Faf praises his bowlers
DISCIPLINED: PROTEAS’ ATTACK GAVE VERY LITTLE AWAY IN 107-RUN VICTORY
Proteas spearhead Kagiso Rabada wrapped up an impressive, morale-boosting 107-run win over England in the first Test at Centurion yesterday with three wickets with the second new ball, but it was Anrich Nortje and spinner Keshav Maharaj who removed the meat of the tourists’ innings, leading South African captain Faf du Plessis to afterwards praise an “exceptional” all-round bowling effort.
England began the fourth day on 121/1, in search of 376 for victory on a pitch that was still playing well for batsmen, but were eventually bowled out for 268 just minutes into what would have been the tea break. Rabada, who beat the bat numerous times in the afternoon, finished with 4/103, but Nortje, with career-best figures of 17-4-56-3, provided exhilarating and fiery back-up as he removed threatening England captain Joe Root for 48, while Maharaj took 2/37 in 16 overs, including the key wicket of Ben Stokes (14).
Dwaine Pretorius chipped in with the wicket of Joe Denly (31) and he and first-innings hero Vernon Philander kept the pressure on England with miserly combined figures of 36 overs for 61 runs.
“The skill we showed today was remarkable and consistent and the bowling unit was exceptional, they all put their hands up. The last two days were the best for batting because there was not much sun and the pitch wasn’t dry. If it had been warm and dry, then the wicket would have been much more up-and-down. KG and Vern are our superstars, but you take a lot more from a win when everyone contributes.
“Anrich’s control impressed me, he was very good and has really put his hand up with a few spots opening up, he bowled so well to Jofra Archer as well. With the proper all-rounder it’s also so much easer to control things in the field, it’s very important in South Africa to have someone who can bowl 10-15 overs and score runs, and Dwaine was brilliant this game, going for 1.52 per over which is exactly what we need. And we have a lot of confidence in Keshav, we felt he would get Stokes out in the second innings, it was a gut feeling and a massive wicket because he has proven he can win a game on his own,” Du Plessis said after the Proteas began a new era in tremendous fashion.
Du Plessis admitted that the Proteas still needed more runs from their top-order, but a typically brilliant counter-attacking 95 from Quinton de Kock in the first innings, as well as useful runs from the lower-order in both innings, were major factors in new coach Mark Boucher getting off to a winning start.
“As a top-order, we need to score the bulk of the runs, but the way Quinny played made up for that. That’s why he’s so good, there are very few batsmen in world cricket who can transfer the pressure like that and he’s been so good at six or seven for this team. There’s also been a lot of work done with the lower-order so that they are not scared of the pace and get into good positions.
“We are a team of fighters and after a tough season – it’s been a while since our last victory – we knew we had to put in a good performance. And I felt we did,” Du Plessis said.