Morkel ‘ deserves’ finale

AUSTRALIA has forced the South Africans into a selection room crisis before the next Test as former captain Graeme Smith pleaded for retiring fast bowler Morne Morkel to be spared the axe.

The Proteas are likely to put all options on the table for the next Test starting in four days in Port Elizabeth after they had already thrown their previous game plan out the window for fear of Australia’s pace bowling attack.

At the core of South Africa’s conundrum is that their attempts to fortify their batting line- up are being undermined by concerns over the form of No. 6 Theunis de Bruyn and wicketkeeper- batsman Quinton de Kock.

Unless de Bruyn was able to make a big impact on day four, the Proteas may look to revert to their original game plan against India this summer and go in a batsman short so that they can play four specialist frontline quicks.

However, the other selec- tion dilemma for South Africa is what to do with retiring servant, Morkel.

It’s likely Morkel will survive for the next Test in Port Elizabeth, with the champion only a couple of wickets away from bowing out of the game with 300- wickets.

Dale Steyn isn’t due back until the third Test in Cape Town, but there is pressure from young quick Lungi Ngidi.

“It’s very disappointing I guess, this outing,” Smith said.

“Because there are so many eyes on this series, people were saying ‘ Is it worth it, playing Ngidi in the next Test?’.

“I think it’s worth giving Morkel another go. I just worry that Ngidi is maybe not fit enough or mature enough yet to carry that third seamer role and the amount of overs and the responsibility that will come with it.

“If South Africa were going with four seamers then Ngidi definitely comes into the reckoning, but as the third seamer role Morkel, definitely, no doubt deserves more of a go.”

South Africa may look to move de Kock up to No. 6 and add Ngidi to the squad as an extra bowling option.

However, the issue is de Kock hasn’t made significant runs for more than a year.

The Port Elizabeth pitch is expected to be reasonably benign with the pace and carry to not come into play until the second half of the series in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

But if de Bruyn isn’t up to Test level then South Africa may feel they might as well go in with an all- guns blazing approach and try to blast out Australia with a onslaught.

Smith said Morkel needs to find another level this series.

“He announced his retirement and you always want him to play well in his last series, but I think it’s been a tough Test match for him,” Smith said.

At lunch on day four of the First Test, South Africa were struggling at 4- 63 in their second innings. Earlier, Australia were bowled out for 227, setting the home team 417 for victory. fast bowling