THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS
PACE: PROTEAS LOOK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ‘JUICY’ PITCH AGAINST KIWIS
South Africa’s quicks might be too hot too handle, Elgar warns Black Caps ahead of first Test.
The Proteas are backing their pace attack to snap New Zealand’s unbeaten run at Dunedin’s University Oval when the first Test starts at midnight tonight (SA time).
After surveying a typically green New Zealand wicket and learning the Black Caps have won three, drawn four and lost none of the seven Tests on the ground, opener Dean Elgar said yesterday: “It’s something for us to try and correct.”
“It looks a bit juicy,” he added of the wicket, warning that South African quicks Vern Philander and Morne Morkel were likely to be a handful.
Philander has 32 Test wickets against New Zealand at 15.53, and Elgar expects he will again be a central figure.
“I’m glad he’s on my side and I don’t have to face him with a new ball,” Elgar said, while adding of Morkel: “I’m glad I just have to face him in the nets.”
Morkel has played little cricket since suffering a back injury four months ago and in the absence of the injured Dale Steyn will fight with Duanne Olivier for a berth to feature alongside Philander and the impressive Kagiso Rabada.
South Africa go into the Test series on the back of beating New Zealand 3-2 in the recent one-day international series, where Rabada topped their bowling figures.
New Zealand coach Mike Hesson believes his batsmen will need “real courage and skill” to handle Rabada, who bowls at speeds of more than 140km/h.
“He has an easy action, so he can sustain that for long spells. He has a quick bumper and he can swing it. It’s a pretty good package,” Hesson said.
“They’ve got a number of different options whether they want bounce or seam and obviously Vernon Philander in New Zealand conditions has been exceptional, he’ll be a big challenge for us as well.”
There is a look of fragility in the Kiwis’ batting line-up, with opener Tom Latham having a horror run in the three ODIs he played against South Africa and Henry Nicholls struggling at No 5 from a 53 and 98 against Bangladesh in January.
Hesson said there was pressure on the whole side.
“Our record against South Africa, and anyone’s record against South Africa in the last four or five years, suggests it is going to be very tough, and we’re expecting that.”