Champions Trophy kick off
The ICC Champions Trophy 2009 kicks off today at SuperSport Park Centurion. Sri Lanka will take on the hosts South Africa.
There is some talk about there being some spin in the pitch which should see both teams fielding two spinners, in Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe for South Africa and off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis for Sri Lanka. The inclusion of the second spin bowler will probably keep Wayne Parnell or Mhakaya Ntini out the side.It would be difficult to leave Parnell out, remember how he took Australia apart at the same ground a few months back?
The home ICC Champions Trophy is probably South African crickets best opportunity to win an ICC trophy, and shake the tag of ‘chokers’ and ‘nearly boys’.
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Would you have picked Robin Peterson?
Would you have picked Robin Peterson in your Proteas squad for the ICC Champions Trophy?
Consider that he’s the third spin bowler in the squad behind Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe, add to that JP Duminy is also coming on as a spinner in recent times, so he’s possibly the fourth spin bowler.
Peterson has in my opinion a poor average in ODI cricket, 58.35. Compare his average to that of Johan Botha’s 38.41 and add to that, he’s over 30 years old and has only played 35 ODI’s, doesn’t inspire confidence in me to be honest.
Mike Procter was quoted as saying: “Planning for the 2011 World Cup is very much part of our thinking but there is a lot of cricket to be played before then. We must take our selections series by series and not get ahead of ourselves.” How is picking a 30 year old with very little experience a plan for the future? By the time the world cup comes around Peterson will probably be at the end of his career, and looking to earn some pounds in county cricket.
If I we’re planning for the future, I would play a young fast bowler like Ryan Mclaren or promote Paul Harris to the ODI team.
Proteas’ Standard Bank ODI squad: Graeme Smith (Nashua Cape Cobras, capt), Johan Botha (Chevrolet Warriors, vice-capt), Hashim Amla (Nashua Dolphins), Mark Boucher (Chevrolet Warriors), AB de Villiers (Nashua Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Cape Cobras), Herschelle Gibbs (Nashua Cape Cobras), Jacques Kallis (Chevrolet Warriors), Albie Morkel (Nashua Titans), Makhaya Ntini (Chevrolet Warriors), Wayne Parnell (Chevrolet Warriors), Robin Peterson (Nashua Cape Cobras), Dale Steyn (Nashua Titans), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (Chevrolet Warriors), Roelof van der Merwe (Nashua Titans).
Johan Botha Cleared
Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday welcomed the decision by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to give Proteas spin bowler Johan Botha the green light to continue his career.
In terms of the decision of the ICC’s review process Botha has been asked not to bowl the doosra but will be able to continue his career normally in all other aspects.
The review process showed that the amount of elbow extension in Botha’s bowling action for both his off-break delivery and arm-ball was within the 15-degree level of tolerance. The mean elbow extension was 12.2 degrees for the off-break and 11.1 degrees for the arm-ball with no single delivery of those types proving to be illegal. None of his doosra deliveries fell within the legal limit.
“We welcome the positive outcome of the tests on Johan Botha after his citing by match officials towards the end of the recent tour by Australia,” commented CSA CEO Gerald Majola.
“CSA has the utmost confidence in Johan’s ability as a top-class off-spin bowler.
“The ICC tests have found fault with his doosra, and CSA and Johan will abide by this finding.
“But what is most important is that Johan remains available to play cricket at the highest level and continue to be an asset for the Proteas and his country.”
Botha said he was relieved and happy that the process had been completed. “I am looking forward to playing my next match for the Proteas and linking up with my team mates for the forthcoming ICC World T20 in England,” he commented.
“I have been bowling regularly in the nets and am happy with the way everything has been going.”
Proteas’ bowling coach Vinnie Barnes was also pleased that Botha had been cleared. “I don’ think the fact that he can no longer bowl the doosra will affect his career negatively. It is a delivery he does not bowl a great deal and, in fact, he only bowled it four times in the four home ODIs he played against Australia according to our research.
“We have an outstanding group of spin bowlers in our squad for the ICC World T20 and it is an exciting period for spin bowling in South African cricket.”
