South African ODI XI

First topic message reminder :

Yes, the so called chokers but they have been a very good ODI side since their return in 1992 and have produced not only great batsmen and bowlers but also some magnificent fielders.

My team, based on their return is:

G Smith
Gibbs
Amla
Kallis
De-Villiers (wkt)
Rhodes
Kluesner
Pollock
Boje
Steyn
Donald

Mad for Chelsea wrote:Boucher's a good combative lower order batsman, and a much better keeper than De Villiers. Also De Villiers is a brilliant fielder. I understand people picking De Villiers as keeper, but surprised I was the only one to go with Boucher. Maybe it's because I keep wicket myself, and tend to always go with the better keepers when picking a "best XI"

each to their own i suppose

cricketfan90 wrote:

Mad for Chelsea wrote:Boucher's a good combative lower order batsman, and a much better keeper than De Villiers. Also De Villiers is a brilliant fielder. I understand people picking De Villiers as keeper, but surprised I was the only one to go with Boucher. Maybe it's because I keep wicket myself, and tend to always go with the better keepers when picking a "best XI"

each to their own i suppose

Agreed mate

surprised that Fanie de Villiers seems to have been forgotten

Galted wrote:surprised that Fanie de Villiers seems to have been forgotten

He was a good bowler who had a good ODI record but South Africa have had better bowlers, IMO.

But yes, surprised he hasn't been mentioned.

Fanie de Villiers had a very good economy rate, roughly 3.5 , but he bowled in the era when team rarely scored more than 210-220

Not saying de Villiers should be in the XI, just a bit surprised no-one mentioned him. True that average scores were lower then but he did have an economy rate below 3 to the over quite far into his career.

Also would have been interesting to see how Adrian Kuiper would have fared if the end of isolation had happened sooner. Think he was a bit past his best when he got the chance.

Kuiper played ok in the 92 world cup.

His bowling action was similar to Kallis' from what I recall?

Action wasn't as fluid as Kallis's if I remember correctly, I think "bustling" was the best way to describe it. But it was his ability to smash the ball into neighbouring towns which wasn't seen at the world cup, always seemed about to explode but it never quite happened.

Yeah, I agree with Galted, Kuiper was more bustling than fluid, but at the end of his career when he went to the world cup for the first time.

Galted wrote:Not saying de Villiers should be in the XI, just a bit surprised no-one mentioned him. True that average scores were lower then but he did have an economy rate below 3 to the over quite far into his career.

Also would have been interesting to see how Adrian Kuiper would have fared if the end of isolation had happened sooner. Think he was a bit past his best when he got the chance.

If you compare Pollock to him, Pollock started after he retired if I remember correctly and his economy was incredible as he was there when ODI cricket really started to explode in the batting department.

Kirsten G.
Gibbs
Amla
Kallis
De Villiers
McMillan
Klusener
Pollock
Boje
Donald
Ntini