I was working today and almost every Sport bulletin on the Radio asked this question, Will they drop Ntini? The decision according to Smith on News24 is not in his hands. He even describe it as “sensitive”. When does the player become more important than the team. My feeling about Ntini is that he is one of our best players but that his current form is not at Test level.
Asked whether dropping Ntini would be a sensitive issue, Smith said: “It’s a sensitive issue in South Africa. That’s being honest.
“Makhaya is an icon to the country. He’s not only the most iconic player of colour we’ve had, he’s also been one of the most iconic cricketers in terms of performance over the last decade.”
But his form this year leaves the Proteas very vulnerable. We have currently a attack consisting of Steyn(back from injury, not at his sharpest) , Morne Morkel (in good form) Harris ( last 2 tests was very good , a must at Newlands) and a off form Ntini.
Ntini took only 11 wickets in the 7 Supersport matches he played this year. In the 2 Tests so far his figures is not good reading either. In 2009 he took 13 wickets at 57 runs per wicket. His strike rate was 101 balls per wicket, his worst in 7 years, no in fact his worst ever. His previous worst performance was 90 balls per wicket in 2001. Taking only a wicket every 15/16th over places a lot of pressure on his opening partner. currently Dale Steyn,s strike rate is 40 balls per wicket or a wicket every 6/7 overs.
Cricinfo says
Either decision will come with significant consequences. If Ntini somehow survives the axe it will create an inescapable feeling that more than purely cricket reasons are behind the decision, but if he is omitted, as looks likely, it will be a tough road back for a player who means so much to this country.
There is no black cricketer making a huge push for selection in the near future. Only Lonwabo Tsotsobe, the left-arm paceman who has played three ODIs, is close to the national set-up and he isn’t considered a realistic Test option at the moment. The coming weeks and months will show how free of outside influences South African cricket has become.
One must remember that another legendary bowler in South Africa, Shaun Pollock was dropped in 2006/7 when his wicket taking ability and form came down. It was a big shock then, but it proved to be the right decision, we won 11 out of our 15 tests that year. He showed his ability in the following onedayers and ended his career on a high.
Maybe Ntini must take a lesson from Pollock and walk out of the game in style with his reputation intact. I will miss his hard working attitude but would love to remember him for the good he did.
We also have Jacque Kallis and a ever improving Duminy (as bowler) to help with the bowling.
Harris 23 in 7 matches, M Morkel with 18 in 5 and F de Wet with 20 in 5 matches took wicket in the SS series this year.
If Lord’s is the place to be for Test cricket in England then certainly much the same applies to Sahara Park Newlands as far as the South African five-day game is concerned.
It has become the fortress of the Proteas’ Castle Test squad and the venue consistently draws the biggest crowds of any ground in the country.
By the close of business on Friday a grand total of 84 000 tickets (that makes an aggregate of well over 150 000 for the series) had been sold and house full signs could become a regular sight on the first few days as the Proteas bid to overcome a 1-0 series deficit and take the Basil d’Oliveira Trophy to a decider at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium later in the month.
The Proteas have had an enviable record at Sahara Park Newlands since unity. Australia are the only visiting team to have won here (on three occasions) and this streak was beaten when the Proteas won by an innings last season. All the Australian games have taken place in March and the last time South Africa lost a New Year Test was back in 1967.
The modern day record at Newlands is: played 20, won 14, drawn 3, lost 3.
Nobody seems certain as to why the Proteas have such a dominant record at Sahara Park Newlands. The pitch is certainly a factor as it fits perfectly the brand of cricket that the Proteas want to play. It normally has a bit of pace and bounce, is good for batting for the first three days and gives the bowlers some assistance in the form of spin and variable bounce as it deteriorates on days 4 and 5.
There is also the fact that there has always been a solid core of players based in Cape Town and who learned their cricket there in the top order.
If ntini has sadly lost his sparkle he should gracefully retire and retain his dignity. He must know he is putting the selecters in a awkward position, if he does not play well again he will get the dreaded quota tag and that would be very sad for a man who was a good bowler.
“If you pat yourself on the back … you can get beaten pretty quickly. We need to be ruthless … when ahead,” Strauss said on Saturday. “We shouldn’t have been talking about winning the (Ashes) series, we should have been talking about winning the first half-hour (of the next match).
We are in for a major fight, the new SA blood in the England side makes them as determined as us.
Watch out for Peterson, he is due, hope not for a ton.
4 – superBul, does it take SA blood in the English side to foster determination? 😉
Interesting concept!
The next few days should be fun, I think you lot will really give us a tough time in Cape Town!
Puma – Hope the Barmy Army behaved in Umhlanga!!
Yeeyyy……Curry has arrived!!
Till the cricket tomorrow…………….
The three games lost at Newlands was all against Australia. Shane Warne played a major role in all three games. This time around England will have the edge in the spinning department.
