Impossible to please everyone (all the time)
Sometimes it really is impossible to please everyone... or perhaps that should be 'it is impossible to please everyone all the time!'
The ICC T20 was a terrible tournament for the Proteas and, as far as I read and heard, they acknowledged that and took the criticism on the
chin. I know Graeme made a couple of comments on his Twitter page but I don't think it was 'inappropriate'. (Although he might want to be careful in future.)
The results were poor during the tournament and everyone was rightly upset. But then two consecutive Pro20 victories against the hosts at the start of the tour and there are still complaints! When the team loses then it's all about the results. When they win then it becomes about how unconvincing they looked.
Both matches were a struggle on a difficult pitch but the Proteas scrapped hard and outfought their hosts in a format of the game which is always likely to produce more close results than any other. They won the series two-nil. So is it about results or is it about how 'well' they won? There's nothing wrong with winning ugly. Sometimes that's your only option.
Having said that, there have obviously been problems and a certain amount of 'fall-out' from the T20 failure which is inevitable and understandable. Most of the consequences and decisions remain within the team and are not seen by the public but the decision to start with AB de Villiers and not Mark Boucher behind the stumps was hard to miss!
Mark has always been one of those cricketers who inspire very strong feelings amongst most people but especially fans and supporters. Everyone seems to have an opinion on his worth to the team and sometimes
people can be very quick and flippant with their words.
Bouch is one of the greatest cricketers to have played the game so the decision to leave him out was not taken lightly.
But far too much is made of the final XI, in my opinion. People are talking as if we've just banned Brazil from competing in the World Cup next month! Bouch is a brilliant cricketer but cricket is becoming more and more of a squad game and, frankly, if AB keeping wicket allows the team to play an extra batsman or bowler, and they benefit from that,
then it really isn't a big deal. It might mean more if the policy continues in the ODI series.
In the meantime, let's just enjoy winning the T20 series and stop being so fussy about how we won them!
Youger players
Jonty I agree with your comments...I support that our senior players should be treated with dignity and respect. Boucher has left deep and fond memories...he is a true hero. But I think the expectations of the SA public have reached a point where results are becoming more and more significant and I am not referring to series victories as SA always seem to do well in those. It is when we compete in ICC tournaments. We simply seem to loose the plot. Since the CWC in 1999 where we reached the semi final we have progressively fared worse in tournaments of this nature, a trend we need to reverse. Fresh blood is needed, David Miller proved just that and the selectors should look at guys like Colin Ingram too especially for the 20/20 version. We should take a leaf out of Australia and England's books....they have three different squads and give their younger players more opportunity in the shorther version. It is the style of play that needs to change...we need to learn to be brutal and not just clinical.
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