked:

Hi Ken,

First of all i just wanted to comment by saying that i think it was a good move by sending Richard Levi home after his awesome knock, i think the public and the media should realise that sometimes its better for the player if he is eased into a position rather just put there with all these expectations. I believe that he will be an awesome replacement for Graeme Smith (If he doesnt perform)oneday and that will probably happen with the world cup in mind. My question is we saw in the T20 and the series against Sri Lanka that after our first 5 batsmen get out the boys seem to lose there way, how do you believe we can get this right?

Ken answered:

Hi Dale, sensible words on Levi. 
I guess the middle/lower order is one of the key points of conjecture at the moment. I like Albie Morkel in there because he really can be devastating with the bat … perhaps we expect too much from him, he’s not always going to come off. 
The batsman at 6 deserves an extended opportunity because it’s also a tough job. Consistency of selection & backing the players is the way to go … plus Botha/Peterson, Steyn and Parnell can provide useful late runs as well … they must keep working on their games.

Zurina Engelbrecht asked:

Why send Richard Levi home? And keep Graeme Smith?

Ken answered:

Because that was the original selection. Smith has done nothing wrong since then and it would be unfair to not give him the opportunity to show what he can do.

Khaya asked:

Since the selectors have chosen Tsolekile as a successor to Boucher, don”t you think it would be wise to introduce him into the set up on this series?

Ken answered:

Yes, I would have liked another wicketkeeper on tour.

Lohann asked:

Hi Ken,

Surely AB has got it wrong to say that results don”t really matter so much as the type of cricket that they want to play?

Surely getting into a winning habbit is much more important and difficult to maintain than the brand of cricket that we want to play?

That said, I”m a die hart Proteas fan and would love a total white wash with the Kiwi”s and rubbing it into old little Timmy boy Southees face!!!

Lohann

Ken answered:

Hi Lohann, 
I think AB was just referring to the last game, which we were very fortunate to win! The quality of cricket we played for 90% of that match was poor and I think that’s what AB was focusing on. That said, it’s obviously a great sign that we could play so badly and yet still win!

Lohann asked:

Hi Ken,

Surely we can be a little bit more agressive towards Tim Southee!!

He threatens us verbally with no backing up in the speed department and surely we can target him with the Steyn, Morkel combination!!

I don”t see Steyn standing back one inch for Southee and I think we as Proteas supporters would love nothing more than a few rockets towards Southee.

In short, put him in his place.

Lohann

Ken answered:

Hi again Lohann, 
Watch this space in the ODIs! 
But the team is aware that the last time the Kiwis antagonised them, at the World Cup, it worked because we lost our focus. 
So it needs to be controlled aggression.

Steve Kemp asked:

Hi Ken. I”d appreciate your view on AB”s captaincy in the T20”s. I felt at times the pressure got to him when SA was not taking wickets. Thanks, Steve

Ken answered:

Hi Steve 
I thought he did a good job – particularly in the last game. It’s the first time he’s captained in T20s and, when things aren’t going your way, it can rapidly become a disaster.

Ashley Geldenblom asked:

Hi Kevin,

I”m dissapointed that the selectors could not make an ad hoc decision to include Richad Levi in the ODI squad. Should there not be provision in place to cater for circumstances such as these? On the contrary I”m glad to see that Levi is returning to the Cape Cobras, but I feel his inclusion in the ODI squad could only have benefit SA cricket with the view on the next Cricket World Cup? What are your views?

Ken answered:

And what about the players originally selected – Smith and Amla? Must they just suddenly step aside and not play? There are only 3 ODIs, so they deserve their chance and there’ll be plenty of other opportunities for Levi to play before the World Cup.

Andre Coetzee asked:

Morning Ken,

Who do you think is currently the best spin bowler in the squad…? I”m a huge fan of Johan Botha and that he just brings a lot more to the team than any other spin bowler presently. Your thoughts please….

Ken answered:

Hi Andre 
I would also tend to go for Botha, his all-round package is just a little better than Peterson’s I feel. But Peterson does turn the ball the other way, so, depending on the opposition, he certainly has a role to play as well.

Dieter Princen asked:

Why are SA leaving Dale Steyn and Jaques Kallis out of the current T20 setup? As a good indication they are two of the highest SA paid IPL players. Also with the world cup in Sri Lanka is there enough being done with regards to spin selections. Should SA not consider a third spinner in the setup? Thank you

Ken answered:

Steyn and Kallis have heavy workloads and are being rested. Plus it gives the selectors the chance to look at the likes of De Lange, Theron, Parnell, Ingram, Levi etc. They will certainly be back for the World T20! 
In terms of the spinners, we have Botha, Peterson and Duminy, with Ontong/Du Plessis as back-up. I think that’s okay.

