The question and answer session has closed.
Hlawutelo asked:
I''m loving the flexibility SA is showing under the leadership of Gary and AB. My concern is the consistency we fail to show. By that I mean that when one problem is sorted out, another one surfaces. We had a batting dilemma not so long ago. That seems to be rectified because of our flexibility but now our fielding and bowling seems lax. How will this be addressed?
Thank you for your time Neil.
Neil answered:
As Gary said when he took the job, there is no ‘silver bullet’ or magic formula – other than hard work, a clear mind and dedication. It’s really hard to explain the fielding in the last two games. We have to accept losses, they are part of sport, but at least give an adequate performance if you’re going to lose. Some people will tell you that dropped catches and no-balls are also part of the game. Others will tell you that, only by eliminating them will you improve and rise to the next level of performance. And the only way to do that…is to practise and train harder.
Gavin Ryan asked:
Hi Neil, it appears that our bowlers are not doing the job on a consistent basis. Who do you see as the bowlers to bowl at the death? And when Kallis moves on is Ingram the answer at No.3? Thanks alot
Neil answered:
The most valuable lesson to come out of the last couple of games, perhaps, is the importance of Dale Steyn and Kallis to the ODI team. It’s not just their wickets and runs but perhaps the subliminal effect they have on the team and their team mates. You can look at that two ways – relief that we can bring them back, but also the realisation that Gary Kirsten’s policy of giving more exposure and experience to a bigger squad means that (hopefully) we won’t always have to rely on them.
Ashley asked:
Hi Neil,
D o you think that we are putting to much on AB shoulders e.g. Captaincy, wicket keeper and batsman thereby shortening his career. I''m of the view that we should put a wicketkeeper in who can bat despite the fact that it will limit the options for an extra bowler/ batsman. Do you think that Richard Levi will make the squad for New Zealand?
Neil answered:
AB is only too happy to take the ‘pressure’. He isn’t being tied down and force-fed. There weren’t many captaincy options. My view is that he will probably be a fairly short-term option as captain (couple of years) and then he will be free to resume his career as our most exciting and devastating batsman, and fielder. Right now he’s a breath of fresh air and the right man for the job, despite making mistakes. He’ll soon get the hang of it…I hope! Levi’s inclusion probably comes down to money, although nobody would admit that. Having been part of the last T20 squad and not playing a game, it would harsh to leave him out, but if he makes the squad too large and expensive to take, then he could miss out.
dilo asked:
At the world cup, Imran Tahir was our best bowler/spinner, but he is now left out of the team. Is there any logic to this? Why are we so obsessed with winning series against Sri Lanka/New Zealand and moving up rankings, when we fail at big tournaments.wouldn''t it be better to loose these games and win a world cup cos beating Sri Lanka now means nothing at the world cup. Lastly, Graeme Smith failed at the world cup, both as a player and as a proud South African. He refused to return with the team and face the music remember, so why do some commentators keep saying we owe him more when we say his best days are behind him? Cheers
Neil answered:
Imran was successful because the conditions were suitable. There’s very little point in selecting him in SA, expecting him to be a match-winner, and then being disappointed when he isn’t. My view is that he isn’t quite enough of an all-round match-winner in ODIs to make him an automatic selection, but that he is the way forward in Tests. I disagree with your view on prioritisation. I think we have been too obsessed with World Cups that take place in two or three years time rather than creating a winning culture which makes the ‘blooding’ of young players much easier.
James asked:
While it''s great we won the series I thought AB De Villiers Captaincy was suspect as times. Particularly when he was under pressure. His personal performance was fantastic but I thoguht his decisions surrounding certain fielding position but more notable his choice of bowlers in pressure situations and at the innings end. What is your opinion on this?
Neil answered:
Absolutely correct. But then he has virtually no captaincy experience, at any level, so what should we expect? He says he “trusts his gut feel” and it was invigorating to watch during the first three games when SA were winning. But it became a pain in the neck when he changed the field every second ball when his team was losing. Even in 50-over cricket, patience is an important virtue. At the beginning of the Wanderers second innings he started with two slips and then, three balls later, moved the second slip. The next ball was edged there. Statistically, Hansie Cronje was SA’s most successful captain, and he was also the most formulaic and predictable. AB needs to find a balance between spontaneity and tried and tested methods.
