Dein erstes Forum » .61 ERA in 10 games (nine starts)

The C-word - chokers - used to be South African crickets least favourite topic of discussion but these days its the T-word as well. The two T-words. Transformation. Targets.Even before they were officially re-introduced in September, those words sparked serious interrogation over whether sport has the responsibility to make amends for the social costs of South Africas segregated past, whether enough opportunity was afforded to all and why the national team had such a vastly different demographic make-up to the actual nation.But South Africa are not alone in debating diversity. Australia, a country with a culture that seems built on winning at all costs, is also tackling the issue and for Usman Khawaja, they still have a way to go.Australia is an extremely multicultural place, especially where I grew up in western Sydney, Khawaja said. Id love to see players from all different backgrounds come and represent Australia and I think you will see more and more of that.Khawaja is what South Africans would call the only player of colour in the current Australia squad and remembers a time when he felt like the only one on the circuit. When I first started playing first-class cricket, I am pretty positive I was the only coloured person in the whole system and now you see it a lot more, he said.He expects that increased immigration will change that, albeit not immediately. Australia is still a fairly young nation in terms of multi-culturalism and immigration, particularly towards people from Africa and the subcontinent coming over. Its still first or second generation, he said. I expect that to happen but it will need a little bit of time.I have no doubt there will be some new faces coming into the team in the next 10 or 15 years but they will obviously have to earn their stripes. We already see it through young development players and players coming through first-class cricket.The brothers Ashton and Wes Agar, Gurinder Sandhu, Fawad Ahmed, Arjun Nair and Clive Rose are a few examples but so far none of them have broken through to quite the same degree as Khawaja. That may make him a flagbearer of sorts but he does not see it as giving him the same responsibility as that carried by someone like Makhaya Ntini, South Africas first black African player or Temba Bavuma, the first black African batsman to play Test cricket. Both those men are regarded as role models for the majority population group, who have long played cricket but have often been denied access to circumstances that could encourage them to excel.I have never seen it that way, Khawaja said. There is a little bit more emphasis on trying to get people from different backgrounds involved in cricket and to make it a national sport. I think you can aid that process but you cant artificially manufacture it.Ultimately, that has been the biggest question around South Africas transformation policy: whether merit would be sacrificed to support change, whether that would be justified, and even whether the suggestion of that was insulting to those whom the policy would benefit. The answers remain unclear to everyone, including Khawaja, although he has made an effort to delve deeper into it.I talked to a couple of the South African players, I talked to Hashim about it and he has explained to me from a South African point of view, Khawaja said. I can totally understand both sides of the spectrum. Its a complicated issue.Its one of those things where you would love to see South Africans come through to Test cricket and just pick the best team and not have to worry about any of the external factors and hopefully in a few years time, that will be the case. But its also a very young nation in terms of where it has been and where it is now in terms of Apartheid so you have to take that into consideration.South Africa themselves are starting not to separate the need for transformation with the desire for success. After they blanked Australia 5-0 in the ODIs, Faf du Plessis told fans they can calm down about the so-called quotas because South Africa have proved they can win with a transformed team.In that series, South Africa met their targets but bigger challenges await. South Africa have yet to play a Test under the new policy and have yet to go a whole summer with it in place. The real results can only be measured once they do. Until then, they may take some comfort from knowing other places are grappling with similar ideas and the goal of inclusion is not theirs alone. Vapormax Pas Cher France . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. Air Max Pas Cher En Ligne . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. http://www.airmaxpaschervente.fr/destockage-air-max-95-france.html . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. Vente Air Max Pas Cher . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Fausse Air Max 95 Pas Cher . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After a rough stretch, the Toronto Blue Jays have found a slice of paradise -- at least temporarily -- in this city known for being the home to Disneyland.With Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki leading the way with homers, the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels for the second night in a row, posting a 5-0 decision on Friday night at Angel Stadium. Starter R.A. Dickey and the bullpen combined for the shutout.The win allowed Toronto to end a four-series losing streak this month. The Blue Jays, who are 5-9 in September, dropped series to the Tampa Bay Rays (twice), the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox before meeting the Angels.I thought we had a great approach tonight, battled, good win for us, said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, whose club also remained tied for the top wild-card spot with the Baltimore Orioles and two games back of Boston for the American League East lead.The Blue Jays hadnt lost four series in a row since June 30-July 12, 2015, when they fell to the Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals. At worst, they secured a split with the Angels in this four-game series that concludes Sunday.On Saturday, the Blue Jays will rely on LHP Francisco Liriano (7-12, 5.16 ERA) to keep the good vibes flowing. Liriano will oppose Angels RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-14, 4.94) in the third game of the series.Liriano was solid in his last outing on Sept. 12 against the Rays, striking out six, walking one and allowing two runs and three hits in a no-decision and a 3-2 Blue Jays win.I dont know how he could have beenn any better in that last time out, Gibbons said.ddddddddddddWhat was really good to me was he hadnt pitched in a while. His stuff has always been there and hes a dominating guy, but he keeps dealing with control problems even though that wasnt the case that night. That could be very big for him.Liriano, who the Blue Jays acquired Aug. 1 in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, would enjoy a bouce-back performance against the Angels, who have hit him hard in the past. Liriano has a 2-5 mark with a 6.61 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) against Los Angeles.In his last start against them as a member of the Pirates, Liriano was shelled for seven runs (six earned) and 10 hits in a 9-2 romp by the Angels on June 3.Nolasco has pitched well since the Angels obtained him from the Minnesota Twins, but he has little to show for it. Despite being 1-6 in his last eight starts, he has gone at least six innings in all but one of those outings.Nolasco was charged with the loss in his last start Monday against the Seattle Mariners, working six innings and giving up four runs, six hits with three strikeouts and a walk.In his career against Toronto, Nolasco, who was acquired by the Angels from the Twins on Aug. 1, is 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA.Angels manager Mike Scioscia is hoping Nolasco and his club can put some heat on the Blue Jays and snap a five-game skid.All in all, we just didnt pressure those guys enough, Scioscia said of the clubs loss on Friday. ' ' '