South Africa's ODI team still needs some work.

Over the recent number of years the Proteas have had mixed results with their ODI team. This despite having the two top ODI batsmen in the world for the past 12 months.

In spite of maintaining an average run rate of 5.34 runs to the over, South Africa have only won 12 of their last 20 One Day Internationals.

In twelve matches South Africa batted first and were able to post a total of more than 250 on 10 occasions, losing four matches, of which 2 had a first innings total of 300 +.

In their 8 matches where they batted second, half the time they failed to reach 200 runs.

This provides me with some food for thought.

Put a big total on SA in the first innings and you have a fifty percent chance they will collapse for less than 200 runs.

When batting first SA tends to be too conservative, and this is where in recent times their middle order was too pedestrian and limited their opportunities to make really big scores, the fact is most teams can bat at 5.5 runs an over these days without taking too many risks, and setting up a target between 250-300 is not necessarily going to guarantee you enough runs for your bowlers to defend.

As the last two ODI’s against Sri Lanka have shown that even totals of 300 can be surpassed with only a handful of wickets down when playing on batsmen friendly pitches.

Granted Hashim Amla, Jaques Kallis and Dale Steyn was rested as Gary Kirsten is experimenting with his squad rotation.

Problem is, even though he may be quite satisfied with the competition for places in the squad, he cannot be satisfied with the ease In which Sri Lanka chased down two scores of 300+

It is also true that AB de Villiers has been in charge only for this series of 5 ODI’s against Sri Lanka, but there are enough reasons for concern and some issues that still need to be addressed.

Dale Steyn is a rhythm bowler and bowling only 2-3 overs at time does him no favours. Perhaps it is the hype has died down on Vernon Philander, but he has shown nothing that would suggest him to be even close to the same effectiveness he is as a test match bowler.

South Africa does not have a spin bowler capable of containing batsmen apart from Johan Botha.

I am interested to hear what you guys think, but I believe there is still a lot of work to be done, before Gary Kirsten will have found the best combinations and tactics to progress from.

Not sure if this is a bit far-fetched but would it have been worth experimenting with Johan Botha opening the batting once the series was won? His containing ability when bowling was sorely missed & I recall him opening the batting in the ipl with a lot of success. He's batted down the order in the odis that he's played in but has frequently made useful runs very quickly.

I think the fact that Albie Morkel is still around the ODI side says that SA are still looking for someone who can come in and clear the ropes in the last ten overs with regularity as I think that perhaps they can be a bit one paced at times. Smith, Amla and Kallis are all fine batsmen but going at a strike rate of 150 in the last 10 is not there thing and AB is the only batsmen really capable of doing this for SA. This is probably why they consistently get these "middling" scores as they get starts but can't quite detonate in the last 10 with any regularity?

IMO south africa's best odi side:

1.Smith
2.Amla
3.Kallis
4.AB (c) (wk)
5.Duminy
6.Ingram
7.A.Morkel
8.Peterson
9.Steyn
10.M.Morkel
11.Tsotsobe

however in resevre there is also

Van Wyk
Miller
Du Plessis
Botha
Parnell

I would like someone like David Miller to be given a run off 20 games, to show he can be the finisher we are lacking.

Whilst Du Plessis is a fine player, he's presently in the side for his fielding - he's the best fielder in the World. To win World cups, we can't be carrying players.

Albie Morkel has had too many chances and he's never produced the goods. The problem is, he is great mates with AB, and AB wants him in the squad.

Personally, I would prefer if Steyn wasn't in the ODI side. We have Morne, Tsotsobe, Parnell and maybe in the future de Lange. Steyn and Philander should be saved for Test cricket.

biltongbek wrote:

....Dale Steyn is a rhythm bowler and bowling only 2-3 overs at time does him no favours....

Hi Biltong - I don't know enough about Steyn and how he's been used (you don't have to supply stats! ) but I think you make at least a very good general point.

In the past - say, ten years and more ago - bowling changes in ODIs and county or state limited overs games tended to be quite formulaic and predictable. In a effort to keep batsmen on their toes and not allow them to comfortably settle, bowling in more recent times seems to be regularly and deliberately mixed up. Whilst I would never urge a return to the old ways, I do think that on occasions things seem to have shifted too much in the other direction.The danger of course is that too many short spells will cause a bowler to lose rhythm and, worse still, confidence.

cricketfan90 wrote:IMO south africa's best odi side:

1.Smith
2.Amla
3.Kallis
4.AB (c) (wk)
5.Duminy
6.Ingram
7.A.Morkel
8.Peterson
9.Steyn
10.M.Morkel
11.Tsotsobe

however in resevre there is also

Van Wyk
Miller
Du Plessis
Botha
Parnell

I have never been a fan of Petersen. Duminy is a similar bowler to Petersen, they seem to get lucky wickets and not really working batsmen out. At least Johan Botha has shown over an extended period he can contain batsmen.

The truth of the matter is SA, does not have spin bolwers who have the ability to work on a batsman. So rather pick the one most able to contain.

I would also give Albie Morkel a run high up in the order. The fact is he does not often enough get the opportunity to play himself in and has to bat risky virtually from ball one. Let him bat in the first 15 overs where the field is in and there is enough opportunity to hit over the fielders. He is not an accumilator of runs, and when the power play overs are on, he is not effective enough.

You want someone who can hurt the bolwers and the powerplay overs is most suited for him. The reasoning behind this is because we do need an accelleration earlier and Morkel could be the man.

It is at least worth a try.

guildfordbat wrote:

biltongbek wrote:

....Dale Steyn is a rhythm bowler and bowling only 2-3 overs at time does him no favours....

Hi Biltong - I don't know enough about Steyn and how he's been used (you don't have to supply stats! ) but I think you make at least a very good general point.

In the past - say, ten years and more ago - bowling changes in ODIs and county or state limited overs games tended to be quite formulaic and predictable. In a effort to keep batsmen on their toes and not allow them to comfortably settle, bowling in more recent times seems to be regularly and deliberately mixed up. Whilst I would never urge a return to the old ways, I do think that on occasions things seem to have shifted too much in the other direction.The danger of course is that too many short spells will cause a bowler to lose rhythm and, worse still, confidence.

Guildford you are right, the tactics behind bowling is for batsmen not to settle against a specific bowler. Dale Steyn is our srike bowler and best used with a new ball. I do know that he is not entirely happy with the control he has with the ODI ball when new (something to do with control), but he needs to bowl at least 5 over spells. Let him bowl five up front and then the other 5 after the powerplays ended. I find with his pace a lot of edges go for boundaries as often during the powerplays we might not have a fine leg or third man in place, and with his pace the ball gets to the boundary too often.