Proteas Team : Charl Langeveldt added to ODI squad

Cape Cobras bowler Charl Langeveldt has been called up to the Proteas ODI squad for the tour of India. Langeveldt was originally left out the ODI squad, this could be seen as one of ‘those’ decisions that represents the breakdown between Cricket South Africa and Mickey Arthur’s ‘vision’ and structure.

It was reported that between Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell they have played only 67 matches, where Charl Langeveldt has played 64 ODI games. Langeveldt has also been selected with a view towards the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies and then next year’s ICC World Cup.

Langeveldt will have to pick up his game before he heads to India, this figures of 3 overs for 45 runs against the Titans in the Standard Bank Pro20, on Sunday evening were not the most inspiring. He did however demolish the Lions in the previous game, taking 3 wickets from 4 overs for just 18 runs, but that was against the Lions……

ODI squad: Graeme Smith, Loots Bosman, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Charl Langeveldt, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Roelof van der Merwe.

Champions Trophy : South Africa stumbles as Sri Lanka set pace

South Africa and Sri Lanka opened the ICC Champions Trophy in style on Tuesday evening at SuperSport Park Centurion. Or should we say Sri Lanka opened the ICC Champions Trophy in style, scoring a massive 320 runs in their innings.

Proteas captain Graeme Smith won the toss and choose to bowl, why? I haven’t a clue to be honest. How can you choose to chase at SuperSport Park Centurion? I mean really, Sri Lanka are one of the most consistent teams in the world, they have big match temperament and on top of that it’s a pitch that assists the batsmen and SuperSport Park Centurion has the highest ratio of six’s. But wait it gets better, how do you choose to chase when Herschelle Gibbs is not playing… and you haven’t chased a score in three months.

Let’s give credit to Sri Lanka and specifically Tillakaratne Dilshan who scored 106 runs (116 balls) to setup the 55 run victory. Mahela Jayawardene supported Dilshan with his 77 runs from 92 balls.

The Proteas tried to keep the run rate under control, but quality bowling from the Sri Lankans ensured that wickets fell regularly as the run rate kept ticking upwards. The rain brought the pain to an end for the crowd.

Some sights and sounds from SuperSport Park Centurion, Tuesday 22 September 2009:

Traditional Zulu dancers entertaining the crowd as the rain stopped play:

Rain falling on the ICC CT:

Early evening at the cricket:

Uncertain future for ODI cricket

The future of One Day International (ODI) cricket seems to be very uncertain. The effects of Twenty20 cricket (a.k.a Pro20 or T20) seem to be having a negative influence on the ODI game. Cricket Australia has said that the 2015 Cricket World Cup scheduled for Australia is not marketable. The England Cricket Board has scarped their domestic 50-over competition and replaced it with a 40-over game, while in South Africa we play a 45 over game in the MTN Domestic Championships.

Some people have suggested that the ODI game be split into two innings of 25 overs. I think this is a terrible idea; we’re just going to land up with two Twenty20 games in one.

There is simply too much Twenty20 cricket on the go, this year we’ve watched our domestic Twenty20 competition (the Standard Bank Pro20), the Indian Premier League (IPL), the ICC World Twenty20, and we’ll soon watch the Champions League and a few Twenty20 Internationals. That simply is more that a cricket enthusiast can absorb. I do believe there is a place for Twenty20 cricket, it should be use to grow the game and be used as an exhibition, the IPL, Champions league and world cups should be played where cricket is young and needs to be developed.

I have been watching cricket for about twenty years now, and I am a purest at heart. If we allow Twenty20 cricket to impact the ODI game, then it will surely have an impact on the format of test cricket, and we simply cannot allow that to happen.

The following article is a good read on the subject, and a source of some of the above: ODI Cricket on death row

ODI Cricket: From destructive bowling to explosive batting

In the previous MTN ODI at SuperSport Park the bowling from Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell lead to the demise of the Australians. At Sahara Park Newlands in Cape Town it was the batting of Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers that put the game beyond the reach of Ricky Ponting’s men. After finally winning a toss in the home series, Graeme Smith elected to bat first, knowing well that chasing a total at Newlands is an almost impossible task. The opening pair of Smith and Gibbs was ineffective; they gave way for Kaills and de Villiers to take control.

It must be said that the bowling from Mitchell Johnson built the pressure on the openers, Johnson finished with figures of 10 overs, 2 maidens, 32 runs taking 4 of the 6 wickets that fell in the Proteas innings.

Kaills and de Villiers both went to half centuries as they built their partnership, taking South Africa from 50/2 to 164/3. This partnership was the foundation that allowed the rest of the batsmen room to play shots. Duminy, Morkel and Boucher all scored at more than a run a ball. In the final over of the innings Roelof van der Merwe came to the wicket, with four balls remaining everyone was suggesting he take a single and let Boucher do the rest, but Roelof had other plans. He flashed at the first one, swung wildly at the second, and then knocked a massive six to square leg. This man has passion; he wears his inexperience on his sleeve. I can’t wait to see this young player mature into a regular in the Proteas side. South Africa posted 289/6 after their 50 overs.

With the knowledge that the highest successful run chase at Newlands was 229, the South Africans were confident. The spectacular bowling carried over from the previous game, with Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell restricting the run rate. On the back of the good work the pace bowlers had done, the new spin bowling partnership of Botha and van der Merwe came into play. Roelof van der Merwe, taking 3 wickets for just 37 runs from his 10 overs, was the pick of the bowling attack.

Australia batted well in the end to score 264/7, something the Proteas should keep an eye on. Looking forward to the fourth MTN ODI in Port Elizabeth on Monday the Proteas will be confident, both their bowling attack and middle order batting attack have performed well. It’s time for our openers to perform, leading 2-1; I’ll back them to win the series.

ODI: South African squad announced

South Africa has announced the one day international (ODI) squad to play Australia. The same team that did the business against Australia on tour has been retained.

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), Morne Morkel (Nashua Titans), Makhaya Ntini (Chevrolet Warriors), Wayne Parnell (Chevrolet Warriors), Dale Steyn (Nashua Titans), Vaughn van Jaarsveld (bizhub Highveld Lions).