Proteas turn hotel into mini ‘Boktown’

SA face their crunch game with India today, but last night their greatest worry was to secure a quality feed from Twickenham.

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Rajkot, India – The Proteas third One-Day International against India was uppermost on their minds as rose on Saturday – but their greatest concern was ensuring their hotel on the outskirts of Rajkot had a quality feed for what was happening at Twickenham.

“It’s a bit frustrating when it buffers and you miss about 15 minutes of the game, but the boys are really looking forward to the game,” a concerned Faf du Plessis explained.

Most hotels in India couldn’t care less about rugby, but the Proteas have transformed every team room into a mini “Boktown” when it comes to the Rugby World Cup.

“It’s great for pulling us together, and we will definitely be watching it as a team,” Du Plessis added, to a room full of perplexed local scribes.

What is this rugby that is so important? Is it bigger than cricket? Did these guys also play the game?

If something matters to an international star cricketer in India, the media make it their business to inform the country about this “new craze”.

But that was last night. Today, the Proteas had their own crunch game to take care of, with the third ODI pivotal to the outcome of the series.

The squad won the toss and chose to bat.

With the series locked at 1-1, South Africa did not make any changes to their starting line-up.

India, made just one change with Umesh Yadav making way for Amit Mishra in the starting XI.

“It’s one-all in the series, but it should have been the other way around,” Du Plessis admitted.

“We were both in a position where we should have won, but India had a batting collapse in the first game, and we also were in a great position to make it 2-0, but we did not capitalise,” he reflected on the last game.

Du Plessis, who has been in fine, if not ruthless form with the bat, accepted that he should have kicked on, especially as he has rattled up two successive scores beyond 50.

“As a No3, your role is about getting big runs. Yes, it is nice to get runs, but it is important to make match-winning contributions,” he bemoaned.

“If I get into that position again, I will be a lot harder on myself, and have more discipline to try and get the team over the line.”

Du Plessis merely echoed the sentiments of skipper AB de Villiers, who admitted that the batters had let the game slip on Wednesday night in Indore.

“At 130/2, it was disappointing that JP (Duminy) or I didn’t bat through and win the game for us.

“In saying that, I think both teams haven’t played their best cricket so far.

“We have been at about 80 percent, so we will be looking to play better cricket here.”

The Proteas have taken it easy in the build-up to today’s match, with Friday given as a rest day.

Yesterday, they bore the brunt of the afternoon heat in a full session.

“I think it’s important to get mental rest, especially on such a long tour. It’s very intense here, and the rest day was a chance for the guys to relax, see the physio and just get a mental break. We are raring to go again,” he said cheerfully.

The track in Rajkot has the look of another belter, with the groundsman insisting yesterday that it was a definite “bat first wicket”.

“Here, definitely 300-plus is possible,” he chin-wagged, as people came and went, observing his handiwork.

Of course, the curator in Indore also promised a deluge of runs. But, sometimes the bowlers have other ideas.

Increasingly, both attacks have taken centre stage, as the superstar-laden batting cards have yet to truly explode.

India, with Messrs Dhawan and Kohli still missing in action, and the Proteas with a slew of batters getting in and out, will be very keen to do justice to the ground, which even comes with a Lords’-like, space-age media box, at least when observed from the outside.

There has been some decent cricket, but these two giants are yet to produce the heavyweight slug-out their billing promised.

Perhaps in Rajkot, they will find the fuse to really ignite this series.

 

South Africa team: Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wk), Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, AB de Villiers (captain), David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel.

India team: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper, captain), Suresh Raina, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshar Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Mohit Sharma, Amit Mishra.

– THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT, ANA