Kenneth asked:
Hi nail! Dnt u think Dave miller shud be selected ahead of M morkel so that he does gain experience in T20 n ODI''s? He has a great potential in my view, kind of reminds me of AB at his younger age!
Neil answered:
David Miller has been dealt a rotten set of cards. Sometimes events conspire against you, despite your greatest efforts. (I’m not sure how you could argue that Morne Morkel should be replaced with Miller, however! A batsman for a fast bowler? If you mean Albie then I’d disagree. Albie is every bit as good at clearing the ropes – and he bowls.) But Miller is far too good to have lost his chance. He has had a taste of the big stage, and will come back even stronger and better.
Les Faber asked:
Is Graham Smith on a "big time" come back? Is he in the same batting form as he was back in 2003? Do you think the selectors may keep him on as Aus did with Ponting minus captaincy?
Neil answered:
Who knows? Not me. Personally I believe he still has some monumental Test innings left in him. I’m less convinced about his ODI future, but I hope I’m wrong. He’s a brilliant batsman. Yes, I do believe he’ll finish his career without any captaincy burdens…
Justin asked:
hi, hope you are well.
can you please give me your opinion on wether you would play duminy or prince in the test matchesfor upcoming tours.
i would also like to know what your opinion is about de lange being droppped from the team after taking 7 wickets on debut and wheather you wld have played him in the odi team.
thanks alot keep well
Neil answered:
Neither Ashwell nor J-P is in the Test side, and that’s the way it will stay in the foreseeable future. It’s a tough game – J-P’s weaknesses have been analysed by bowlers around the world and he will have to address them in the way that Hashim did before becoming a great player. J-P is the future. Marchant de Lange is also the future, but please give him time! He’s only just started playing first-class cricket, let alone international!
Alvin Delaney asked:
Gifted a player as AB DE Villiers is , I still believe Boucher should keep at all levels of the game . I think it unlikely that Boucher would have missed the stumping chance that AB missed , because Boucher is a specialist keeper as apposed to AB that does not glove on a regular basis.Boucher`s value as a fast run gatherer/chaser cannot be questioned. Apart from that, can one really keep this keeper with all sorts of world records out of the game as far as SA team selections are concerned?
Neil answered:
Well, Alvin, you are in the minority! Most people seem to feel that Boucher, at 35, is on his way out! Personally I feel that he’s the right man for the Test XI but that AB’s versatility gives the team a much needed option to play the extra batsman or bowler at the moment. We can’t keep going back to Bouch in ODIs, can we? If you’d like a batting ‘keeper, what about giving Dane Vilas a go?
André Burger asked:
Do you think Greame Smith`s scoring rate is quick enough in recent games. I know his career figures are impressive, but everyone has a peak and maybe he has reached his in ODI`s. If he got out earlier in the last ODI he would`ve wasted a lot of balls. It`s one thing to guts it out in test matches, but I feel in ODI`s it can cause your team to be a crucial 10-15 runs short of the required total.
Neil answered:
Good point. On a pitch as good as the Wanderers, the minimum scoring requirement for an opener making a big score is run-a-ball. But he needed that century, and the team needed it, too. Now that he’s got it, the first for almost three years, perhaps the next one will be quicker!
Thabo Makamole asked:
Hi,
wow, what a series we had, good performance all around. I however have a problem with the complacency which seems to creep in when we win with big margins. The test series in durban..how do we fix this? As for the ODIs we need the death bowlers,what is happening at the SA cricket academy, bowlers are not taught to bowl yokers? from each bowler the whole series our bowlers combined did not bowl 10 overs of yokers,that could have saved us in the Highveld...New Zealand is going to be exciting and with the form we have im positive
Neil answered:
Complacency is a hard thing to quantify. Is it real? Nobody really knows for sure. Results would appear to suggest that it is a reality, but very difficult to pin down. All we can do is allow Gary Kirsten and Paddy Upton the time to address the situation and come up with a solution. The technical skills required to bowl ‘yorkers’ on demand come from hard work, nothing else. Perhaps the bowlers need to address their weaknesses themselves rather than be prescribed to by coaches. Do they want to be able to do it? How much do they want that skill? Ultimately, coaches cannot make a player have a skill. The player has to want it enough.
