Shamsi spin can be the difference for Proteas
HE MAY have only just made his debut, but wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi is a force to be reckoned with in the international game, according to South Africa team-mate Farhaan Behardien.
Shamsi, 26, is set to face Australia for the second time on Saturday after impressing firsttime around, with his figures of 1-36 from eight overs underselling the difficulties he caused the Aussie batsman.
And Behardien, who’s watched Shamsi spin for domestic outfit Titans, believes the chinaman bowler has an air of mystery that can make him stand out.
“He brings new energy to the group. He made his debut against the world champions so we had chucked him in the deep end straightaway,” he said.
“We’ve seen wrist spinners coming to the fore in the shorter formats – Adam Zampa is one and a lot of the IPL teams have one or two wrist spinners who turn the ball both ways.
“I think that’s the key going forward – to try and get some back-up for Imran Tahir. And we need somebody to be groomed by him.
“Shamsi offers a left-arm chinaman in the mould of Brad Hogg, bit of fire in his belly, always up for the game, always keen to put a performance in. It’s gold dust to have a guy who turns the ball both ways.”
Behardien himself starred in the 47-run victory, scoring 62 in a low-scorer as Australia crumbled to 142 all out, despite Aaron Finch’s 72.
But with the tri-series, which also features West Indies, heading to more batting-friendly pitches in Barbados and St Kitts, Behardien anticipates a tougher challenge for Shamsi.
It’s a theory Australian captain Steve Smith is particularly hope- ful of, calling on his batsmen to respond from the disappointing Providence display.
The captain himself has had a poor time of it of late, making just 14 across two innings.
Even Finch, despite his half-century, struggled with conditions, a factor Smith is desperate for his side to improve on, starting on Sunday.
“We didn’t adapt well enough with the bat,” he said.“Behardien played a good innings, got them to 180, which was par.
“We’ve got to be better, we have to play better on wickets like these. We have to keep improving throughout the tournament, there are a couple of tough games ahead of us.”
In spite of Smith’s lean score, Australia prevailed against the hosts in their opener as Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell spun out seven wickets to bowl West Indies out for 116.
David Warner led the chase in a bonus-point win, putting Smith’s side second in the table after their defeat to South Africa gave the Proteas an extra point of their own.
But ahead of their second clash on Saturday, they sit just one point clear of the West Indies, who ripped through South Africa in the opener. Sunil Narine finished with 6-47 and Kieron Pollard struck an unbeaten 67 and the two sides face each other again on Monday.