Tea – Day 1
Pakistan in Australia Test Series – 2nd Test
Australia 1st innings
SR Watson c †Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Sami 6
PJ Hughes c Faisal Iqbal b Mohammad Sami 0
RT Ponting* c Umar Gul b Mohammad Sami 0
MEK Hussey c Misbah-ul-Haq b Mohammad Asif 28
MJ Clarke b Mohammad Asif 3
MJ North c †Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Asif 10
BJ Haddin† c Mohammad Yousuf b Mohammad Asif 6
MG Johnson not out 7
NM Hauritz not out 2
Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 1, nb 1) 5
Total (7 wickets; 27 overs) 67 (2.48 runs per over)
SA need bowling like this
Bowling
Mohammad Asif 11 3 18 4
Mohammad Sami 10 4 21 3
Umar Gul 6 0 25 0
SB, SA also need the pitch and the weather conditions. Cape Town is going to be hot today.
And a belated Happy New Year to you and the family and all the R-T bloggers.
Thanks Boerboel, same to you and your family.
I am watching the Australian game now, they must have the funniest commentators in the World. Australia down 7/67 and they tell us over and over about the positives of Pontings decision to bat first. I wonder if they ever listens to their own commentary later on?
I’ve watched until teatime and decided to come and see what’s going on ion the world. Yes, they can explain until they’re blue in the face but Pointing should have had a bowl in these conditions.
Funny comment when they were 7 down in the 70s, we must bat positive to get to 120. Goodness gracious what a start to 2010, the Australians happy with 127.
I agree you must bat positively, but somehow the Australians always see a winning situation for their team. They are hoping for a similar start to the Pakistan innings, i wish the Pakis can get trough to stumps without the loss of a wicket, it will put the cat amongst the pigeons.
Light was offered to Pakistan, they survived 4 overs and end the day on 14/0
Great day for them, they really outplayed Australia on day 1, the problem is Australia always fight back hard.
Now for a good game by SA, Please, PULEZE.
It is raining here in Ape Town [thanks Winston]. I was in Boolands area early this morning and it was pouring, so maybe there will be no cricket at all.
9.30am Good morning, Happy New Year, and welcome to Cricinfo’s live ball-by-ball coverage of the third Test in Cape Town. Table Mountain provides the perfect backdrop to a perfectly poised Test series. South Africa’s near-miss at Centurion was followed by England’s thumping victory at Durban, and now, with two matches of the series remaining, the onus will be on Graeme Smith’s men to battle back in style.
To that end, we are hearing some very significant team news. Makhaya Ntini, South Africa’s iconic paceman, has been dropped following his poor showing in the first two games of the series, with Friedel de Wet returning to the XI in his place.
9.50am Some far less happy news is that Andrew McGlashan reports “steady rain” at Newlands. England, we’re told, will be unchanged which means Paul Collingwood has recovered from his finger injury in time.
Morning superBul, I am watching the S14 Final on 201. It is raining………..
15 – Loosehead, Raining in Cape Town? Hope we get some cricket in. Rain has spoiled this tour by England. Two games in the odi’s were washed out and the test in Durban we had rain almost everyday except the 3rd day when it never rained.
Cape Town supposed to be dry this time of year. Proteas favourite ground too.
10.05am The covers are slowly being drawn off and the dense cloud is lifting to reveal Table Mountain, makes for a dramatic scene.
Morning Puma,
i am waiting for the toss, who would you pick for a win if we lose the toss?
i have 15 minutes to pick , come on who won the toss?
Yesterday was the perfect day to start the game, hot with hardly any wind.
Hi guy’s. It was so silly so start the game on a Sunday,surely more people would have gone to the game if it started on a Saturday but maybe they did it so the guys could have an extra days break. I’m pretty sure Ntini will be dropped but lets wait and see what happens at the toss 🙂
18 Loosehead
Thanks , this is always a great view, that dive over by Matfield showed the whole South African Rugby attitude in 2009. That is what we as Bulls hope for again from Victor and men.
10.35am Right, even the umpires are out there now so things are clearing up. 10.45am toss and 11.00am start time. Let’s hope.
10.30am The covers are going on and off and back on. All of which seems to mean that the toss is delayed further but pleasingly the rain has stopped. Apparently the ball is swinging around corners in practice, which could possibly lure the captains to consider bowling first.
A bold move from Strauss, maybe he felt the South African batsmen would be under pressure following their collapse in Durban. Ian Botham declares it a bowling day and points out some green patches on the wicket. England, however, misread the pitch at Centurion so South Africa will want something similar today.
10.45am The captains are out there, I think, it’s so cloudy it’s difficult to tell. Strauss calls heads. England win the toss and will bowl. Strauss says it’s swinging nicely in practice and confirms Paul Collingwood will play.
Game thread now open see you there
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