SA drops Nel and Gibbs for the test tour in India

South Africa pick two left-arm spinners

Cricinfo staff

March 11, 2008



Robin Peterson's in but Andre Nel's out of South Africa's tour to India © AFP

South Africa have opted for two left-arm spinners, Robin Peterson and Paul Harris, in their 14-man squad for the three-Test series in India. Peterson, who took career-best figures of 5 for 33 against Bangladesh in the second Test in Chittagong, has been preferred over offspinner Johan Botha.

Peterson was not in the original squad named for the Bangladesh tour, but an injury to Harris saw him earn a call-up. Charl Langeveldt replaces Andre Nel, who didn't play in the two Tests against Bangladesh.

There's also no place for Herschelle Gibbs, whose indifferent form in the five-day game saw him dropped from the squad to tour Bangladesh. Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie, partners in a world-record stand in Chittagong, are expected to open the batting.

Ashwell Prince continues as Smith's deputy, while Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini return to the squad after they were given a break for the ODI series in Bangladesh.

South Africa's bowling will be spearheaded by Dale Steyn, with Morne Morkel and Ntini the other fast bowlers likely to figure. Steyn has been in red-hot form, with Man-of-the-Series awards in South Africa's previous three Test series.

South Africa will travel directly from Bangladesh to India, with the first Test starting on March 26 in Chennai.

South Africa squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Ashwell Prince, Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher (wk), AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Jacques Kallis, Charl Langeveldt, Neil McKenzie, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn.

Peterson and Harris LOL.

Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Taipan and bliksem,

Tell us something about Duminy.

HH_pink wrote:Peterson and Harris LOL.

I have said before that Harris might surprise a bit.

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Except the Langeveldt-Nel swap, which was stupid, that's a pretty good squad.

Chandan wrote:Taipan and bliksem,

Tell us something about Duminy.

His favourite ice-cream is Rocky Road.

Useful talent. Not sure if he is test material, but time will tell.

So,

Smith
Mckenzie
Amla
Kallis
Prince
ABdV
Boucher
Harris
Morkel
Steyn
Ntini

should be the expected line-up come the 26th.

doremi wrote:So,

Smith
Mckenzie
Amla
Kallis
Prince
ABdV
Boucher
Harris
Morkel
Steyn
Ntini

should be the expected line-up come the 26th.

Most probably.

It'll be really interesting to see three fast bowlers vs Indian batsmen. I think this series is going to be a cracker!

Until the Indians lose a game and start whinging . . .

Chandan wrote:

doremi wrote:So,

Smith
Mckenzie
Amla
Kallis
Prince
ABdV
Boucher
Harris
Morkel
Steyn
Ntini

should be the expected line-up come the 26th.

Most probably.

It'll be really interesting to see three fast bowlers vs Indian batsmen. I think this series is going to be a cracker!

Morkel and probably Steyn will bat above harris.

But you too expect the team to be same as what doremi posted?

Chandan wrote:But you too expect the team to be same as what doremi posted?

Thought that was self evident.

taipan wrote:

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Nel isn't a coloured player? He sure looks one.

Chandan wrote:

doremi wrote:So,

Smith
Mckenzie
Amla
Kallis
Prince
ABdV
Boucher
Harris
Morkel
Steyn
Ntini

should be the expected line-up come the 26th.

Most probably.

It'll be really interesting to see three fast bowlers vs Indian batsmen. I think this series is going to be a cracker!

On our pitches? Not so much. Is there a game at Mohali?

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Nel isn't a coloured player? He sure looks one.

Bit racist, but no he isn't.

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Nel isn't a coloured player? He sure looks one.

Bit racist, but no he isn't.

Okie. I used to think Gibbs wasn't. Gibbs and Nel look pretty much the same, skin tone-wise. And how is that racist?

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Nel isn't a coloured player? He sure looks one.

Bit racist, but no he isn't.

Okie. I used to think Gibbs wasn't. Gibbs and Nel look pretty much the same, skin tone-wise. And how is that racist?

Judging a person on his skin colour?

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Nel isn't a coloured player? He sure looks one.

Bit racist, but no he isn't.

Okie. I used to think Gibbs wasn't. Gibbs and Nel look pretty much the same, skin tone-wise. And how is that racist?

Judging a person on his skin colour?

You serious?

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Nel isn't a coloured player? He sure looks one.

Bit racist, but no he isn't.

Okie. I used to think Gibbs wasn't. Gibbs and Nel look pretty much the same, skin tone-wise. And how is that racist?

Judging a person on his skin colour?

You serious?

Yes, isn't categorising a person on his skin colour the basis of racism?

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Nel isn't a coloured player? He sure looks one.

Bit racist, but no he isn't.

Okie. I used to think Gibbs wasn't. Gibbs and Nel look pretty much the same, skin tone-wise. And how is that racist?

Judging a person on his skin colour?

You serious?

Yes, isn't categorising a person on his skin colour the basis of racism?

Yes, your statements are all perfectly true. I did judge a person on his skin colour, but I only judged if he was coloured or not, on the basis of whether he looked coloured or not, and not anything else about him. That's racism too? If it is (and I would have no trouble believing that it really is), DoG save this world.

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

HH_pink wrote:

taipan wrote:

bliksem wrote:Why would they drop Nel? That makes no sense.

Well with Gibbs dropped, the quota had to be met.

Nel isn't a coloured player? He sure looks one.

Bit racist, but no he isn't.

Okie. I used to think Gibbs wasn't. Gibbs and Nel look pretty much the same, skin tone-wise. And how is that racist?

Judging a person on his skin colour?

You serious?

Yes, isn't categorising a person on his skin colour the basis of racism?

Yes, your statements are all perfectly true. I did judge a person on his skin colour, but I only judged if he was coloured or not, on the basis of whether he looked coloured or not, and not anything else about him. That's racism too? If it is (and I would have no trouble believing that it really is), DoG save this world.

No, just peed off about the quota crap.

Ah. Right. Thankfully we don't have that (caste-based) in the Indian cricket system (though such a day could very well come soon).