Faf laments lack of Test action

PROTEAS captain Faf du Plessis, has shed his cloak of anonymity by demanding world cricket authorities do a better job of structuring the international calendar with an emphasis on better context for Test cricket.

With the first of the two Tests against New Zealand rained out, the second match of the “series” in Centurion from today is effectively a shoot-out, something that doesn’t sit comfortably in the South African camp, and it’s highlighted once more the inadequate manner in which the ICC structure the international calendar.

Du Plessis, stand-in skipper for the injured AB de Villiers who has previously expressed concerns about the international calendar, said he was worried the ICC wasn’t listening to the players.

“When we do those anonymous ( s urveys) about the international schedule and how much you play… the general thing is that Test cricket is still No 1 for international players.

“Creating an environment where we play one-dayers that mean something is obviously a challenge. They’re talking about the Test championship again and that is a step in the right direction, but obviously you need to play as many Tests as possible,” he added.

A two-Test series, as South Africa are engaged in currently with New Zealand, was insufficient, said Du Plessis.

“With the present schedule, a five-Test series will be very hard to do in the future. I prefer three or four Tests (in a series). I feel like when you play two Tests in a series, you just get going and then the series finishes. Three and four should be what the ICC must look at. Two is just too short and, in the case of this one, especially so because we’ve had one game rained out.”

South Africa’s lack of Test match play has impacted on the team’s ranking in the last year and they’ve slipped from No 1 to seventh. In order to climb the table, they need to play – and obviously win – more.

Du Plessis compared South Africa’s schedule to that of India, who will play 15 Tests at home over the next year.

“It feels like we don’t play a lot of Tests (in South Africa),” he lamented.

After this match, South Africa’s next Test assignment is in Australia and there are also trips to New Zealand and England in the next year. The only domestic series will be three matches against Sri Lanka in December and January.

“In the space our team is in now, we want to play as much Test cricket as possible.”

Quite what that team will look like when play starts this morning, Du Plessis couldn’t say. The lack of knowledge about the pitch, especially how it will play at a time of the year when cricket isn’t normally played, has left the home side with a lot of questions.

“We’re looking at different combinations, whether that is playing an all-rounder, an extra seamer or an all-seam attack with no spinner,” said Du Plessis.

He described the surface as feeling soft and moist and ventured that it would be slow. That may change over the course of five days with unusually high temperatures forecast for the duration of the Test.

“We’re not sure if (the pitch) will break up, so there is that risk if you win the toss. Are batting conditions going to be harder first, or when the pitch goes a bit up and down on the fifth day?”

New Zealand, too, were going to leave decisions about their starting XI until last night. But captain Kane Williamson indicated that thoughts in the team’s camp weren’t as complicated as what the Proteas are going through.

“The balance will remain similar; just with the sun around, we may look at that extra spinner,” he remarked.