Proteas get down to work after festivities

SOUTHAfrica still haven’t had a chance to have a look at the M Chinaswammy Stadium wicket, due to persistent drizzle in the city of Bangalore.

Last night, the players made themselves more familiar to the local conditions by stopping in at the Hard Rock Café. It is almost compulsory for touring sides to stop in at the karaoke bar, and the already festive venue was happy to have them.

With Diwali celebrations going off all over the city as well, being out and about in Bangalore last night was an experience for the senses, and a memory for the heart. Today, weather permitting, the Proteas will put on their game face, and get to work.

“We don’t know what conditions we will get here, because there has been a bit of rain around,” paceman Vernon Philander, said yesterday.

Even as he said it, Philander was looking out hopefully to the Bangalore sky, looking for some respite. In a way, the moist weather should force the curator to produce a slightly more sporting wicket. And yet, even with all the wetness about, Philander says they will not be surprised to still find little or no grass to work with.

“There will probably be a little more, which we hope for as seamers.

“But this is India, so we would never look for too much (from the wicket). I’m sure they will still find a way to shave it,” he winced.

Philander also noted that there were still three days (yesterday) between then and the start of the second Test here. As things transpired in Mohali, an entire match played out in that period.

“I thought we managed to stay in the game for a long time, and competed,” Philander reflected.

The Cape Cobras star said that, even in defeat, the Proteas had taken a lot out of the Mohali experience, and they were looking forward to taking that into the crucial, second Test.

“We did get a lot out of the game, and we are hoping to take that and apply it to this game.”

The Proteas’ new-ball operator, who went into the first Test with some questions about his role in the side, was a source of accuracy and pressure, and is happy to carry on in that vein.

“It is part of learning here in the subcontinent. Sometimes, part of your job is keeping it tight, because you know the spinners are going to play a bigger role here. So, you have to allow the spinner the right to strike almost, and look to keep things tight.”

Philander also had to lead an attack that was light on experience, as he lost his newball partner Dale Steyn midway through the match.

“He was a big loss, not just with the new ball, but also in the middle with his reverse swing. But I thought that those of us who did bowl’; myself, KG (Kagiso Rabada) and obviously the spinners, I thought we did a pretty good job.”

Philander said opening the bowling with a spinner on the other was new, but also something that comes as part of the sub-continent package.

“It’s a part of playing here on the sub-continent. We have to adapt to it, and then you have to know what you have on the other side as a bowler, too. At the end of the day, our job is tro try and find a way to take 20 wickets in each match,” he pointed out.

Already 1-0 down in the series, they will go into the Bangalore match under the same obligation.

There is just one goal…20 wickets.