FOREVER PROTEAS – through the thick and thin
It’s been a few days now since the Proteas were knocked out of the ICC World T20, following a string of losses. There’s been a real backlash from the media, fans and past players about the way the Proteas succumbed to the opposition. Let’s be honest we played poor cricket, the leaders in the team did not perform and the strategy seemed to be nonexistent.
That being said, the cracks in our Proteas team are only starting so show. Understand that players will fail, and we will get knocked out of future tournaments, players are human after all. During the hard times, such as the Proteas currently find themselves, a team, and when I say team I mean from Gerald Majola the head of Cricket South Africa, all the way down to the baggage handlers need to unite and stand together, instead we have a diabolical situation unfolding.
Players are covering their asses, administrators and players alike are washing their dirty laundry in public, the cracks are starting to widen….
The national captain is criticizing the stand in selector:
Recently Graeme Smith criticized Kepler Wessels via his Twitter stream saying: “find it amazing that kepler can sit and say should have picked a younger squad when he was 1 of the selectors who chose it! unbelievable!”
link to original tweet : http://twitter.com/GraemeSmith49/status/13988779333
Graeme Smith then went on to have a dig at ex-players, again via his Twitter stream:
“Atleast we own up to playing poorly. but all these so called experts/ex players im not sure I see a winners medal hanging round there necks!”
link to original tweet : http://twitter.com/GraemeSmith49/status/13989111066
Poor form Graeme, you should be setting the example not alienating yourself and the team from past players and administrators. Some of those past players do have a medal handing in their trophy cabinet at home, ask Pat Symcox (@Symmo77)
Then we have our newly appointed coach Corrie van Zyl again talking via the media calling for change, he didn’t go as far as saying we’ll be dropping players, but we can read between the lines:
“I don’t want to come down on individuals, but the time is right for change. We have to sit down and think about what is important to change and which players are the right ones to fit in with that change.
“If we need to make a few hard calls, it will be done. The point is that we cannot continue down this path. “
We also have former South African convenor of selectors Omar Henry throwing around the names of players that need to be dropped:
“I would axe Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and even Graeme Smith from the T20 team. I believe we need to build a new side and head in a new direction,” said Henry. “
Source: http://www.supersport.com/cricket/article.aspx?id=349168
How does that help Omar? Really? you would drop the three most experienced players in the squad just like that, how can you make a statement like that from outside the team?
Instead of criticizing players after poor performances, why not manage the players, discuss the possibility of them not being part of T20 cricket, and assist them by getting them into county cricket to keep in form during the off season? In my opinion your premier test players should not be playing T20 cricket, they definitely should not be playing in the IPL.
How can a test player adjust their mind set from T20 to Test cricket, the two disciplines are polar opposites of each other. Have a look at the Australian team, Ponting does not play T20 cricket and India’s Sachin Tendulkar also stays away from international T20’s.
Many administrators and ex-players have commented that we lack aggression specifically amongst our batsmen, but if we look at one of the dominant teams in this ICC World T20, England, you’ll note the names of three South African batsmen, who you would describe as aggressive by nature, Pietersen, Lumb and Kieswetter. Perhaps if the very administrator that are sling mud in the media had done their jobs, those three players would be playing for the Proteas, and maybe just maybe the Proteas would have won a trophy with those players.
We have a new coach, a new convenor of selectors, a new sports psychologist and an assistant coach in Vincent Barnes looking to leave the national setup to take up a coaching position for a domestic team. This is a brand new coaching and management team, relax, clam down and give them a chance.
We’re about to start and ODI and Test series against the West Indies, get behind the team that you love and give them your unconditional support, FOREVER PROTEAS – through the thick and the thin.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Fighting words from Wayne Parnell on Twitter | SA Cricket Blog - [...] enough Wayne, I agree real supporters will support the Proteas through the think and thin, but understand that when ...
Leave a Reply
Follow SACB:
Categories
Hosting Sponsor
Viva Proteas, VIVA!
I saw that tweet from Symmo. Makes a lot more sense now
Always behind the boys. The fans have to be there. Lose the politics, and we’ll win many a trophy.
Absolutely agree, maybe it’s time to go the sevens route, with different coach and players who specializes in say t20.let’s be honest Kallis plying a paddle sweep really makes one a bit nautios!
I would drop Mark Boucher and find another opener. That’s about the only change they need right now. Graeme talks too much, it’s pretty embarrassing as a Saffa fan.
There is no life in criket after Hansie Cronje. Its just not the same again. When that eara stopped it feels as if cricket in SA died. We are short on leaders in this country!
Very interesting. Never really thought about it that far back, but I think I agree. If not the direct leadership from the skipper, then definitely upper management.