The start of the international and domestic cricket season is upon us, I thought I would take a look and review what is on offer this season.

SuperSport Series:

First up the domestic season is already under way with the SuperSport series two rounds in. We’ve had an early indication of form; the might Hashim Amla opened the season with a double-century (218) and in the same game Alviro Petersen (186) fell fourteen short of his double-century. Other players that scored early centuries include Ryan McLaren (133*), Stephan Cook (131), Obus Pienaar (119), Jacques Rudolph (118), Neil McKenzie (110*), Dale Deeb (101*) and Temba Bavuma (100*).

There has also been some impressive bowling, five bowlers have taken five wicket hauls, Robbie Frylink and Johan van der Wath both took six wickets. More noticeably, the two spinners from the Titans Paul Harris and young Shaun von Berg both took five wickets against the Dolphins in Pietermaritzburg in a game that Imran Tahir missed due to an injury precaution.

Domestic Pro20:

For a while I’ve been saying that we need international players in our domestic competitions, I’m of the opinion that it will draw crowds as well as give young players the opportunity to learn from some of the experienced international stars. And at long last we seem to have attracted a few of big names; The Dolphins have signed Shaun Tait and Chris Gayle two players that should have a massive impact. The Lions managed to sign the Pakistan pair of all-rounders in Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq so there will be an international flavour to our domestic cricket can’t wait for the Pro20 to get under way!

Australia in South Africa:

Our new look Protea’s management and leadership open their journey together with the toughest possible start to their tenure with two T20’s of which both are already sold out, three ODI games and two Test matches against the Aussies. It’s a pity that there are only two Test matches which is due to the dispute between CSA and the Australian cricket board in which neither wanted to give up their December Test series. I would personally like to see the T20’s and ODI’s scrapped in place of a four or five match Test series, but that would mean our administrators would be putting their love for cricket above the will to make a profit.

I’ve got my tickets to the first ODI in centurion which should be awesome, I’ve also arranged my now annual trip down to Newlands for the first Test match and will not doubt be taking some extra days leave to attend as many days as possible of the second Test at SuperSport Centurion.

We also have a full series at home against Sri Lanka, a tour down to New Zealand early in the new-year and an end of year tour too England.

So as the old Benson & Hedges T.V. commercial coined; Come on summer, come on, come on! 

I meet Mike Sharman about 8 months ago at Spatt’s Summer Party, we found that we were both extremely cool guys with a passion for cricket and online, so we committed to discuss important matters further.

Sharman managed to get his car stolen a day or two before our first date, so I picked him up and off we went to one of Johannesburg’s fine eateries… to my surprise Sharman had made plans for me to meet his parents… it’s complicated.

We discussed many things, top of the agenda was how we were going to get ourselves to the Cricket World Cup. Sharman already had his plan of action, he was going enter the Castle Lager Proteas SuperFans competition by dressing up as a nutter at the 1^st Test between India and South Africa at SuperSport Centurion.

Unfortunately for Sharman  he didn’t win, still fully committed to his mission to get to India, off he went to Durban for the second Test where both Sharman and the Proteas lost… Sharman had one last chance… the New Years Test in Cape Town.

Having picked up some tips and tricks in his previous two endeavours, Sharman plotted his plan of attack… On the first day of the final Test he gathered his crew (Snow White and the seven Morphs) and garnered some support from the locals.

Sharman took his dress-up to the next level with his rendition of “Draught Man” painted head to garden path in body paint Sharman become the centre of attention. “Draught Man” won the dress-up on the day and so it came to be that Sharman and 26 other Castle Lager Proteas SuperFans booked their tickets to India.

Draught Man and Hobbo

Castle Larger, the beer behind our boys, has also become the beer behind the fans, they leave for India on Wednesday and will attend the match between South Africa and India on 12 March at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur.

Jacques Kallis has been playing international cricket for 15 years, in those 15 years he’s scored 11 650 Test runs, 54 half-centuries, 38 centuries and 1 double-century. Kallis managed to break the hoodoo of the illusive double-century in the first Castle Larger Test against India at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

Kallis’ previous best was 189* against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2001, Kallis had failed to reach 200 on ten previous occasions, either getting out or being stranded between 150 and 199. It’s only fitting that Jacques Kallis achieved his Test double-century against India, who are currently ranked as the number 1 Test team in the world.

