‘Reserved’ Ngidi lapping up lessons from Rabada
“HE is a great bowler to learn from and get information from, but I am starting to find my own feet.”
The speaker is 21-year-old Lungisani Ngidi, one of South Africa’s trio of fast bowlers in the recently completed second Test in Port Elizabeth.
Remarkably he is speaking about a teammate who is only a year older than him -- paceman Kagiso “KG” Rabada.
Rabada took 11 wickets in the second Test, to move to 135 victims at 21.45 in his 28 Tests. Parallel with his match-winning feats, though, Rabada was collecting code of conduct transgressions.
Rabada, a member of the SA under-19 side which won the World Cup in 2014, has since been suspended for two Tests due to an accumulation of demerit points, and he will will the second half of the series against Australia -- the matches in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Rabada is likely to lead the South Africa attack for a long period once he returns to action, and it is an irony that he regained top spot in the Test bowling rankings the day after his ba was announced.
Comparisons between the two young South African bowlers are inevitable.
Ngidi has played only three Tests, and at this stage it would not be far-fetched to suggest he could partner with Rabada significantly in the Proteas attack of the future.
“I can’t say I want to be KG. I am a different type of person, a lot more reserved. I have my own abilities. I have my own skills.
“You don’t really have to say much. I think maybe just a look, that’s what I would say is aggression. It is the areas you bowl, that puts a batsmen under pressure, your presence on the field, just knowing you’re there.”
Having been brought into the starting XI at the expense of the experienced Morne Morkel at St George’s Park, Ngidi certainly proved his worth with figures of 3/51 and 2/24 across both Australian innings.
However, Rabada, with match figures of 11/150, proved to be the difference between the two teams, which allowed South Africa to level the series heading to Cape Town.
Ngidi was certainly in awe of his teammate’s contribution.
“It really was amazing to see, to be out there with him as well. He is a great cricketer.
“To pull off a performance like that, it is good to see. Seeing the way he went about it gave me even more motivation on the other side. If it’s your day you have to make it count,” the youngster explained.
Elizabeth, and although there was plenty of emotion in his celebration, it was nothing like Rabada’s eruption when he dismissed the Australian opener in the second innings.
“Everything happens in the moment. You don’t have any control. You try to control as much as possible, but the game means so much to us as players that you can’t really hold yourself back if you’re excited or happy. KG is an aggressive cricketer,” Ngidi said of the St George’s Park Man of the Match.
Ngidi too claimed the big wicket of David Warner in Australia’s first innings here in Port
The South African selectors are still in discussion about the make-up of the squad for the remaining two Tests at Newlands and Wanderers.
It is unlikely that veteran fast bowler Dale Steyn will be included for Newlands due to the 34-year-old having yet to play a competitive match since January, leaving Knights seamer Duanne Olivier the frontrunner to join up with the Proteas.
Morkel, of course, is also still part of the squad before he heads into retirement at the conclusion of this series.
Ngidi is confident South Africa have their bases covered, even without the brilliant Rabada. “We are a pretty well-rounded attack. We have good experience in Vern (Philander) and Morne, they know how to lead an attack.
“Obviously it will be a massive blow but it does give us the opportunity to stand up and fill the gap.
“We will still be looking to come hard at the Australians, even missing KG. We will still look to attack and put them under pressure,” Ngidi said.