BOWLED OVER
PROTEAS batsman Quinton de Kock is quietly confident of the team’s putting on a good performance when they take on Sri Lanka in the Boxing Day test next week.
Speaking shortly after his arrival at the Port Elizabeth international airport yesterday, De Kock, 24, said he believed the team was ready for battle against the islanders at St George’s Park.
“It’s good to be back in the Bay. I haven’t been here in a while,” he said before fans swarmed around him for autographs and photographs.
The first group of Proteas players arrived shortly after 10am.
At least 100 fans gathered at the arrivals terminal to welcome the players, who included the likes of De Kock, Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.
The Proteas last played a competitive test match at St George’s Park in 2014, when they took on the West Indies.
The match, which ended in a draw, also saw the diminutive Bavuma make his test debut in the green and gold.
“It’s wonderful to be back in Port Elizabeth, it was here where I made my international debut, so I have some very special memories of this place,” Bavuma said.
Asked what they would be doing on Christmas Day, Bavuma said he had family in the Bay whom he would be visiting, while De Kock said he planned to have a good lunch on the day but would be hard at work preparing for the match.
Excited Free State fan Ferdie le Grange, 11, visiting his grandmother in Jeffreys Bay, could not contain his excitement as the players came through the terminal doors. “I’m so excited to see them in real life, I cannot wait to see them in action next week.”
Ferdie said he was hoping for “another Proteas whitewash”.
DALE Steyn’s injury woes have not stopped him from being named in the International Cricket Council’s test team of the year yesterday.
Because of groin and shoulder injuries Steyn featured in just four of the 10 tests South Africa played during the period under review – from September 14 last year to September 20 this year.
But in those games he took 14 wickets at an average of 15.14‚ which is significantly better than his career average of 22.13.
That‚ it seems‚ was good enough for a panel comprising former test players Rahul Dravid‚ Gary Kirsten and Kumar Sangakkara to put Steyn in the side for the eighth time in nine years.
Steyn was the only South African so honoured, but the national team fared better in the one-day stakes.
Quinton de Kock‚ A B de Villiers and Kagiso Rabada were in the XI, with Imran Tahir named 12th man.
De Villiers cracked the nod for the sixth time since 2010.
ICC teams of the year:
Test: David Warner (Australia)‚ Alastair Cook (England‚ captain)‚ Kane Williamson (New Zealand)‚ Joe Root (England)‚ Adam Voges (Australia)‚ Jonny Bairstow (England)‚ Ben Stokes (England)‚ Ravichandran Ashwin (India)‚ Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)‚ Mitchell Starc (Australia)‚ Dale Steyn (South Africa). 12th man: Steve Smith (Australia). ODI:David Warner (Australia)‚ Quinton de Kock (South Africa)‚ Rohit Sharma (India)‚ Virat Kohli (India‚ captain)‚ A B de Villiers (South Africa)‚ Jos Buttler (England)‚ Mitchell Marsh (Australia)‚ Ravindra Jadeja (India)‚ Mitchell Starc (Australia)‚ Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)‚ Sunil Narine (West Indies). 12th man: Imran Tahir (South Africa).