SL tour of SA, Dec 18 - Feb 10

[Making_Splinters]

Elgar out just before the close, but looking at the way the pitch is playing you'd think he's already done enough to put South Africa in a very strong position.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Probably an okay bowling day for SL, except their batters will struggle to get runs on the board.

[The Professor]

Seems odd to me that Duminy's position in the team seems unassailable when he's been nothing but average for the last two years.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Probably going to miss out when ABDV comes back.

JPD did ok in Australia, I think? Got a ton in Perth anyway, and a near ton v NZ in the rainy season Tests.

[Dr Cricket]

yeah Jpd doing ok.
the person under pressure is Amla they don't need him and can't drop Faf.

both openers are secure
Amla ?
Duminy doing well lately
Faf Captain
Bavuma cant' be dropped anyway and is a good player although he not doing that well lately but can't be dropped anyway for being Black African.
De kock brilliant player and playing so well.

So for AB de villiers to come back one of Amla, Duminy or De kock needs to be dropped and if De kock goes then SA cricket is pathetic really, from Amla or Duminy at the moment I would drop Amla.
only way Amla survives is if one of the openers get dropped and Amla decides to open.

in a way SA are lucky De kock not turned to county cricket if they loss him reckon SA would be struggling in Test or international cricket in the next few years they don't really have a good batting depth or option at the moment.
they only really going to be competitive because of Abott and Rabada.
Don't really rate much of their batting apart Amla, De kock and Ab and two of those are close to the end of their careers.
Bavuma got the potential but at the moment he been very sloppy and just playing good shots, very Bell like at the moment good to watch but not big numbers to win Test matches.

[Making_Splinters]

Amla averaged 48 last year mainly due to his big series against England at the start o the year. He's had six poor Tests. He's not under any pressure really, he's an exceptional player in a poor run of form.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Only reason JPD won't make way for ABDV is if there's a quota issue.

Not obvious who is dropped for Steyn though. Hard to leave any of the seamers out, though Steyn has to play.

[Dr Cricket]

Amla been struggling for more than that though.
Struggled before the india series, out of touch in the india tour, then looked rusty in some of the england test and again during the SA Test winter and struggling in the Australia series and the last test.

Averaged 22 in 2015
if he struggles this summer for them he would have been struggling for close 2 yrs.
with Faf being captain only Duminy or Amla can be dropped for Ab De villiers.
although AB de Villiers could just retire from Test cricket not sure he that keen on it anymore anyway.

[Arthur Crabtree]

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=batting

Over past two years. Amla's form is an issue for such a class bat, with only two tons, but maybe not terminal. Much better than JPD anyway.

[Dr Cricket]

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=batting_average;qualmin1=200;qualval1=runs;spanmin1=01+jan+2015;spanval1=span;team=3;template=results;type=batting

Over past two years. Amla's form is an issue for such a class bat, with only two tons, but maybe not terminal. Much better than JPD anyway.

that is pretty awkward when you think Duminy doing ok/good and he still averaging 25.85.

[Dr Cricket]

looking at it would drop duminy and not Amla at the moment but it could all change depending how their bat for the rest of the Season.

[The Professor]

Duminy's average is worse than Amla's over last 2 years.

Just 27.

EDIT: just read the messages above and see that's already been mentioned. Sorry

[Arthur Crabtree]

Well, JPD was going through a horror run, but has improved in his last five Tests. So having kept with him for so long, it doesn't make sense to drop him now- other than someone (he) has to go for ABDV.

[mikesiva]

Rabada and maharaj wrecked the top order.

[rich1uk]

looking like another pretty one-sided test in the making

far too many of these going on atm at a time when tests are struggling to maintain their place against white ball ball cricket