Nivash Singh asked:

Hi Ken,

South Africa attempted in the last 2 T20”s to have a pinch hitter in their batting, namely A Morkel and W Parnell, do you think a similar strategy would be employed in the ODIS? Also, Do you think it makes sense to keep rotating the number 4 spot, as seen in the recent ODIS with Sri Lanka.

Thanks

Ken answered:

Hi Nivash 
I’m not a huge fan of the pinch-hitter idea, especially in T20s where you have limited balls and need your best batsmen in early. 
But in ODIs, with 10 powerplay overs up front, if an opener gets out early then it can be a good idea, allowing your “accumulators” to bat during the middle overs without the added pressure of hitting boundaries. I suppose now is the time for rotation and experimenting with guys in different positions, but I hope we don’t overdo it.

ally asked:

after seeing the pressure that was overcome in the 3rd 20/20 do you feel this is the beginning to the end of the proteas choking? i however feel the proteas need to work on bowling more yorkers, just like how merchant did in the last over of the game.

Ken answered:

“Choking” can happen to anyone at any time, as New Zealand showed! 
The current thinking is that if you just aim for yorkers, you become predictable, so you need to mix it up with slower balls, bouncers etc. De Lange actually bowled mostly short balls in that last over, which worked because the lower-order batsmen couldn’t handle his pace.

Petrus asked:

Hi Niel

Surprising win in the t20. Do you think they will play Albie in the ODI and if not why not? Who do you think will replace AB if he can”t keep? Thank, will love to hear your view. 🙂

Ken answered:

I hope Albie plays, but if conditions suit two spinners then he might miss out. I haven’t heard of anyone being flown out to replace AB, so I’m sure he’s fine.

Mohamed asked:

Hi Ken

I think we have a big problem with finishing our innings.at number 6 and 7 we need good finishers.I know we are trying faf at 6 but honestly i dont think he is the best choice for 6.Yes he is a good player but i dont think he is a finisher of the innings.Albie has been given a number of chances and to date he has not lived up to that big role “of finsher”we need a guy who can score a quick fire of 50 of 30 balls at the end.Dont you think we can try levi at that number 6 position?

Ken answered:

Hi Mohamed 
Levi has batted down the order occasionally for the Cobras, but his real strength is up front against the hard ball.

Raja asked:

I think steyn should be in the all formats and play for the key matches so the new guys shouldn”t feel much pressure…..?

Ken answered:

I’m sure Steyn will play in all our key matches, across all formats!

steve asked:

in the past we seemed to be extremely rigid on batting line up for ODIs. ie. If Kallis was in at 4, he came in at 4 no matter if it was over 3 or 43. there was hardly ever a shuffle for pinch hitters or Albie morkel depending on match status.

Now in this T20 series they have mixed everything up, to varying success. Do you think Kirsy will carry this over to the ODI format?

Ken answered:

They’ve already shown a lot of flexibility in the ODIs, with De Villiers, Duminy and De Villiers all batting at 4 in the series against Sri Lanka.

Can you please tell me on average over the last 10 test played in Durban how many overs have been lost per test due to bad light?

Either the games in Durban should start at 9:30 or the boxing day test”s in future should be moved to P.E.

Best Regards.Ken answered:Hi Johann
Sjoe, I’m afraid I’d have to research such a complicated stat and then I wouldn’t get round to answering the rest of the questions!
But generally play ends around 4pm in Durban, which means about 20 overs a day are lost, what with the slow over-rates!
They have tried starting at 9.30 in Durban, but the problem with that is, inevitably, after the first day, you lose time and then you have to start at 9am, which is just way too early – remember that India Test in the mid-90s when they were bowled out for less than a hundred twice? That happened then.
They did play a Boxing Day Test in PE a few years ago, but there wasn’t much crowd support and they ran into the same problems with fading light ….  charmaine asked:Why do some players get mre chances than others…is it comen to drop some1 even though they are doing a gud job for the team plz help me understand what the thinking behind these changes areKen answered:Selection is often controversial. Some players do get more chances because the selectors see some talent in them that just needs time to develop fully – Jacques Kallis is an example, he scored just 57 runs in his first 7 innings (and that included a 39)! But he was persevered with, thank goodness!
Sometimes players who have done well are dropped because there is simply a better player or a more in-form player around eg Alviro Petersen being left out for the Australia series. I was once dropped after taking 4-20 in the previous game, it happens!  jeandre asked:Hey ken i cant heip to wonder but this series is all ready won the proteas just need to show up and play like we know they can. I think srilanka got it wrong to name dilshan as capt because it is clear it effected his batting, his not half the player he was before he become capt and with murli , malinga and vass gone there bowling is just not that good enough we still have to preform but i will be suprised if we lose this one you thoughts?Ken answered:Hi Jeandre, I will also be very surprised if we lose, but the Proteas definitely can’t just show up and play. They have a lot to prove in this series because they haven’t won a series at home in three years. They need to beat Sri Lanka in ruthless, efficient fashion.
Dilshan is still relatively new to the captaincy and I think needs to be given more time to grow into it. Their bowling has been severely weakened, but any attack losing Murali, Vaas and Malinga would be! They’ve also lost a handful of other pacemen to injury.  Imtiaz Wadia asked:Where would you rate Boucher as a batsman when compared to Dhoni,Haddin and Prior.Ken answered:Dhoni is obviously an exceptional talent because his batting is so strong, plus he’s a good wicketkeeper as well!
I believe Boucher can match Haddin and Prior in terms of ability, but unfortunately is failing to do so. Samieg asked:Hi

