KALLIS retires

Umlilo, Umlilo! Englander knows Test cricket ... it's a strange game and maybe tough to follow quite why certain things are done or not done.

Like Englander said, Kallis was holding the innings together ... it was necessary for him to take the fewest possible chances. One can say this was because he wanted a hundred, or one can say this was because the team needed a hundred runs. He came in at a very shaky moment. Speed of scoring was not the issue.

Dale Steyn likes to play shots ... he is by nature hot-blooded and aggressive ... and Kallis' steadiness gave him the liberty to do so without endangering the team game. No way was he left to face any music! You could see he was enjoying himself no end.

It was a different tactic that was needed in the previous match with Philander. He bats as low down as Steyn and also loves to launch out and score quickly, but he had the sense to put the brakes on ... which Steyn just hated! ... and play for a draw. No doubt he's been criticised left and right for doing so, but like Kallis he understands Test cricket.

Kallis often had to face fast bowling---going in at No 3!
Can''t believe that Fanie has a case when they are No 1 Test Team.
In the last 4 O'seas tours they have won or drawn.Pakistan,England,NZ and Oz.
Time to bring De Kock in.If he's good enough he is old enough.

@Mav & FAS:

'Umlilo, Umlilo! Englander knows Test cricket ... it's a strange game and maybe tough to follow quite why certain things are done or not done.'

Pity....I was tooting for England!


X(


now, very, very....


(tu)

A good innings, I agree. Will he be missed? I think not. Faf should automatically fill in the no.4 position. On the bowling dept. No need for comment. I agree a fitting end to a legendary cricketer but lets start looking to our other stars.

Neelan, that must be good strong stuff you are using" Will he be missed? I think not" Ask any player in the test team and anywhere near that good, and if even one says he will not be hugely missed, I will be VERY surprised . I wish he would stay on to play the Aussies.

neelan Wrote:

---

> A good innings, I agree. Will he be missed? I
> think not. Faf should automatically fill in the
> no.4 position. On the bowling dept. No need for
> comment. I agree a fitting end to a legendary
> cricketer but lets start looking to our other
> stars.


along with sobers the greatest all rounder to have played the game of cricket EVER...and you say he wont be missed....he is crickets equivalant of frankel

neelan Wrote:

---

> A good innings, I agree. Will he be missed? I
> think not. Faf should automatically fill in the
> no.4 position. On the bowling dept. No need for
> comment. I agree a fitting end to a legendary
> cricketer but lets start looking to our other
> stars.


I see you have still not answered Englander's question:

who is going to take JK's batting spot? (with equal success?)
who is going to take JK's bowling spot? (with equal success?)
who is going to take JK's slip spot? (with equal success?)

Use more than one name in answering the above questions and the light might, but sadly it seems it is only a might, begin to dawn lol

the next best all rounder to Kallis is Philander and of course Gary Lenton lol. The Aussies are going to heckle us. I wonder who they going to put into retirement. Please stay 1more series KK

We have enough dept in the bowling department and still have youngsters in the wing like Kyle Abbot. Our batsmen are the best. There was a time when we needed all rounders because of the shaky batting line up but now there's no such problem. I actually feel we can afford either a specialist batsmen or bowler to replace Kallis. And by the way we won't fail dismally like the English against Aus. It says a lot when there are 5 opening batsmen playing in a single team. We have Hashim, Alviro, Robin, Graeme, and AB who were all opening batsmen at one time in their careers. Finally, do not confuse us with our B team. Ausies should be worried and so should all you prophets of doom.

We will conclude this topic once and for all after the Ausies series.

When you have an all rounder like Jacques who is as good any other batsman,fielder and 99% of bowlers and it is all wrapped up in one person, it gives you the opportunity to play an extra specialist batsman or bowler depending on the pitch etc. I thought that that was very obvious but some don't seem to catch on. A living legend who will be missed against the Aussies. They are probably celebrating the fact that Jacque has retired as no matter what, the balance of our team will be adversely affected.

neelan Wrote:

---

> We have enough dept in the bowling department and
> still have youngsters in the wing like Kyle Abbot.
> Our batsmen are the best. There was a time when we
> needed all rounders because of the shaky batting
> line up but now there's no such problem. I
> actually feel we can afford either a specialist
> batsmen or bowler to replace Kallis. And by the
> way we won't fail dismally like the English
> against Aus. It says a lot when there are 5
> opening batsmen playing in a single team. We have
> Hashim, Alviro, Robin, Graeme, and AB who were all
> opening batsmen at one time in their careers.
> Finally, do not confuse us with our B team. Ausies
> should be worried and so should all you prophets
> of doom.


Ok, so we replace him with a specialist batsmen - let's say Elgar (although he could also give you a few overs of spin) - so then we have one seamer less; alternatively we replace him with a bowler (Abbott?), so then we have a batsmen less - but we won't miss Kallis :S

And this is not about whether we can beat Aus, we may do so even without Kallis, but the point is the team is weakened with him not being avialable - no matter how may 'ex-openers' we have in the team.

One point where I could maybe agree with you, is that not having Kallis available is not our biggest problem - our biggest problem is that we do not have a quality spinner who could bowl non-stop (like Jadeja) keeping one end up while we rotate the seamers - especially on the St George's and Newlands pitches

And I don't get your point about 'confusing us with our B team' - but it is only 2 days to go to the New Year, so maybe I'm just a bit dof this morning