England fret over pacer Archer’s fitness THIRD TEST
South Africa skipper Du Plessis marked out Stokes as key
PORT ELIZABETH: Rival captains Faf du Plessis and Joe Root were united in their praise of World Player of the Year Ben Stokes ahead of the third Test between South Africa and England starting at St George’s Park on Thursday.
Stokes, Man of the Match when England levelled the fourmatch series with a 189-run win in the second Test in Cape Town, was named the world’s best player by the ICC on Tuesday. He is likely to be a key player in a pivotal match in the series.
“It was very well deserved,” said South African captain Du Plessis. “He’s had a fantastic season where he played big moments really well. That’s when you really want to judge cricketers, when it really matters, and that’s why he has been so successful over the last year. He’s single-handedly won so many games for England.”
Du Plessis said Stokes had already made a mark on the current series. “He plays a big role, whether his team does well or not. For us, he is guy that we need to keep quiet because he’s that sort of player that takes the game away from you when he gets in, similar to what Quinton de Kock does for us.”
Unlike wicketkeeper De Kock, Stokes offers a strong bowling option. “He’s got a big tank,” said Du Plessis. “He bowls many overs and tries 150 percent.”
England captain Joe Root added: “It’s hard to say any more superlatives. It’s the right decision, obviously. It couldn’t really be anyone else the way he’s performed all year, across the formats. It’s just been fantastic to be a part of the same team. He’s affected games across all three formats. In my opinion he’s definitely the number one player in the world at the moment.”
Both captains said they were debating the final make-up of their teams.
Du Plessis said fast bowler Dane Paterson could make his debut on a pitch where reverse swing could be a factor. He said Paterson’s style of bowling could make him dangerous in the expected conditions—but added that it was a difficult choice, which would mean leav
ENGLAND ARE SEEKING A REPLACEMENT FOR JAMES ANDERSON, WHOSE TOUR HAS ENDED AFTER HE PICKED UP A RIB INJURY
ing out an all-rounder, probably Dwaine Pretorius, or left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.
He said weather could play a role in the final decision. “It’s been hot the last few days. You need hot and dry weather for reverse swing but there’s talk of some rain on days three and four so that could affect it.”
Root said fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood must still prove their fitness to be included in the side.
England are seeking a replacement for James Anderson, whose tour has ended after he picked up a rib injury in the second Test victory in Cape Town. Archer missed that game with an elbow problem and Wood has had a number of fitness issues in the past, meaning neither might get the nod.
“No decision has been made,” Root told reporters. “It is important to use today’s training session to get a real clear understanding of where everybody is at and as this tour has proven, make sure that we are all ready to go when we turn up to play.”
QUESTIONS REMAIN
Root suggested a fully fit Archer would play, but whether his elbow will hold up over five days, allowing him to bowl at his full intensity, is the big question. “With Jofra, he is 24-yearsold, right at the start of his Test career and has a huge amount of ability. It is clear to see what he is capable of doing,” Root said.
“But managing workloads is a very important part of it as well. He has played a huge amount of cricket since he has come into the international arena and we have seen a little bit of push-back from his body with that elbow injury.
“If he is fit and raring to go you want him in your side. But you want to make sure that he is able to deliver all of his skills and not just seam it around and swing it, but do it all at 90 miles an hour.” Wood’s chequered past with injuries means the selectors are cautious over him as well,and Root suggested that he, like Archer, must be able to bowl at full pace to get into the line-up.
“The reason we have been quite cautious in terms of rushing him back is that (injury) history and knowing that his value in the team is being at 100%,” the skipper added.
“If he is 100% and firing, the skills he has at his pace will be a great asset in Test cricket.”