SA: No more faffing around
CAPTAIN: PROTEAS PUT THEIR FAITH IN DU PLESSIS TO SPARK FIGHTBACK
SA have selection headache in trying to accommodate skipper and filling Rabada’s boots.
Morne Morkel is confident returning captain Faf du Plessis can spark a Proteas turnaround in the second Test against England at Trent Bridge tomorrow.
Du Plessis missed the first Test due to the birth of his first child, with opener Dean Elgar filling in for the regular skipper. The match turned into a disaster for the tourists as the Proteas slumped to a 211-run defeat at Lord’s.
‘‘Faf is a guy that averages in high 40s and leads front the front. It’s great to have him back and the seniors players will have to give him their support,’’ Morkel said in Nottingham yesterday.
‘‘We spoke about that this morning, how we should challenge each other on this tour to raise our intensity. That extra 5 or 10%. Faf will make sure he drives that from the front.
‘‘Faf is very open and wants you to set your own fields and come up with different game plans. But one thing about him is that he will challenge you if you overstep or step out of line.’’
Speaking of overstepping, Morkel said there wasn’t ‘‘much I can do’’ about the costly no-ball he bowled when he could have removed England captain Joe Root for 5 at Lord’s. Root went on to make 190 in England’s first innings.
It gave Morkel the unwanted world record for most wickets taken off a no-ball, 13.
‘‘Yes, that’s the world record, thanks,’’ he told a press conference. “Obviously I would like to have those 13 in the bank, but the record needs to go behind someone’s name,’’ he added.
‘‘If I had the magic answers for that I won’t be bowling no-balls. The isn’t much I can do. I can’t make my run-up longer, I can’t make it shorter.’’
Du Plessis’ return is one of at least two changes expected to the XI that played at Lord’s. He is set to replace either Theunis de Bruyn or the out-of-form JP Duminy, while either Duanne Olivier, Chris Morris or Andile Phehlukwayo will replace the banned Kagiso Rabada.
It has also been rumoured that the Proteas might leave out both De Bruyn and Duminy, with Du Plessis and two bowlers coming into the side, leaving them a batsman light.
‘‘We’ll have to look at conditions first before we determine the side’s make-up,’’ said Morkel.