Many people have criticized Kallis saying that that he bats for his average or puts the value of his wicket above that of the team, to those critics I suggest you read Dan Nicholl’s article where he asks the question, “Kallis the greatest ever?” where he notes ; “It was circumstance that demanded a conservative approach, and it produced a batsman whose wicket quickly became one of cricket’s most prized”

Kallis’ double-century has moved him into third place on the ICC Test batsmen rankings, add to that he’s ranked as the 22^nd best Test bowler, the top Test all-rounder, ranked as the 9^th best ODI batsmen in the world, and is only 31 Test wickets short of 300 and you get the picture that this man is one of, if not the finest all round players to have ever played the game.

Thanks for this little gem, SportBilly101

Who took a shit on Clive Rice’s doorstep? No really I’d like to know, if it was you then please go and apologize to CSI Rice so that he can calm down and we can resume normal broadcast, we’re so sick and tired of his negative opinion.

I would rather support the Province rugby team then give this knob airtime, but I can’t standby and let him spout crap about our players and team without pointing out some of his ludicrous statements.

In his latest rant which you can read on SuperSport’s website, CSI Rice makes two pathetic observations, firstly that our bowlers can’t take 20 wickets in South Africa. Referring to Dale Steyn and Morné Morkel CSI Rice said “They can take several wickets between them, but it is too much to ask that they should take out India twice in a test.”

Clive I know you’re bald, and feeling a bit self-conscious because you don’t understand why all the gents in South Africa shaved their Mo’s off on the 1^st of December, but don’t take shots in the dark at our bowlers. Yes we struggled to bowl Pakistan out in the last series, but that series was played on a track that resembled the M1 north. South African groundsmen are far more in tune with the need for a fair contest between bat and ball, the wickets will be conducive to a result. Our bowling attack consists of more than just Steyn and Morkel, get life Clive.

He goes on to say he wants to see Botha as captain, even if Smith is available. Do I really need to tell you how ludicrous this statement is. To me this just shows that he is only making these statements for the attention that he knows it will bring.

Clive don’t be a sourpuss, get over yourself and be a positive influence on cricket in South Africa, we don’t appreciate or need your negative attitude.

Wonder why we call him CSI Rice (Crime Scene Investigator) ?

Having recently read Mickey Arthur’s book, Taking the Mickey, it’s become apparent to me that the national selectors don’t actually watch cricket, when you see them in the Presidents box on the first day of a Test series, they’re not there to watch the game, they’re there to socialize and consume the sponsors beverage. This is sad news for Roelof van der Merwe, because I really hope that someone has got word to the selectors that this boy is needed for our World Cup attempt in 2011.

The South African Cricket team has long been accused of being chokers, a label that I personally despise, but it is true that some players lose their cool under pressure. Herschelle Gibbs refers to this in his book, To the point, he’s of the opinion that the Protea’s approach to the game is far to conservative which leaves to much to be done at the end of an innings, rather than the team being chokers.

Let it be known that there is absolutely nothing conservative about Roelof van der Merwe. Roela has also recently reaffirmed his ability to perform under pressure in both the MTN40 semi-finals that the Titans recently played.

Having been set a total of 300 runs by the Lions in the first semi-final, the Titans soon found themselves 3 wickets down with just 93 runs on the board. Needing 10 runs per over, van der Merwe came to the wicket and smashed a career best 93 off 51 balls (5 x 4’s, 7 x 6’s, 182.35SR), now if that is not BMT, then I’ve never seen it.

In the second MTN40 semi-final at the Wanderers, it was again van der Merwe who this time bowled the Titans back into the match. The Titans set the tone scoring 287 in their innings, The Lions and more specifically Jonathan Vandiar blazed the Titan’s bowlers all over the place, the Titans were getting into real trouble with the Lions on 116 without loss, enter Roelf van der Merwe, two wickets in two balls, removing Vandiar and Cameron. Titans captain Rudolph took Roela off while he was on a hat-trick, but Roela returned later in the innings to remove a few more batsmen ending with figures of 41/5 from 8 overs. In his spell van der Merwe removed the four highest scoring Lions batsmen, and the other for a golden duck.

Going into the Final of the MTN40 on Friday evening, Roela finds himself joint second on the table for most wickets taken this season, one behind Ryan McLaren on the opposition team in the final, the Knights.

So if you have a line to the national selectors, please let them know Roelof van der Merwe can bat and bowl under pressure…. We need him, we really do.

Yes it’s true I did once say that Hashim Amla would go on to become the greatest Test batsman that South Africa has ever produced. I would now like to correct that statement; Hashim Amla will go on to become the greatest batsman that South Africa has ever produced, period.

