Morkel brothers ready to weather the storm in Christchurch
ALBIE MORKEL’S life was very different the last time he was in the New Zealand capital.
Just 22, he was still sharing a digs with AB de Villiers back at the Titans, was wide-eyed on his first international tour, and, of course, was the only member of the Morkel family to play for South Africa at the time.
It was a tough initiation for the all-rounder, with his personal form suffering in the light of the Proteas being hammered 5-1 by the Black Caps in the one-day international series back in 2004.
Eight years on and Morkel is back at the Basin Reserve, the venue of his ODI debut, where South Africa are preparing for their tour opener tomorrow against Canterbury in Christchurch and the first T20 international against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium.
Only this time, Morkel has brought some support in De Villiers, who is now the Proteas limited-overs captain, and his brother Morné to rattle the Kiwis on home soil.
“It was a pretty hard tour, we lost the one-day series heavily,” Albie said yesterday. “But it is a very nice feeling to be back, and we’re getting out of the hotel a bit more and seeing New Zealand a bit more which is nice. We found it very tough, especially weather-wise last time and we need to adapt. But we have a young side, and an exciting captain in AB, and we will see how quickly we can adapt.”
Adaptation to the conditions will be of paramount importance to the Proteas, especially as they start their tour in Christchurch.
South Africa’s management team have chartered a plane that will fly in on the morning of the game, and then out again in the evening because of the earthquake threat in the city.
These measures meant the Proteas have trained in Wellington since Sunday, where the weather has been warm and sunny, but for a slight drizzle that did not stop the team from practising yesterday.
In contrast, Christchurch reached just 14 degrees today, and will only climb one degree with rain forecast for gameday.
While it may be a charity match scheduled to help raise aid for Christchurch’s earthquake victims, South Africa’s generosity may just end there.
Morkel hinted that the Proteas will play their “strongest side” with most likely a reliance on the traditional strength of pace and bounce to unsettle the opposition at the Hagley Oval.
If South Africa do opt for this tactical strategy, the fast bowlers certainly had a solid workout yesterday in the nets, led by the younger Morkel brother, Morné. Albie wasn’t afraid to let a few rip either, getting one to lift sharply from a good length which hit JP Duminy on the helmet.
But like all good sibling rivalries, Morné showed quickly that he is actually the premier fast bowler in the Proteas team in the absence of Dale Steyn, and soon had the legs pumping and the ball whistling past the batsmen on an admittedly spicy greentinged net surface.
‘Yeah, our pace department is a strength with guys like Dale and Morné giving you that edge, but we have to be on top of our game, and need to hit our lines and length,” Albie said before elaborating on brother.
“Looking at the nets, Morné was hitting high speeds and good lengths. He is a real rhythm bowler, and when he finds it, he is a top class bowler. He really is bowling well at the moment.”
South Africa are unlikely to partner Morné with his young Titans teammate Marchant de Lange – a fellow express train – just yet, with the remaining seam-bowling responsibility expected to fall on Warriors trio Wayne Parnell, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Rusty Theron.
There is set to be a first outing for Richard Levi in senior South African colours, with the Cobras opener pencilled in to
his join vice-captain Hashim Amla at the top of the order.
Warriors left-hander Colin Ingram will most likely slot in at No 3, followed by De Villiers, Duminy and Albie Morkel.
The Proteas will wear a specially designed logo on their shirt tomorrow with the distinct “Rise Up Christchurch” logo which has become synonymous with Christchurch.
The match will pay tribute to the anniversary of the devastating February 22 earthquake that the city suffered last year. Likely SA team against Canterbury: Richard Levi, Hashim Amla, Colin Ingram, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Wayne Parnell, Rusty Theron, Morné Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe. Start: 6am, SA time.