DU PLESSIS IN TEST WARNING TO WESTLEY

SOUTH AFRICA skipper Faf du Plessis has warned new England No.3 Tom Westley his warm-up ton counts for nothing in the white-hot Test match arena. Westley racked up 106 not out for the Lions earlier this month against a South Africa attack containing all the bowlers he will face at the Oval bar Vernon Philander. But Du Plessis (left), who missed that match, showed little concern for the batsman who has averaged 57 from No.3 for Essex over the past two summers.

“I don’t know anything about Tom Westley,” said Du Plessis.

“Well done to him for getting a 100, but I can promise you the intensity of a warm-up game versus a Test match is something else.

“He will play against a different attack at the Oval.

“We have got our analysis so we will go through his strengths and weaknesses. It is about having a look at the conditions and what the players are like on the field, making those decisions almost as you see them.”

Du Plessis made a series of excellent decisions in the Trent Bridge win and the subsequent criticism of England reminded him of the same impact a win had over Australia in the winter.

He added. “After the first game in Australia when we beat them, there was quite a bit of press against their team and we stepped our game up even more.

“After that it was a free for all, and you could see the Australian team were feeling a bit of pressure. We will certainly try and make use of pressure wherever we can.”