Proteas have the right variety to be the Champions

JOHANNESBURG: Flexibility has often eluded South African limited-overs teams at ICC tournaments, whether that be flexibility with regard to selection and then by extension flexibility with regard to thinking and strategising on the field.

Too often Proteas teams of the past have been too rigid and thus formulaic and particularly in the modern game, it’s vital to have some variety and to be able to change tack when a situation demands it.

The squad for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, certainly has the kind of variety which will allow for a lot of flexibility, which the Proteas hope will make them difficult to plan against. By extension it also offers options in terms of personnel and what type of strategy to employ. Nowhere is that more clearly indicated than in the presence of all four seam-bowling all-rounders – Andile Phehlukwayo, Chris Morris, Dwaine Pretorius and Wayne Parnell.

As coach Russell Domingo mentioned yesterday, that quartet have played at various points during a successful summer for the one-day side and in one instance against New Zealand, they all played. It would be unlikely for that to occur again in England, but it’s nice to have that option.

“It depends on conditions and opposition; against teams with a strong batting line-up we’ll probably want to play our best fast bowlers, which could bring Morne Morkel into the equation. Against sides with good bowlers or in tricky conditions, you might want to lengthen the batting order, but they’re all things we will consider. We have three warm-up games, we will try to play every single player, get them all some game time and look at different combinations for what we might need under certain conditions,” Domingo explained.

The decision to include Keshav Maharaj ahead of Tabraiz Shamsi and Aaron Phangiso was, Domingo admitted, a tricky call. The margins between those three spinners are very fine; Shamsi provides attacking variety, Phangiso control and the same goes for Maharaj. What separated them, according to Domingo, was Maharaj’s better batting, but even there, the difference is marginal – Phangiso averages 12.16 in List A one-day cricket compared to Maharaj’s average of 14.40.

“We have one spinner who is head and shoulders above everyone else, Imran Tahir. The challenge as selectors was playing two spinners in the starting XI if they both can’t bat,” said Domingo.

“If you play Shamsi and Tahir, you have Kagiso Rabada at No 9, and that leaves the lower order thin. So many oneday games are going a certain way now – on average teams are winning making 260/7 or 280/8 so you need contributions from (No) 7, 8, and 9 in the order. That was a big factor in deciding to go with Keshav because he does offer a bit more batting depth than Shamsi and Phangiso would do.”

It certainly helped Maharaj that he made some valuable contributions in the Test team last summer, including an unbeaten 41 against Australia in Perth where he whacked three sixes in the process.

SA open their Champions Trophy campaign against Sri Lanka at The Oval on 3 June, then play Pakistan at Edgbaston four days later and conclude the group phase of the competition back at The Oval on 11 June against defending champions India.

Before the tournament they’ll play a three-match series against England starting on 24 May.

* Dr Mohamed Moosajee, the national team’s manager, yesterday stated that Cricket SA’s medical staff were keeping a close eye on the rehabilitation of one-day skipper AB de Villiers whose back ailment has flared up again during the IPL. De Villiers received an injection into his lower back and will rest for a couple of days and it is hoped he’ll be back to full fitness soon.

Meanwhile, Dale Steyn is “very much on track” with his shoulder rehabilitation and is expected to be able to bowl flat out in a month’s time. The great fast bowler was picked in an SA A squad that will play three four-day matches in England in June, including one against the England Lions.

Moosajee said if all goes according to plan, Steyn will be eligible for selection for two of SA A’s three matches. The four-day side will be captained by Aiden Markram, while an SA A one-day side to play a series of matches in England just before the Champions Trophy will be led by Khaya Zondo.