Proteas fail to impress with the bat
THE Proteas may have enjoyed an inspirational “culture camp” to get the team back on the rails after damaging series defeats against India and England, but their batting still has a flakiness that needs to be addressed.
The opening day of South Africa’s first “winter Test” was surprisingly entertaining, albeit in front of a tiny crowd of just over 2 000, but the Proteas will regret a number of soft dismissals as most of the top order failed to build on starts against a disciplined but far from formidable New Zealand attack.
A total of 236-8 in largely batsman-friendly conditions is disappointing because the Kingsmead pitch played remarkably well on a sunny day in which 77.4 of the 90 overs were bowled after play started half an hour late because of a damp outfield.
If just one of the top-order batsmen had gone on to compile a century, the Proteas might have been satisfied with a decent day’s work after they won the toss and chose to bat, but Hashim Amla’s splendid 53 was the top score on a day when too many wickets were thrown away.
In fact, only Amla and Stephen Cook could be said to have been dismissed by good balls. The opener fell victim to a fine delivery from Trent Boult that sliced across him, whereas Amla was dismissed by the same bowler with one that cut back into him.
Boult’s first two spells got him 2-18 in 13 overs and were probably the high point of the bowling day. The left-arm paceman gave Dean Elgar a torrid time outside his off stump early on and it was a surprise when the more composed Cook was the first to go.
The edgy Elgar soon followed him, however, driving at Doug Bracewell when the ball wasn’t quite “there”, edging to Martin Guptill at slip.
Amla, who struck 10 flashing boundaries in his delightful half-century, and JP Duminy – promoted to four to maintain the left-right combination – featured in a half-century partnership before Duminy flapped at a short delivery from Neil Wagner and top-edged the ball to long leg.
Duminy’s crime was probably poor execution rather than the wrong shot, although he did drag the ball from some way outside his off stump.
In the afternoon session, the scoring rate ground to a halt, mainly because Faf du Plessis was in Adelaide mode, so determined to keep the opposition out that he seemed unable to rotate the strike.
He and the impressive Temba Bavuma managed just 10 runs during the last 10 overs of the session as the momentum of the innings stumbled.
Shortly after tea, Du Plessis drove Wagner for a pleasing boundary, which suggested he was about to take the handbrake off.
Unfortunately, he then drove at the next ball, full and wide outside his off stump, and thick-edged the ball wide of gully. On most occasions he might have got away with it, but Kane Williamson flung himself to his right to pick up a magnificent catch in his outstretched right hand.
With Bavuma and Quinton de Kock together, the runs began to flow and batting began to look almost easy.
Bavuma’s technique is simple – he either gets right forward or right back – and he played some fine drives, while De Kock simply played his natural game.
Perhaps the talented lefthander has to be treated like England’s Ben Stokes, whereby you accept that he will, on occasion, fall victim to his own free-scoring style, but it was hard not to feel frustrated when the youngster fell yesterday. Having spanked Santner for two consecutive lofted boundaries, De Kock, in trying to make it three on the trot, danced down the pitch and his ugly hoick landed up in the hands of mid-off.
Two balls later, Bavuma was trapped lbw for a solid 46. Vernon Philander then fell needlessly to Wagner, presenting the left-arm paceman with his third wicket.
New Zealand still have to bat themselves, of course, but right now they can congratulate themselves on a good start to their attempt to win their first Test series in South Africa.