Duminy could be the fall guy

As the Proteas look to regroup for the second Test against England starting at Trent Bridge on Friday, they have a couple of tough calls to make, one just for the short-term, but the other could have longterm effects on the team.

Kagiso Rabada has been punished by the ICC with a one-game ban and so South Africa need to replace a frontline fast bowler, just for the match in Nottingham.

But the batting is the chief worry after the Lord’s rout and the return of Faf du Plessis should add some steel. But who does the returning captain replace?

According to former selection convenor Andrew Hudson, it all depends on whether the captain and coach believe JP Duminy’s (below) stint as a Test batsman has run its course. The left-hander has scored just 65 runs in his last five innings, but more damaging than those returns has been how he has been getting out – two of his last four dismissals have been out caught taking on the short ball, while another was shouldering arms to a straight delivery.

“It’s between him and Theunis de Bruyn as to who makes way for Faf, and it depends on whether the captain and coach want to continue with JP for his experience. But JP hasn’t impressed me, batting him at four is asking a lot, it looks a little brittle to me. He’s done well on occasion, but the consistency is not there, he’d probably be better off down the order.

“But he has tended to battle against off-spin and with all their right-arm bowlers, England are creating beautiful footmarks for Moeen Ali. He’s going to bowl a lot and he’s getting nice drift and turn. Theunis de Bruyn, being a right-hander, would have a better chance against him,” Hudson told The Citizen yesterday.

There are three possible replacements for Rabada: Duanne Olivier, Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo, none of whom have really proven themselves in the tough environment of Test cricket.