Proteas could be on sticky wicket against NZ
The signs are looking ominous for the Proteas ahead of a unique two-Test winter series against the Black Caps starting on Friday.
|||Durban – The signs are looking ominous for a weakened, undercooked Proteas team as they prepare for a unique two-Test winter series against the marauding Black Caps from New Zealand starting at Kingsmead here on Friday.
The home team haven’t played a Test since January, with most of their players engaged in T20 cricket, while the Kiwis have just completed a two-Test series victory against Zimbabwe in which their batsmen registered five centuries with Ross Taylor grabbing three of them without losing his wicket.
The Zimbabweans may not have represented the highest hurdle the New Zealanders could have faced, but they have certainly played the visitors into form.
The Proteas will be without their captain and best batsman, AB de Villiers, and top pace bowler Morné Morkel, both through injury.
By contrast, with the possible exception of the injured Corey Anderson, the visitors will field their strongest XI, although they have lost the inspirational Brendon McCullum following his retirement.
Recent history tells us that the tide is going out for South Africa, while the opposite holds true for their exciting, positive opponents who got the world’s attention after their thrilling Test series draw against England in May last year.
When the Proteas last played New Zealand here in January 2013, they had just come off an away victory against Australia to confirm their No1 position in world cricket. The visitors were subsequently brushed aside in the two Tests in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, on both occasions by an innings. Now, 44 months later, the situation looks very different.
The Proteas no longer have captain Graeme Smith, master all-rounder Jacques Kallis or coach Gary Kirsten and are now languishing at No?6 in the world rankings, soon to be converted to No?7 this week when Sri Lanka are awarded points for their series win over Australia.
The Kiwis, meanwhile, are ranked fifth and appear to be sprinting up the table under the captaincy of Kane Williamson, who completed his 50th Test match last week.
From a South African point of view, a comparison between the start of this series and the last against England may be instructive.
When the Proteas faced England in Durban eight months ago, they were in disarray after losing a Test series against India.
In the build-up to the Boxing Day Test, their ‘A’ side lost to the tourists inside two-and-a-half days after a pathetic display in Pietermaritzburg.
Their seniors were then convincingly beaten at Kingsmead, a result that gave England the momentum to complete a 2-1 series victory.
This month, the ‘A’ side, which included a number of Test players, subsided to defeat against Australia ‘A’ in two four-day Tests, following performances that earned the vocal disappointment of their captain, Stephen Cook.
To add to South Africa’s reverses on the field, their players also have to contend with the psychological pressure of Cricket SA’s decision to convert their domestic race quota policy (six players of colour in each franchise team, including three
black African players) into the international arena.
Specific numbers have not been spelled out but it has been widely speculated that a similar formula will be applied.
On the positive side, South Africa will welcome back pacemen Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander after both men missed most of last season through injury.
It’s a moot point, however, whether either man will be up to speed after little or no recent experience with the red ball over five days.
On the whole, though, the Proteas’ bowling has been decent; it’s the batting that has caused concern with senior players like interim captain Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy desperate for big runs.
New Zealand’s recent win over Zimbabwe means they have lost only two of their last seven away series.
Their coach, Mike Hesson, recently admitted that the team’s away form was crucial if they wanted to earn respect. “We know we will only be judged a decent team once we start to do well away from home,” he told CricInfo in Bulawayo last week.
“We won in West Indies and Sri Lanka and we are getting better. We were challenged here in Zimbabwe with both bat and ball and India are going to challenge us in a few months’ time.”
It seems that if the Kiwis want to win their first Test series in South Africa, they will never have a better opportunity than they do now.
SQUADS
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, JP Duminy, Stiaan van Zyl, Quinton de Kock (w/k), Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott, Dane Piedt
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicolls, BJ Whatling (w/k), Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Mark Craig, Jeet Raval, Doug Bracewell
Itinerary: Aug 19-23: First Test (Durban); Aug 27-31: Second Test (Centurion)