T20 World Cup: Botha included in World Twenty20 squad
Johan Botha, reported last month for a suspect bowling action, was included as vice-captain when South Africa named their squad on Monday for the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June.
The off-spinner was reported by the umpires after the fourth one-day international victory over Australia in Port Elizabeth.
Botha’s action is now undergoing an independent analysis by the International Cricket Council’s panel of human movement specialists.
“We expect the results in two weeks. Until then we assume he is available (for selection),” Cricket South Africa media officer Michael Owen-Smith told Reuters.
The 27-year-old Botha, who has played 45 one-dayers, two tests and nine Twenty20s for his country, was also reported for a suspect action in January 2006 and suspended from bowling.
KALLIS BACK
All-rounder Jacques Kallis, who missed the home Twenty20 matches against Australia in March, is also back in the squad.
“I am delighted with the squad the selectors have given me,” coach Mickey Arthur said in a news release.
“It has plenty of options, great depth to the batting and plenty of bowling options. It is also an outstanding fielding unit.”
Selection convenor Mike Procter said: “Our cricket is entering an exciting period.”
“We are top of the one-day international rankings but have never won a major trophy and this presents the opportunity to do so in a limited-overs format.”
Proteas’ Standard Bank Pro20 International squad:
Graeme Smith (Nashua Cape Cobras, capt), Johan Botha (Chevrolet Warriors, vice-capt), Yusuf Abdulla (Nashua Dolphins), Mark Boucher (Chevrolet Warriors), AB de Villiers (Nashua Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Cape Cobras), Herschelle Gibbs (Nashua Cape Cobras), Jacques Kallis (Chevrolet Warriors), Albie Morkel (Nashua Titans), Morne Morkel (Nashua Titans), Justin Ontong (Nashua Cape Cobras), Wayne Parnell (Chevrolet Warriors), Robin Peterson (Nashua Cape Cobras), Dale Steyn (Nashua Titans), Roelof van der Merwe (Nashua Titans).
The squad will gather for a training camp at the end of the month.
Johan Botha’s bowling action under scrutiny
Proteas off-spinner and vice-captain Johan Botha’s bowling action is again under scrutiny after he was reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for suspected illegalities during the fourth ODI against Australia in Port Elizabeth earlier this week.
On-field umpires for Monday’s one-dayer, Brian Jerling of South Africa and Asoka de Silva of Sri Lanka, cited Botha’s quicker ball and “doosra” as the problem areas.
Botha, 26, will be available to play in the final ODI against Australia at the Wanderers on Friday, but will have a bio-medical assessment of his action. The testing will only take place once Cricket South Africa (CSA) receive formal instructions from the ICC.
“Johan was reported at the end of play in PE. We are waiting on the ICC to clarify the procedure that needs to take place. But we are confident that he will be cleared. He didn’t even bowl a single doosra on Monday,” Proteas bowling coach Vincent Barnes told the Cape Times yesterday.
Barnes said the Proteas team management are currently analysing videos of Botha’s bowling performances in comparison to Monday’s and are calling in experts and top scientists for assistance.
“We’ve called in Shafiek Abrahams, he’s worked with Johan quite a lot in the past, so he’s coming on Thursday.
“I’ve also called up the guys at the Sports Science Institute for footage when Johan was tested there the last time, and they’ve consulted with Tim Noakes, so we are doing everything on our side to get Johan ready should he be called up for testing in Perth,” Barnes added.
An official verdict on Botha’s action in the fourth ODI can only be issued after the analysis takes place. The ICC will rule on the information supplied to it by an appointed specialist.
Botha has undergone intensive testing before as he was reported for a suspect bowling action during his Test debut against Australia in Sydney in January 2006. The testing on that occasion ruled Botha’s action to be illegal and he was suspended for a month.
After months of re-working his action, it was again deemed illegal in September 2006. He worked extensively on his action during the next few months before being re-tested in 2007, and he returned to the Proteas team in 2007/08.
CSA chief executive Gerald Majola expressed disappointment following the reporting to the ICC by the match umpires.
Majola said: “This is disappointing as Johan was cleared after working very hard on his action following the ICC finding fault before.
“CSA will stand by the ICC rules and procedures, and we hope that there can be finality to the new set of tests that will follow this report.”
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