It’s winner takes all at Centurion
FAF du Plessis shed his cloak of anonymity this week by demanding that world cricket’s authorities do a better job of structuring the international calender with an emphasis on better context for Test cricket.
With the first of the two Tests against New Zealand rained out, the second match of the series is effectively a shootout, something that doesn’t sit comfortably in the South African camp. It has highlighted for them once again the inadequate manner in which the International Cricket Council structures the international calender.
Du Plessis, who is acting as stand-in skipper for the injured AB de Villiers, who himself has expressed concerns about the international calender, said he was worried that the ICC was not listening to the players.
“When we do those anonymous (surveys) about the international schedule and how much you play, the general thing is that Test cricket is still No 1 for international players,” he said.
“Creating an environment where we play one-dayers that mean something is obviously a challenge for them. They’re talking about the Test championship again and that is a step in the right direction, but obviously you need to play as many Tests as possible.”
A two-Test series, as South Africa are engaged in with New Zealand, was insufficient said Du Plessis.
“With the current schedule, five-Test series will be very hard to do in the future.
“Personally, I prefer three or four Tests (in a series). I feel like when you play two Tests in a series, you’re just getting going and then the series finishes. Three and four should be what the ICC must look at. Two is just too short, and in the case of this one especially so, because we’ve had one game rained out.”
South Africa’s lack of Test cricket has affected their ranking in the past year and they have slipped from first to seventh. To climb the table, they need to play – and win – more. Du Plessis compared South Africa’s schedule with that of India, who will play 15 Tests at home during the next 12 months.
After this match against the Kiwis, South Africa’s next Test assignment is in Australia. There are also trips to New Zealand and England in the next year. The only domestic series will be three matches against Sri Lanka over December and January.
“We don’t play a lot of Test cricket. There are always big breaks between series. In the space our team is in now, we want to play as much Test cricket as possible.”
Quite what that team will look like when play starts this morning at Centurion, Du Plessis could not say. The lack of knowledge about the pitch, especially how it will play at a time of the year when cricket is not normally played, has left the home side with a lot of questions.
“We’re looking at different combinations, whether that is playing an all-rounder, an extra seamer or an all-seam attack with no spinner,” said Du Plessis.
He described the surface as feeling soft and moist, and suggested that it would be slow. That may change over the course of five days, with unusually warm temperatures being forecast.
“We’re not sure if (the pitch) will break up, so there’s that risk if you win the toss – are batting conditions going to be harder first, or when the pitch goes a bit up and down on the fifth day?”
New Zealand, too, were going to leave decisions about the make-up of their starting XI until last night. Kane Williamson, however, indicated that thoughts in the touring team’s camp were not as complicated as the Proteas’ seem to be.
“The balance (of our side) will remain similar,” Williamson said.
“Just with the sun around, we may look at including that extra spinner.”