Abbott: I am ready for any occasion
AUCKLAND: Headingley 1999. It was the venue of the classic World Cup Super Six tie between South Africa and Australia, which is primarily remembered for Steve Waugh’s infamous line to Herschelle Gibbs: “You have just dropped the World Cup” after the Proteas star spilled a regulation catch at short mid-wicket in trying to celebrate too hastily.
Besides the fact that the former Australian captain’s chirp is a source of fabrication that has grown in status over time, the other myth is that Gibbs’s drop singularly lost the game for Hansie Cronjé’s team.
South Africa’s failure to defend 271 – quite an imposing one-day total in the previous millennium – had more to do with the fact that Nicky Bojé had come in from the cold, having to replace the injured allrounder Jacques Kallis, in a crucial match with no gametime previously in the roundrobin stages as South Africa stuck rigidly to the same playing XI.
Bojé’s rustiness showed as the left-arm spinner conceded 29 runs in his three overs at 9.66 runs per over.
Almost 16 years later South Africa seems to have learnt those harsh lessons, and albeit mostly through injury, everyone in the current 15-man squad bar left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso have had a run in this World Cup already.
And unlike Bojé, the initial intended back-up squad members such as Rilee Rossouw and Kyle Abbott have made an immediate impact, with batsman Rossouw smashing two consecutive half-centuries and seamer Abbott claiming six wickets in the two opportunities he has received, which includes figures of 4/21 in his last outing at the Manuka Oval.
Abbott believes this is by no means a coincidence, but rather due to the hard work the entire squad is putting in at training between games, and the fact that every player is acutely aware of the fact that his button can be pressed any day of the tournament.
“The important thing for most teams going into this tournament is the form the guys on the sidelines are in because you never know when the opportunity is going to come up, like we saw in the last game when Vernon (Philander) got a little injury, and suddenly you are on the stage,” Abbott said.
“It is going to take 15 men to win this (tournament), and not just 11, so whichever 11 is out on the field that is what we will back. I would like to think I have put my hand up, but I think there is more pressure coming into a game when you haven’t played and be expected to perform immediately than possibly playing consistently through the tournament. I feel I am ready for any occasion that is coming up.”
The Dolphins stalwart has certainly provided the Proteas brainstrust, consisting of coach Russell Domingo, captain AB de Villiers and selector-on-tour Hussein Manack, with a few interesting conundrums, especially due to the fact that Philander should have recovered from his hamstring strain for Saturday’s clash with Pakistan at Eden Park.
Abbott’s current red-hot form does not guarantee him a place due to Philander’s greater experience and superior batting ability, but the way he swung the ball, especially against Ireland in the last encounter in Canberra, could count in his favour.
This World Cup has seen bowlers like New Zealand duo Tim Southee and Trent Boult and also Australia’s Mitchell Starc, who all have the ability to swing it around corners, enjoy the greatest success thus far.
“Definitely, I think that’s my (swing-bowling) biggest strength. Although it has swung a bit (in Australia), I think it will swing even more in New Zealand in slightly cooler conditions, and with that damp feeling around, it will swing a bit,” said Abbott.
“I feel if there is anything in the pitch, I am confident I will find it. It has been interesting to see how the wickets have fallen during the World Cup and I think going forward the first 10 overs will be the most important. If we can have a team three down, we would have done a lot of damage.”
Considering Boult and Starc claimed 11 wickets between them in the last World Cup match played at Eden Park, it is a statistic Abbott will hoping the brainstrust remember when they gather over the next couple of days to finalise Saturday’s starting XI.