Boucher's fine form a poser
Johannesburg - Mark Boucher's fine batting form in one-day cricket could be the cause of some sleepless nights for national coach Mickey Arthur before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament in India next month
Arthur must decide whether or not to use the Proteas wicketkeeper as a top-order batsman, which will give him the luxury of including an additional bowler on the demanding Indian pitches.
Boucher's bat is hot at present and, as a batsman, he will not let the team down. He has scored 535 runs at an average of 53.5 an innings in limited-overs cricket this year.
This included four fifties and his unbeaten 147 off 68 balls against Zimbabwe in Potchefstroom last week.
Before the start of the season, his ODI average was 25.4 runs an innings and he seldom had the opportunity to bat in the top half of the order.
Few options for the warm-ups
His two highest ODI scores, last week's 147 and 76 against Australia in Sydney earlier this year, were both made when he batted at No 4.
"We will have to consider his position," said Arthur. "Because Justin Kemp bats at No 6, we have to decide whether Boucher should go in at No 5 or round off at No 7.
"Injuries have left us with rather few options in our warm-up matches, but when everyone is fit, we have two options: we can include another batsman or an additional all-rounder.
"This will put pressure on one of the bowlers. We have to ask ourselves whether Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, Justin Kemp and Robin Peterson can bowl 20 overs among them so that the other three bowlers can send down 30.
Smith, Dippenaar the anchors
"If not, we will have to include four bowlers who can send down 40 overs, with the rest to be bowled by the others."
When Smith returns after recovering from his ankle injury, he will anchor the SA innings with Boeta Dippenaar, with Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs at No 3 and No 4.
If Boucher goes in at No 5, the rest of the order will consist of Kemp, Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Peterson, Charl Langeveldt and Makhaya Ntini.
News source: www.news24.co.za
Posted by: www.SouthAfrica-CarHire.com
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