Character test ahead for Proteas

SOUTH African captain Faf du Plessis has urged the Proteas to pass a huge test of character when they face England again at Trent Bridge today.

Du Plessis did not play in England’s crushing 211-run win in the first of a four-test series at Lord’s last week after the birth of his first child.

But he was on hand to see South Africa lose 10 wickets in under two sessions as they slumped to 119 all out in their second innings with more than a day to spare.

“I had the baby with one arm and watched the cricket with one eye,” Du Plessis said at Trent Bridge yesterday – his 33rd birthday.

“I saw a lot interesting things from the side which is probably a bit of outside perspective. You don’t always get that,” he said as he took back the reins from stand-in skipper Dean Elgar.

“I’m really excited to be back with the team. It was tough going for us, the previous one.

“We weren’t as good as we would have liked to be, but in cricket you get another go and we’re looking forward to this next test.” South Africa have a proud away test record. In their past 19 series spanning some 10 years on the road, they have won 13, drawn five and lost just one – in India in 2015-16.

But they did not help themselves at Lord’s by twice taking wickets with no-balls and missing several chances to dismiss Joe Root before he marked his first innings as England captain with a brilliant 190.

“It’s basics for me. There’s no point looking too much further as you can over-analyse,” Du Plessis said.

South Africa did manage to reduce England to 76 for four on the first morning at Lord’s before the hosts fought back, aided by some slack Proteas fielding.

“There were times that England found themselves under pressure – the disappointing thing was just how quickly they got out of it,” Du Plessis said.

“Eighty for four could have quickly been a different story but we didn’t take our chances.

“Catches go down, but it’s how you respond to them and we didn’t do that well enough.

“When they threw a punch back at us we just sat back and let it happen, expecting something to change and it never did and that is where we let the game slip.”

South Africa’s task this match has been made harder by the fact that pace bowler Kagiso Rabada has been ruled out after being hit with a one-match ban as a result of swearing at England’s Ben Stokes at Lord’s, while Proteas coach Russell Domingo is back home following the death of his mother from injuries suffered in a recent car accident.

While acknowledging Trent Bridge’s reputation as a swing-friendly ground, Du Plessis said it was important his side played what was in front of them at Nottinghamshire’s headquarters.

“We know the ball is conducive to the swing and seam bowlers, but we have a quality attack,” he insisted.

“I’ve never been a guy to get too focused on past results.

“It’s about getting out there, seeing what the pitch offers and how you react.”