Lonwabo Tsotsobe

I meant to blog about this when the SA touring team to Australia was announced a couple of weeks back, but it seemed to slip through the cracks...

Uncapped left arm seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe was included in the SA team to tour Australia. His selection came a little bit out of far left field, seeing as he didn't really feature in the Kenya and Bangladesh tours and his role in the team doesn't seem particuarly clear cut.

I argued this point with guys like Rory Kleinveldt and Johann Louw - they seem to be given some time to play in T20 side but then don't spend a hell of a lot of time actually being part of the 'bigger picture'.

South Africa has been crying out for a decent left arm seam bowler for many years. The predictability of our attack has been our undoing for a decade or so and this could be a good move.

Tsotsobe has done well enough in domestic cricket for him to be considered - but then one argues - why didn't the selectors give him some T20 / ODI game time instead of fielding other guys like Kleinveldt and Louw?

Dunno - just doesn't seem to be a consistency. In the same way - if (heaven forbid) two of the quick bowlers were to break down would Monde Zondeki and Tsotsobe be pushed into the side or would reinforcements be flown in from home to jump the queue?

While the touring experience is great for players, it doesn't do anything for their form to be used to bowl a bit in the nets and do shopping while the cricket is being played.

One of the other major concerns around Tsotsobe is that his pace for an international "quickie" is in question.

Do you bank on the variety at the expense of genuine pace or do you go with reliable shock and awe pace in place of predictability?