Pumped-up Proteas

But Van Zyl, Steyn still a concern

THE South African team sense that the impetus in their four-Test series against England is with them following the comeback in the drawn second match at Newlands, and the selectors have backed the players by naming an unchanged squad for the final two matches of the series.

Even the seismic decision by Hashim Amla to step down as captain midway through the series is being viewed in most quarters as a positive step that may in fact assist the home side in winning the series on the Highveld in the next fortnight.

Alastair Cook’s team lead 1-0 after winning the first Test by 241 runs in Durban.

While South Africa have quite rightly accentuated the positives following the side’s performance at Newlands, there remain areas of concern for new captain AB de Villiers and coach Russell Domingo ahead of the Wanderers clash starting on Thursday.

Opener Stiaan van Zyl has yet to make an impression at the top of the order, while doubts remain over Dale Steyn’s fitness.

It is perplexing that the selectors chose not to wait to assess some of the other opening candidates currently involved in the Sunfoil Series, including the Cape Cobras’ Andrew Puttick and, of course, the Highveld Lions’ Stephen Cook.

Van Zyl has struggled alongside Dean Elgar, which has increased the strain on the middle order, which, until Newlands, had struggled in the last 12 months.

Van Zyl’s highest score in his last 10 innings is 36, which came in the second innings of the Mohali Test against India when he was dropped down the order to No 6, a position in which he is far more familiar.

The Wanderers is, of course, a dif- ficult place to open the batting, although in the last two Sunfoil Series matches there, Stephen Cook and Imraan Khan have notched up centuries, while Rassie van der Dussen narrowly missed out on a three-figure score against the Dolphins, and the Warriors’ Colin Ackermann made 89 at the end of December.

However, all of those players are experienced, genuine opening batsmen – something Van Zyl is not – and as much as there is a more positive feel around the South African camp at the moment, Van Zyl needs to provide better support for Elgar if the hosts are to put England under pressure at the Bullring. Steyn was said by the team’s management to be “50-50” to start the third Test, but his inclusion in the squad suggests they are hopeful of having him ready.

The concern there, however, is that Steyn has developed an unfortunate habit of breaking down during matches recently and has in fact missed four of South Africa’s last six Tests, while in the other two he couldn’t contribute in the second innings owing to injury.

With the series on the line, however, it may be a risk worth taking, though that risk would have to be weighed against the short turnaround between the third and fourth Tests, with the final match of the series at Centurion starting just four days after the Wanderers match is scheduled to end.

Meanwhile, the selectors yesterday also named a 14-man squad for the fivematch One-Day International series against England that contains just one front-line spinner in Imran Tahir.

That meant no place for Aaron Phangiso, whose axing is understandable given local conditions and the fact that JP Duminy can also provide spin.

Rilee Rossouw is back in the squad after missing the series in India.

The first ODI will be played in Bloemfontein on February 3.