ROUNEL asked:
Looking ahead at the NZ and England tours, can the SA batsmen(Amla, Kallis, AB excluded)cope with the spin of Vettori and Swan? , bearing in mind that these two guys are top performers on any pitch. If we are to get favorable results me thinks that the way we handle these two spinners will have a huge influence on the results of games.
Neil answered:
Both Swann and Vettori are very, very fine bowlers but, like most good finger spinners they require a lot of overs to take their wickets – and a lot of overs means plenty of run scoring opportunities. The great Muttiah Muralitharan took over 100 wickets against South Africa but mostly at a cost of over 30 runs each. It meant South Africa, mostly, still had enough runs to win the game despite Murali’s wickets. As long as the top order remains positive against those two spinners they will be fine.
Stephen Kemp asked:
Hi Neil.
I was just wondering what your thoughts are on including Parnell in the ODI side for recent games. Despite showing massive talent as a youngster, I feel he has yet to fully convert into what we need for the national side. Even his domestic record has not been great (average over 30 with poor econ rate) and an even worse average in first class matches. I feel by constantly being around the SA side (often in squad but not playing), its limiting him from focussing on improving his game at domestic level.
Thanks, Steve
Neil answered:
That’s another excellent question. Parnell has spent time with the Warriors but hasn’t done enough at first-class level by conventional standards to justify his rapid promotion to the national squad. However, his talent and potential is not ‘conventional’ either. It is exceptional. There is a fine line between promoting talent like his and avoiding complacency. I’m sure Gary Kirsten will get the balance right. Parnell has also been on a long and difficult road back from injury, so that hasn’t helped his form.
Richard Barry asked:
What is the real reason the ICC did not implement the crucial test championship sooner? Did India again force the rest of the world to bow to their demands? Do you think India has too much power in cricket at the moment, with the DRS, etc. ? What can be done to change that?
Neil answered:
Of course it was India. Ostensibly the reason is that the ICC’s broadcast partner, ESPN, said they could not raise enough money from a Test Championship instead of a one-day tournament such as the Champions Trophy. ESPN’s main focus, of course, is the Indian market. So they do everything they can to show the Indian team and satisfy the Indian audience’s demand for one-day cricket. The future of Test cricket and long-term global health of the game do not feature in their priorities.
Moe asked:
Hey Neil ... Do u really think we wouldve won the third game had there not been any rain ?
Neil answered:
Yes, I do. AB was well set on 39 and I thought Albie looked superb. The wicket was excellent and the run rate only six per over.
Lesiba asked:
Do you think it is time to drop some of the players who are already in their 30''s like Kallis and Smith and slowly blooding in youngsters so that we don''t find ourselves in the same situation as India? This would especially be beneficial in the one day side prepairing for the world cup in 2015.
Neil answered:
No, but I do think that they should be rotated and have their workload managed. Gary talks about having a working squad of around 18 players, which is what he will end up with.
Lance Dixon asked:
1). Even the hardiest of South African supporters will beleive in there hearts that Duckworth and Lewis were men of the series and that although we got the trophy we can hardly claim to have won the series regardless of what the book entry says.This side was teetering in Bloem and was only just rescued by D + L after ending in a position which normally has lead SA to collapse and disaster in the past. Did we lose sight of our objective which was to win the series in favour of supporting Smith''s quest to recover his form ?
2). How much longer can we continue to allow the ODI, Test Team and 20/20 internationals to be the stamping ground for players to recover there form and ignore those who appear too have form ?
3). This side is now jinxed at both Kingsemad and The Wanderers having lost by substantial margins on a regular basis against inferior opositiion at the Wandereres as well as the well documented record it holds at Kingsmead . What (and by whom) needs to be done in pitch preperation and team selection to create Wanderers and Kingsmead and in fact all of out main cricket venues as fortress''s and regain home ground advantage ?
