No need for Kallis

             

The conditions in England should favour the South Africans' style of play, and with a couple key players still to take their place in the starting XI, it is understandable why the cricket public is confident going into another global tournament. The two players in question are, of course, Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy. Their experience has been missed in a young side, which would be bolstered by two players with the following statistics: Kallis - 321 matches, 11498 runs @ 45.26, 270 wickets @ 31.69; Duminy - 94 matches, 2601 runs @ 40.01, 27 wickets @ 38.22.Duminy has not being playing because he is still recovering from an Achilles injury that he suffered in Australia. This has left another spot in the ODI team vacant while Duminy has been in rehabilitation. The newcomers have mostly settled in well, but it is the general thought that Kallis and Duminy will be back in the XI come June. The Netherlands are not a side that have enough quality to test genuinely test the Proteas, and it will therefore not matter who is put on the park. The first challenge for the 'new' batting line-up, which will probably include Kallis and Duminy, will therefore only occur in the first game of the Champions Trophy against India. The tournament features the top eight teams in the world. They are split into two groups of four and the semi-finalists are taken directly from the two groups. There are no easy games in this tournament and it is important to start well because it will be very difficult to catch up after even one poor performance. The selectors and coach Gary Kirsten have made it clear throughout the series with Pakistan that the majority of the ODI squad is settled, with just one or two positions up for grabs. The resting of Kallis can thus be seen as an opportunity for an extra batsmen and bowler to get some game time and stake a claim for a permanent spot