Selectors must get it right at Wanderers

Hardus Viljoen of Lions bowls during Sunfoil Series cricket match between Lions and Warriors on 29 December 2015 at Bidvest Wanderers Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Hardus Viljoen of Lions bowls during Sunfoil Series cricket match between Lions and Warriors on 29 December 2015 at Bidvest Wanderers Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Published Jan 11, 2016

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Team selection for Proteas is like watching and listening to the Hokey Pokey song. Selectors currently have a headache since JP Duminy, Dane Vilas, Rilee Rossouw and Hardus Viljoen all making their mark in the Sunfoil Series.

Duminy was dropped to make room for Quinton de Kock, which allowed AB de Villiers to get a break from keeping wicket. However, that did limit their bowling options at Newlands, where they only had three front-line seamers.

While he missed out on the second Test, Duminy responded in the best possible way, scoring an unbeaten 260 for the Cape Cobras.

Vilas was dropped for the current Test series because of his struggles in India. However, that did not hinder him from scoring his career-best figures of 216.

Stiaan van Zyl has been really struggling of late. It doesn’t help that he is being played out of position. As an opening batsman, he has failed to lay the foundation required by the middle order batsmen. In five Test matches, he has managed to score less than 100 runs. Maybe it is time for van Zyl to be relegated to the Sunfoil Series where he can hopefully regain his form. Or be shifted down the order, with De Kock opening the batting. That, however, would be far from ideal for the selectors.

So who would replace van Zyl? Why not Rossouw who has been warming the bench for van Zyl? The same Rossouw who fell just three runs short of a century upon his return to the VKB Knights after struggling with an injury.

On the bowling front, Viljoen has become a nightmare for batsmen. Viljoen was called up to the squad to replace the injured Kyle Abbott.

Instead, Chris Morris was handed a debut in which he conceded 100+ runs. To his defence, the wicket did not offer much for bowlers, until day 5 of the second Test. And there was the small issue of a rampant Ben Stokes.

But come on! Viljoen has taken two 10-wicket hauls. He is the pick of the bowlers and the current leading wicket taker with 21 wickets for the Bizhub Highveld Lions. Surely, playing at the Bullring, where there is generally extra pace and bounce, Viljoen will be part of a four man Proteas pace attack?

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