Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Bavuma and Harmer heroes for Proteas
stuart.hess@inl.co.za
DAY 2 OF 5: South Africa 367 Bangladesh 98/4
Nineteen times Temba Bavuma has passed 50. On seven of those occasions he’s been out before reaching 60, there’ve been three scores in the 60s, five in the 70s, one score of 89, two in the 90s and just once has he reached a three figure score.
That lack of hundreds is often used to bash Bavuma. After 50 Tests as a middle order batter that is not a good enough return. But there are a number of innings amongst those 18 times he went past 50 and didn’t reach a hundred, which were of greater value to the Proteas than many other hundreds made for the national team.
There was a first innings 51 in Perth in 2016 that helped the team reach 242 – SA won that match.
The 89 came in Wellington, with Bavuma arriving at the crease on 79/5, and he helped them reach 359 – SA won that match.
Or Hobart, also on that 2016 tour, when the Proteas were in danger of not taking advantage of bowling Australia out for 85, and had slumped to 76/4 when Bavuma started batting. He scored 74 in a first innings total of 326 – SA won that match (and the series).
While Bavuma’s hundred against England at Newlands is understandably celebrated for its social impact, he’s batted better for the Proteas on several other occasions making scores of greater value to the team.
Bavuma’s reaction after Mehidy Hasan got one to grip and spin, with the ball deflecting off the batter’s pad onto the leg-stump, spoke to his anguish. None of the millions of his compatriots willing him to a hundred yesterday, wanted it more than Bavuma.
His 93 was an innings of elegant stroke play. Again it was an innings of enormous value.
He arrived at the crease when the Proteas’ opening batters were dismissed within five balls of each other; Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder fell to consecutive deliveries from Khaled Ahmed and were it not for Bavuma, the home team would not have reached 300.
His average in his last eight Tests is 52.36, a period in which he’s made four 50s including yesterday’s effort.
South Africa’s other hero on the second day was Simon Harmer, who is playing in his first Test in six and a half years. Having flirted with selection for England during his Kolpak stint with Essex, he was able to return once that trade avenue was made defunct by ‘Brexit’.
Harmer had already added 38 not out with the bat, sharing partnerships of 34 for the ninth wicket with Lizaad Williams and then 35 for the tenth with Duanne Olivier, before he got stuck into a lengthy spell of bowling.
The off-spinner got all four wickets, using flight and changes of pace to keep the Bangladeshis tied down and then as a result of that pressure picking up the wickets.
There was help from Keegan Petersen who took an outstanding catch to dismiss the touring side’s captain Mominul Haque as Harmer finished with 4/42 from 20 overs.