Willemse injury a hammer blow to Junior Springboks
TOWARDS the end of the penultimate day in the fourth and final Test at the Wanderers, AB de Villiers, South Africa’s master batsman, fell to an ungainly dismissal.
It was in complete contrast to the great ambidexterity that “Mr 360” showed at the crease during his stellar international career, especially for the fact that it was the last shot De Villiers would play for the Proteas.
De Villiers, of course, retired just a couple of months later sending shockwaves through the cricket fraternity, and especially providing the national selectors with a Table Mountain-sized headache.
Filling the gold-minted No 4 position, especially in the ODI team with the countdown to the ICC World Cup well and truly under way now that it’s less than 100 days to the opener against England at Lords’, was not something that could have been anticipated.
In fact, De Villiers would probably have been the fulcrum of all the World Cup plans, especially due to his unique abilities and record that boasts 9 577 runs at an average of 53.50. Not to mention that he was the fastest to ever blast a 50, 100, and 150 in white-ball cricket.
Finding a replacement is a daunting prospect, let alone someone who was not intimidated by the giant shoes he needs to fill. It is a good thing Aiden Markram, the honouree heir to De
Villiers’s throne, is no illusions of no such grandeur.
“I don’t think it’s a case of trying to find the next AB de Villiers because we will never manage to find another player like that,” Markram, who was named the International Newcomer of the Year at the CSA Awards, said.
“It’s still quite important that whoever does fill that role makes it their own and plays their own game in that role. Whether you get the job done like AB does or whoever … as long as the job gets done.”
Earned his stripes
Such a level-headed attitude is definitely a prerequisite for the job, especially with Markram having earned his stripes in the opener’s role for the Proteas. It is a position, particularly in the Test side, that he has made his own due to the 1 000 runs he has accumulated in his maiden season as an international cricketer.
The transition to the ODI team has, however, not been equally smooth, although his load was increased considerably when Linda Zondi and Co. handed the youngster the leadership reins for the series against India.
Coming up against a beast that is Virat Kohli at the peak of his powers proved a step too far for Markram at that stage.
With Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla also established as arguably the leading ODI opening partnership in the world, it is unlikely that Markram will be the cause of a divorce. It is a fact he is fully aware of and has accepted the challenge ahead.
“It is a bit different to opening, but it is not a drastic change. It is something I can manage. I have batted there before. I actually batted at No 4 all through school, although I know it is a different level, I only started opening from 17 years old.
“I also batted once or twice in the middle-order for the Titans in white-ball cricket, coming in at 3/4/5, depending on the match situation. So, I am becoming more used to it although I know I need more match experience.
“Whatever role I am given, I will give it my best shot.”
Markram will most likely have the opportunity to audition for the part on the upcoming tour of
Sri Lanka where the Proteas will five
ODI’s. THE JUNIOR Springboks were dealt a massive blow to their title aspirations as influential flyhalf Damian Willemse was ruled out of the remainder of the World Rugby Under-20 Championships due to injury.
Western Province flyhalf David Coetzer and Sharks
No 8 Phendulani Buthelezi will join the Junior Springboks in France today, as injury replacements for Willemse and Muller du Plessis respectively. Willemse suffered a knee injury in the team’s match against Ireland on Sunday, which will sideline him for four to six weeks. Du Plessis injured a gluteal muscle in the same match, and is expected to be out for between two and four weeks.
Buthelezi and Coetzer both have Junior Springbok experience having featured in the team’s warm-up matches, with Buthelezi taking to the field in all three matches on the UK tour and against Georgia in Stellenbosch, while Coetzer played against Wales and England on tour.
With sufficient cover among the backs, as centre Rikus Pretorius and winger Sihle Njezula will return to action in the coming games, the coach opted to call up a back and forward as replacements.
“It is never good when players suffer injuries,” said Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux.
“In Damian’s case particularly, if we really had to, we could probably have strapped him and played him in one of the play-off games. But if one looks at the bigger picture, it is better for him as a player and for South African rugby that he takes a break and does proper recovery so that he can be 100 percent ready to play again.
Having had time to reflect on the match against Ireland, the coach said: “I think we played in patches, but our scrums were good. We usually have a very good lineout, but for some reason it didn’t function. So there are small changes we need make and I am sure we will rectify that for the game against France.”
With the match against France kicking off at 9pm on Thursday in Narbonne, Roux said they would adapt the training schedule in the next few days to ensure that the players could adjust accordingly.