Mandatory Quotas In Team Selection.

[Mampara]

The outstanding win by England in the first cricket test has given
the South African selectors lots of headaches re their team for the
Cape Town test in a few days time.
That they would 'persuade' their world class batsman AB de Villiers
to take on the wicket keeping duties too in the interest of maintaining
the quota of 4 'Players of colour' was crazy. The player he made room
for was clearly not up to test match standard & SA risk losing AB
altogether as his work load is just too great.
The injury to Dale Steyn could allow the Proteas to bring in Rabada
thus maintaining the '4 policy' but what a system that is not based
solely on ability!

[janzman]

Its been two years now but the hole left by the retirement of Jacques Kallis looks nigh on impossible to fill, on the evidence of this first test.

[Mampara]

I agree.

Losing Kallis, Graeme Smith & Mark Boucher all around the same
time would really knock any team.

[toalisi]

Quinton de Kock has been added to the squad and will keep wicket
in Cape Town.

The quota system is so sensitive & Pc that people would rather it
was not discussed.

[jim360]

Perhaps the situation has been complicated a little since England seem to have operated a quote of at least one South African (and up to four) in their team for the last decade or so Strauss, KP, Trott, Prior, Compton)... ?

[janzman]

jim360 do you have any proof what so ever that England operate a deliberate quota system, I think not.

[jim360]

It was meant to be satire.

[Mampara]

Jim I knew your answer was satiric but do you have an opinion
of the current SA policy?

[janzman]

It wasn't

[melv16]

The Scottish rugby union team also have a quota of Kiwis...

[jim360]

Well I'm sorry you didn't appreciate the attempt at humour -- not everything I try is going to be funny I guess. I've never been particularly bothered as it happens where a particular person was born -- if they've chosen to represent England that's good enough for me.

Mampara, I have to confess that until maybe yesterday I wasn't even aware that South Africa operated a quota-based selection policy.

[DaisyNonna]

When will we accept that people are people and choose the right person for a job instead of quotas?

[janzman]

>>I've never been particularly bothered where a person was born

[janzman]

Oops that didn't work try again

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1773400-how-many-england-test-cricketers-have-been-born-abroad

[jim360]

Presumably the quote is in response to apartheid, when all "players of colour" would have been excluded (including one or two who didn't even play for South Africa, eg D'Oliveira)? I suppose positive discrimination in response to that, in the short-term, can help serve to heal wounds, bridge divides, etc etc. In the long-term it's totally wrong. Only South Africans would be able to say if things have moved on far enough for this policy to hinder more than it helps.

[Mampara]

The fact that South Africa appointed Hashim Amla ( a 'player of colour')
as the captain speaks to their commitment.

My issue is that they are so dedicated to the policy that they would
select players with less than proven credentials over established
test players.

[New Judge]

Any team in any sport that chooses its players based on the colour of their skin deserves every thrashing it gets.