India, SA Test red-hot ticket
THERE is time to get your ticket for the Test between the Proteas and India at Newlands, starting today (10.30am), according to Western Province Cricket Association chief executive Nabeal Dien.
The New Year’s Test is one of the hottest events on the Cape Town festive calendar.
Dien said several corporate suites have been available to the public.
“There are 10 to 12 unsold suites at Newlands at this stage. We are hoping to possibly be able to offer those for the Test at a premium rate, especially if public seating (is unavailable),” he added.
With Cape Town in the midst of its worst drought in almost 100 years, Dien said patrons need to observe the city’s water regulations at the ground.
“We urge spectators to be vigilant over water during the game; don’t leave taps unnecessarily open in the toilets,” he said. “There will be notices around, and we have even arranged for a few students to be ‘water police’, ensuring no excessive wastage of the resource.”
THE South African cricket summer has been a bit of dull affair thus far. From the Global T20 postponement through to the lame showing of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, it has almost been as disappointing as a slow burning firecracker.
This is all about to change for it is set to explode today. It is only fitting that Newlands lends its magnificent scenic backdrop for this clash of titans. South Africa, the World’s No 2 ranked Test side, facing up to cricket’s top dogs India in its lions den.
South Africa have only ever suffered Test defeats to Australia at Fortress Newlands post-isolation.
There is an abundance of quality on both sides. But it is the home side who have history on their side. Not only does their Newlands dominance favour them, but they have also not lost a Test series to a subcontinent team on home soil ever. It is not a record that Proteas captain Faf du Plessis wants to surrender under his watch. In South African cricket, Du Plessis is the master of all that he surveys after re-building a Test team that had been sans two of their greatest stars, AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn, for the best part of two years.
It was not always easy with stalwarts like Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel also missing on occasion, while he also had to oversee the loss of form and eventual retirement from Test cricket by his good friend JP Duminy.
But through all this, there was Du Plessis, chewing gum while he was doing it, leading from the front through performance and astute tactical acumen. It all took its toll recently when he was forced to miss the Zimbabwe pink-ball Test after having a shoulder operation during the Bangladesh series, but he is back at the helm and ready to avenge the away defeat to India two years ago.
Crucially, he will be able to launch this attack with all his main men alongside him. De Villiers is back in the frame and hungry for Test cricket, while Steyn is also champing at the bit to make his comeback.
In fact, such is the quality of personnel that the skipper said “this selection is probably one of the hardest that we are going to have to make.”
The biggest conundrum facing Du Plessis and Co. is the make-up of the attack. The brave option would be to unleash all four fast bowlers, which would include Steyn, alongside left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.
It would be a sign of great attacking intent, with the target of blowing away the Indian batsmen on a track that should assist the seamers throughout.
However, this tactic would be risky as it would allow for only six specialist batsmen, with wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock at No 6 and all-rounder Vernon Philander at No 7.
Considering South Africa’s batsmen – bar opener Dean Elgar – did not regularly stack up centuries in 2017 prior to the cannon fodder Bangladesh served up at the beginning of the summer, it would be the gambler’s choice. The more conservative approach has Temba Bavuma batting at No 6, and considering the little man from Langa has a penchant for doing big things in tough situations, it might just be the right way to go. This would though leave South Africa with just three specialist seamers and Maharaj, which has been the policy for the last 18 months.
This scenario would in all likelihood then leave Steyn on the outside.
The toss will be vitally important. It is likely to be one that each captain may prefer to lose, although Du Plessis does enjoy seeing his team front up to the tough situations. He did so with success at Trent Bridge when the ball was seaming around corners, and he may just ask his openers Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram again should he call correct.
It is all set up for some very entertaining cricket. Thank heavens, for everyone has waited long enough ….
SQUADS FOR NEWLANDS
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn.
India: Virat Kohli(c), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Parthiv Patel, Jasprit Bumrah. Start: 10:30am, TV: SS2, Sabc 3, Radio: Sabc Radio2000