For someone who loves cricket, it was hard to watch the Proteas playing against India on Boxing Day at the SuperSport Park, Centurion. One can argue that India presented a better team than the proteas but the team selection by South Africa led by coach Mark Boucher and the convenor of selection Victor Mpitsang was off the mark. After all, SuperSport Park is the fortress for the Proteas, as cricket fans, we all know that and the records speak for themselves especially against India.
What we saw on the 1st day of the test match series wasn’t the team ready to win and challenge the Indian team or even win the test series if you ask me. That was the shit team, you can’t win with that team, it lacks ambition, aggression and hunger. It’s more like a toothless dog and it can’t bite anyone. The way they deliver the ball, you can tell that there’s no sense of urgency and eagerness to win or get things done.
When you play against a team like India there’s no time to experiment or bring a rookie in the team. As a coach and head of team selection, you must bring your A-game, a strong team to play, ready to attack and challenge your opponent with the bat and the ball. There are plenty of matches that you can introduce a rookie to the team but not play against India.
Another reason the team play the way they play, there’s no competition amongst their current crop of players, certain players are guaranteed to be in the team regardless of their current performance.
When the media started asking questions about the team selection and why Duanne Olivier is not in the team after he dominated the domestic cricket for so long… boy or boy excuses after excuses from the convenor of selection Victor Mpitsang.
Speaking to ESPN Cricket info, Victor said Duanne was suffering from Covid 19 and he had to go for quarantine and blah and blah. It’s clear to me that this fuckers don’t care about the team, they only care about their salaries. As a head of team selection, why make such a stupid mistake against the best cricket team in the world.
Are you out of your fucking mind, what are you doing your idiot? Select the team that can compete with the best and please stop with the racist selections, pink or blue, these people are all South Africans. We can’t preach a rainbow nation while still caught up in racist tendencies. Any member of the team regardless of their skin colour or race, if that player is out of form must be dropped and bring someone who can compete on the higher level and make the win, that’s all matters nothing else.
In my books the 1st test series is all gone, I am a very optimistic guy but I don’t see the proteas bouncing back from what I saw on day one. I think India is in the commanding position to win the 1st test match with the way they used the bat and we all know that they’re too damn good with the ball too. When it’s time for India ball, I can’t see them reaching 20 overs without a wicket like the Proteas, no way and not in my lifetime.
The Proteas coach together with the selection committee needs to get their shit together and prepare the team to be more competitive on their 2nd test series at the Wanderers, Johannesburg. Who knows, hopefully, they can win the 2nd test and give the cricket fans the best game ever and win the series in Newlands, Cape Town.
Writes Rethabile Mohlala
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