Times Media
TELFORD VICE, Cape Town
TO earn the approval of former selectors when he names SA’s squads on Tuesday to play limited overs series in New Zealand and Australia in October and November, Andrew Hudson should mention Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander only to explain why they have not cracked the nod.
And he should make an effort to narrow the strength gap between SA’s superb batting line-up and their less impressive attack.
To many, those goals would seem at odds. Not to Rushdie Magiet and Hugh Page.
For former selector Page, Steyn - who was rested on Cricket SA orders from being part of the Cape Cobras squad who are on their way home from the Champions League T20 in India - should keep his feet up.
“If the selectors have questions about some guys, they should include them to see for themselves whether they should be in the side,” Page said on Monday.
“The dead ‘certs’, those who could do with a break - someone like Dale Steyn - leave them out and make sure they are fresh.”
SA host West Indies in three tests, five ODIs and three T20s this summer, and Steyn is likely to play in most of them. Then it’s off to the 2015 World Cup in Australasia.
“The New Zealand and Aussie tours are going to be the best opportunity to see players in the conditions they will be playing in at the World Cup,” said Page, who was keen to keep the microphone on the bowlers.
“Batting-wise, SA have six matchwinners: any one of the top six could win a match on his own on his day.
“But our bowling is a problem. Take away Steyn and it’s a completely different attack. He fires up everyone around him.”
Makes sense considering Steyn’s immense presence, not to mention his talent and skill. Except that SA win more games when Steyn is not involved.
Of the 82 completed ODIs he has played for SA, 52 have been won. In the 74 games in the format SA have contested without Steyn since he made his debut, 51 have ended in victory. That’s a success rate of 63.41% when Steyn is around and 68.92% when he is not.
Former selection convenor Rushdie Magiet had another of SA’s premier fast bowlers on his mind.
“Our batting is very strong and our attack is good, too - especially when Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn both play and if the spinner bowls well,” Magiet said on Monday.
“But I don’t know about Vernon Philander. He’s a fantastic test bowler, but I don’t think he is the answer as a one-day bowler.”
Philander exploded onto the international scene in 2011-12, when he became the first bowler in 116 years to take 50 wickets in his first seven tests. After 26 tests, he has 115 scalps.
But he has not had that kind of success in one-day internationals, where he has taken 17 wickets in 14 bowling innings.
SA have won nine of the 14 completed ODIs in which Philander has played - a winning percentage of 64.29%. Because of his injured hamstring, he missed the eight games in the format the Proteas played against Zimbabwe and Australia in August and September. SA won seven of those matches - or 87.50%.
Starting on October 21, SA will play three ODIs in New Zealand. They will then cross the ditch for three T20s and five ODIs in Australia.
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