How can you say it's not the players techniques or the players?? It most certainly is the players inability to not just attack recklessly like odi's and unable to rely on technique to see them through and just milk runs.
Poor poor cricket from SA, they are a pale poor shadow of the team with steyn in his pomp, Kallis, smith, ab and amla
In ODI series - Faf, ABD, Amla, De-Kock played well and scored a lot of runs. That's why i am unable to doubt their technique. Inability is something i would relate to temperament in this case. Being patient and waiting for runs is something they haven't done well in the test series. However i do see how you are relating their inability to failure in technique. Point understood ...
I am going to say SA is wading through uncharted territory now. They haven't lost an away series in 9 years ! When the team was pushed into a corner, captain/vice-cap/team management failed to react properly. Some changes would have helped SA ...
1. Amla should have resorted to opening the innings with Dean in this test series. Amla has the patience to wait for runs and from the 2nd innings of 3rd test match it was quite evident. As long as Amla was there, Faf played a decent innings but once he got out Faf went out playing a wacky shot, ball did keep low but a simple forward defence would have done the trick.
2. ABD has been batting decently but he seems to the lone wolf in the team who is able to carry on immaterial of others performance. He should have been asked go-in at one down. He would have received more support and spent a little more time in the crease. He certainly would have scored more runs than what he did right now.
3. Faf Du Plessis - This is the guy who is seriously stuck in the T20 mode. May be its because he is playing in familiar IPL conditions and his mind switches to the T20 mode or something. Faf doesn't come out as a convincing player who can lead the team with a big innings. He can always play a big innings under the shadow of someone else but can he be a game changer in tests - this begs another discussion !
4. Spin bowlers - Amla is reluctant to toss the ball to Imran Tahir. The so called spinning sensation hasn't really delivered anything at all in this series. Piedt seems to be a good option. Wonder why SA management didn't include Piedt in the first test match itself ! Why did they wait to include him in a match which has minimal relevance.
5. Duminy - Spinning all rounder. Get over it and define a specific role for him in the team. He is not an effective spin option. He is a good middle order batsman who can bowl a few overs here and there. JP should be used to fill up the overs in-between when strike bowlers are resting. Better to realize this and make necessary changes.
Just watched a session of Tambe & Amla batting with discipline. Now this i like it but the run rate is pretty pathetic. Amla has made defence look very easy. Just too little too late ...
Total score : 40/1 in 39 overs.
Tea - Day 4 Current time 14:20 local, 08:50 GMT Test Career
Batsmen R B
Temba Bavuma (rhb) 30 104
Hashim Amla (rhb) 6 113
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Topic: India v South Africa series (Read 44684 times)