I know that Boucher has been a great servant for SA cricket, but is it not time for us to make a change in that position? I don’t know when last he contributed something meaningful with the bat and his inclusion in the test team makes our tail look awfully long. What’s your opinion on dropping Boucher and what options do we have if we replace him?

Regards,Ken answered:Hi Samieg
The last bit of your question is the important bit – what options do we have if we drop Boucher? It’s no good dropping someone if the replacement is not going to be as good! Unfortunately we don’t really know whether Boucher’s potential replacements will be up for Test cricket. But Boucher needs to perform soon (probably in this Test), otherwise change will be forced on us.
For my views on the contenders, see my answer to Matthew at 09h00 …  Huzaifa Daya asked:Hi Ken, hope you keeping well. I”m happy to see Alviro Petersen back in the squad. My only concern is Mark Boucher”s place in the team, can”t we find a reliable wicket-keeper batsman? Heino Kuhn hasn”t impressed me. Who do you think can take the gloves from Mark. I appreciate what Boucher has done for the Proteas, being a great servant of the game. However, I feel it”s time for him to retire as batting has let us down so often. I feel like we are the only team where our tail starts with our wicket keeper. Also, I think JP deserved a go ahead of Prince. Anyways, I”m so much looking forward to this test series. Thank You :)Ken answered:Hi Huzaifa, I am well, thanks, hope Lusaka is treating you well too!
For my Boucher views, see my answers to Samieg above and Matthew at 09h00.
Prince scored a half-century in the last Test, so it would be harsh to drop him. Andre asked:What do you think about getting young Quinton de Kock in the squad for this series, it seems like the perfect series to look for some new talent?Ken answered:We need to develop a ruthless touch and win our first series at home for three years so, no, I don’t think we should be experimenting too much.  Joe asked:Hi Ken
Will de Lange play???
Who is the main Sri Lanka bowler SA should be worried about??Ken answered:Hi Joe
I doubt De Lange will play, he’s just there for the experience, but he’s one for the future.
Sri Lanka’s pace attack will be led by the veteran Dilhara Fernando, who we know very well, but their best bowlers are probably spinners Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis, who is something of a “mystery” bowler, although the SA Invitation XI seemed to have him pretty well worked out in Benoni!  Ismail asked:Hi Ken. With utmost respect to the Sri Lankans, i owuld consider anything but a series win for SA in all formats a ”loss” / underachievement. Am i being too harsh/demanding of our team? Thanx for your time.Ken answered:Hi Ismail
Not at all – I would go further and say we should win the series well, too. Your expectation is very fair!  Ismail asked:Hi Ken. Will our speed ”Marchant” be given a go? – our attack as i see it would be Steyn, Philander, Morkel, Marchant/Tahir depending on pitch conditions. also add Kallis for a few overs!Ken answered:Hi Ismail (again? (: )
I don’t think Marchant de Lange will play (nice pun by the way …)
If four seamers (Steyn, Morkel, Philander, Kallis) aren’t going to do the job then neither will five. Plus I’m sure a spinner will be necessary and Tahir knows the ground well, it’s been hot and dry in Centurion this week as well.  Ismail asked:Hi Ken. Due respect to Boucher – we need to groom another wicketkeeper quickly & the next 2 test series provides the ideal time so that by the England series we do have an experienced frontline keeper to take us forward. Your toughts?Ken answered:Hi Ismail (yet again? (: )
I agree, grooming another wicketkeeper is our most pressing need. But the problem is I don’t think anyone knows who Boucher’s successor will be! But Boucher needs to lift his game and is under pressure to perform in this Test, otherwise the change will happen sooner rather than later. I think the selectors are hoping Boucher performs to buy them some more time!PLEASE GO TO http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/111213/QA_Proteas_v_SL FOR THE REST OF THE Q&A