No green mamba for Proteas clash All eyes on the pitch as countdown to second India test begins
WHEN South Africa and India arrive at SuperSport Park in Centurion for the second test on Saturday morning‚ they must not expect a green mamba. There will still be the usual pace‚ bounce and movement to assist the quicks and head groundsman Bryan Bloy says he is working hard to put together a good test wicket that will hold for five days.
“We are preparing a good wicket that will offer good competition between bat and ball and won’t deteriorate much as the days go by‚” Bloy said as he continued with preparations.
“During the first test in Cape Town‚ from a distance I thought the ball moved around a little but we will do our best to prepare a much better wicket here in Centurion.
“There is no rain forecast and I am hoping that the pitch will be a good one‚ but it will definitely not be a green top.
“The challenge is for the boys to rock up here and do their thing.”
In the first test, where 40 wickets fell in Cape Town‚ the batters initially struggled to find their rhythm as the fast bowlers ran riot and that trend is likely to continue.
Given the expected conditions where fast bowlers are once again going to play an important role‚ it remains to be seen if coach Ottis Gibson and captain Faf du Plessis will be tempted to drop spinner Keshav Maharaj. Maharaj only bowled 10 overs in Cape Town.
Dale Steyn has been ruled out of the match with a heel injury and Lungi Ngidi‚ Duanne Olivier or allrounders Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo may be picked as replacements to join Morne Morkel‚ Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander in a four-pronged pace attack.
Speaking after the first test‚ Philander‚ who was named man-of-the-match‚ said the pitch was not overly aggressive and there were times when it was a little bit flat. “Newlands is a wonderful place,” he said. “I felt there were times when batters could get in and score runs but the theatre and atmosphere around Newlands was just amazing.”
Meanwhile, Indian captain Virat Kohli wants his batsmen to show intent when they come up against South Africa’s fast bowlers.
“You might get out but it’s important to keep coming at the bowler and making them feel, ‘if you make an error I am going to score’.”