4).Is Dale Steyn''s bowling and his late swing entirely dependant on atmospheric conditiions ?
5). Biff''s unquestionably lacks the levels of fitness to play a major innings and is clearly carrying excess weight and this was clear for all to see on Sunday. At 100 + De Villiers also seems to be struggling due to fitness. Is fitness an issue and who should be responsible to rectify this glaring shortcoming.?
5). How much of a disstraction has the Majola circus been ?
Neil answered:
I’ve answered the first question a little earlier – I do think SA would have won…honestly!
Steyn's late swing is mostly reliant on atmospheric conditions but also technique – wrist and body position.
Fitness is ALWAYS an issue. There is a full-time fitness trainer, Rob Walter, so I guess it’s his responsibility. AB has historically suffered from cramps. I’m not sure whether that’s preparation or genetics…?!
BARNES SOOKDEO asked:
Is there a standing rule in CSA that only 4 players of colour can play for the national team?
Neil answered:
It’s not a ‘rule’ – it’s a guideline. And it’s certainly not ‘only’, it’s a minimum. There were six players of colour in the Proteas XI in Kimberley.
Russ asked:
Shouldnt the best SA side available play every time. There is more than enough time to rest Kallis, Steyn etc. Winning is obviously not that important. Why cant SA be more ruthless-like Australia, who seem to want to win each game at all costs??
Neil answered:
SA also want to win every game! Resting players is designed to win more games, not less. Resting Steyn and Kallis has everything to do with the workload to come, not what they have done this season.
Kezzie asked:
The 3rd ODI was decided by Duckworth-Lewis and was relatively close. Since the series ended 3-2 it means Sri Lanka (despite being outclassed in the first two matches) was quite close to winning the series. Is there really any justification for using D/L in cases where the scores were so close and no actual result (to determine progression at a World Cup) is required?
There is no way a statistics programme can claim to be able to accurately predict a par score to that level. Why doesn''t D/L have a "grey area" (in which the match could be drawn) like Hawk''s Eye?
Neil answered:
What a clever and insightful question! I guess the commercial pressures of the game mean that a result is required if at all possible. Whilst I understand your notion of a ‘grey area’, I’d hate the idea of a team abusing it. Imagine a team leading a series 2:1 and then getting into trouble in the final game with weather threatening. The idea of them cynically maintaining their score in the ‘grey area’ to ensure a no-result and therefore a series win leaves me cold. I’d rather have the ruthless ‘win-or-lose’ approach personally.
Faizel Jacobs asked:
Howdy Neil. My question, and there will probably be loads, is about the specialised spinner in the team. The dual between Robbie Pietersen & Johan Botha.
Is Botha not the better choice, he is probably one of the most economical of the SA Bowlers, is a wicket taker and offers a better option with the Bat that Robie does. No disrespect to Robbie, he has done a good job, I just feel Johan is the better all rounder
Neil answered:
Hmmm…Botha bowls more dot balls than Robbie P. I can’t agree that Botha is the better batting option. There’s not much to choose between them, but Peterson is a clean and effective ball striker. It is highly peculiar and irregular that Botha left the squad before the 4th ODI in Kimberley having not played any of the first three games. Management and CSA made no statement about his departure and have been tight-lipped since. Yet another example of wishing bad news away? I think so. But the truth always comes out.
Elmien asked:
The fact that Graeme Smith only performed AFTER we have won the series, does this mean that he cannot handle and perform under pressure?
Neil answered:
His entire career has been built on performing under pressure. Pressure is his preferred fuel. Criticise him all you like, but not for failing under pressure. That’s ridiculous.
Pieter asked:
Upcoming tour to NZ. Your inputs on the test wicket keeping role and future of Boucher. Good time to bleed a youngster like Quinton De Kock? Any other wicket keeper?
Neil answered:
Boucher should stay in the Test XI and I hope a second ‘keeper is chosen to accompany him on the tours to NZ and England.