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South Africa’s tour Down Under starts with the first test at the Brisbane Cricket Ground in Brisbane on 17 December 2022. The Proteas’ recent history on Australian soil has been all good, having won the last three series’ against the Aussies but recent form suggests that they will be up against it.
Dean Elgar’s charges have played 19 tests in the last two years, having won 10 and lost nine, but only four of those victories have come away from home – one each against England and New Zealand and twice against a struggling West Indies side.
The problem with the Proteas of late has been their struggles with the bat. The team have only scored more than 300 runs in their first innings on seven out of 19 occasions, and of those seven matches, they won.
“Runs on the board is key in Australia. If you have a bowling lineup like we have, you have to have the runs on the board to give them the opportunity to take 20 wickets, but that is just general Test cricket for you,” stated Elgar.
Worryingly, and proven by statistics, the South African batsmen have only scored four centuries in the same period and two of those players, Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis, are no longer playing.
“We haven’t been good enough with the bat over the last year and we are not going to shy away from that. We have to take responsibility,” added Elgar.
Only openers Elgar and Sarel Erwee have scored a century each with Elgar and Temba Bavuma the only ones to average over 40. Elgar, in 19 innings, has just one century and six fifties to his name while Bavuma has just five half-centuries. This is clearly not good enough.
Gone are the heady days of Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Du Plessis, AB de Villiers and De Kock. Elgar needs to lead form the front with the bat, while the likes of Erwee, Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and Khaya Zondo need to step up.
Zondo, who is 32 years of age, has played just two tests and scored just 39 runs. His First Class career average is just 31 with 13 centuries and 30 fifties to his name in 218 innings.
Bavuma, who has come in for a lot of stick lately in the shorter format of the game, always presents grit in the middle order but with only one ton to his scorecard in 87 innings and 19 fifties, needs to become a true leader in the group.
Both Theunis de Bruyn and Van der Dussen average over 40 in First Class cricket but De Bruyn’s entrance into the Test arena sees the Titans man average just 19 while Van der Dussen, so explosive with the willow, averages just over 32 in Tests with six half-centuries in 30 innings.
Elgar said of the squad members, “We might not have guys with a lot of Test experience, but we have gone with guys that are hardened and experienced at First Class level. The guys that have built some numbers in the local 4-Day series.”
What the Proteas are sorely missing is a talented, strong number three batsman. Since Amla’s departure, few have tried and failed, some more than others.
Keegan Petersen played 10 tests, averaging 31.5 with a top score of 72 and seemed to be the solution the Proteas were looking for, but a ham-string injury suffered during the recent CSA T20 ended Petersen’s hopes of touring Down Under.
Zubayr Hamza, who averages 46 in First Class cricket, scored just 40 runs in three Test innings but was found guilty of doping in March this year and is busy serving a nine-month ban which ends on 22 December.
The South African bowling attack seems settled with Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi spear-heading the attack with Lizaad Williams, Gerald Coetzee and Glenton Stuurman as back-up. Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer can hold their own in the spin-department but it is unlikely that the pair will play together as the Aussie wickets tend to be more pace-friendly while Kyle Verreynne and Heinrich Klaasen are adequate with the gloves.
The likely team, barring injuries and pitch condition on the morning of the first test, is likely to be:
Dean Elgar (capt)
Sarel Erwee
Rassie van der Dussen
Temba Bavuma
Khaya Zondo
Kyle Verryenne (wk)
Marco Jansen
Keshav Maharaj
Kagido Rabada
Anrich Nortje
Lungi Ngidi
At the departure press conference, Elgar stated, “The two options are still on the table, whether we go 7/4 or 6/5. At the end of the day it will be what I am happy with taking on the field, whether I feel the bowlers have enough in the tank. We will make the decisions based on what is best for the side in the Test and the conditions.”
South Africa also head into this tour with some uncertainty after Mark Boucher ended his tenure as head coach. South African A head coach, Malibongwe Maketa has been appointed in an interim head coach for the tour to Australia.
Commenting on Maketa’s appointment, Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe said: “We are pleased to name Malibongwe as our interim coach to lead the Proteas in Australia. He is a familiar face to the environment and has worked in the same space previously when he served as assistant coach.“
Malekta served as an assistant coach between 2017 and 2019 before Boucher took over with Nkwe as his assistant.
The Proteas are really going to have to dig deep, hope that Australia are not at the top of their game, and have some luck go their way if they expect to get anything out of this tour.
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