Hashim Amla is well on his way to breaking many South Africa batting records, and he’s pulled off another batting feat this year. According to a tweet from Paul Adams, Gogga you better be right…. Hashim Amla is the first and only South African batsman to score 1000 runs in both Test and one day cricket in a calendar year.

2010 Test and ODI top run scorers:

Hash is a true gentleman and a great player of the game, I’m looking forward to seeing him in action in the upcoming Test series against India.

Having lost our openers and then Hashim Amla to a shocking decision, South Africa found themselves at 33/3 after being put in to bat by Pakistan on the first day of the second Test. The fall of Graeme Smith’s wicket brought Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers together for the fourth wicket.

The pair batted the Proteas out of trouble as they steadied the innings, both going to centuries. Kallis lost his wicket for 105 breaking the partnership, but de Villiers had other plans.

As is now well documented, de Villiers went on to score 278* breaking the record for the most runs scored in a Test innings by a South African, surpassing Graeme Smith’s record of 277. de Villiers was fortunate that the team allowed him the time to achieve this feat, at tea on the second day South Africa could easily have declared, but they sent AB out after tea to smash it around and achieve the record.

On his way to the number one position de Villiers past some of the South African greats, Pollock, Amla and Cullinan:

Top ten individual Test scored by a South African:

This achievement by AB de Villiers is significant, it illustrates how he has matured as a cricketer. A few years ago we were frustrated by this obviously talented young player that seemed to lack patients and the sense of responsibility that is required in Test cricket.

At 26 years old, with 4000+ runs behind his name, 62 matches and a Test average of 45, de Villiers has the world in his hands, and now has the self belief to go on and become one of the great South African Test batsmen.

Yes this is a blog about South African cricket and we’re so self involved that we hardly mention the goings on around the world of international cricket. When a player smashes records we just have to mention him, so while South Africa were dropping catches against a second rate Test team (second rate because Kallis has scored more runs, hit more sixes and taken more wickets than the entire Pakistan team, but we still couldn’t bowl them out) Chris Gayle was making history against Sri Lanka.

Gayle smashed 333 to become only the fourth batsman after Bradman, Lara and Sehwag to make two 300-plus scores in Test cricket. His 333 was the 12^th highest Test score (jointly held by English batsman Graham Gooch).

• Don Bradman (334 & 304)
• Brian Lara (400* and 375)
• Virender Sehwag (319 & 309)
• Chris Gayle (333 & 317*)

Gayle also set the following records:

• Gayle became the first West Indian to score a triple century outside of the West Indies
• He Broke Mahela Jayawardene’s 237 to set a new highest score at the Galle International Stadium
• Highest score by a West Indies batsman in the subcontinent
• Highest score against Sri Lanka by any batsman

A truly remarkable innings, by one of the best entertainers in international cricket – Chris Gayle has written himself into the history books for eternity – Well played sir!

*Graeme Smith (277) holds the highest Test score by a South African

“We thought if they don’t want to tour here, we will also say we don’t want to tour there during that time so we can host our own Tests.” – Gerald Majola.

Right, did Gerald ask his 6 year old son to write that statement for him? How pathetic is that? South Africa and Australia will not play a full Test tour of Australia until 2021 because we’re crap at negotiating.

CricInfo reported: “Following a breakdown in discussions over tours over the holiday period, CSA managed to convince the International Cricket Council that, like Australia, it should host Test matches over the festive season every season from 2012 to 2020.” [http://www.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/485443.html]

This decision is based purely  on the hunger for money, as the December Test series are usually well attended as it’s the holidays – come on Gerald cricket is not just about money. Some of us actually enjoy turning into nocturnal critters, watching cricket until all hours of the morning. December is the only time we can do this, because we don’t have to go to work the next day. Cricket South Africa have effectively ensured that very few Protea supporters will be able to watch and support their team when they do play down under…

It’s also not the smartest strategy every planned, where are these home test matches  going to be played? Most fans around the Gauteng area will be migrating south to the coast, so yes Cape Town will be a great option…. But they have always been hosts in any Test series. Where else will they play, Durban? Durban hasn’t sold out a stadium in ages, not even Robbie Williams can sell out a stadium in Durbs. So that leaves Port Elizabeth … awesome five days of the band will drive me to drink too much of the sponsors brew.

Don’t worry about us Gerlad, it’s cool, we’ll follow you blindly wherever you may wish. Please could you ensure that the riches earned from these home Test series is ploughed back into the domestic structures so we can find some all-rounders.