What Lies Ahead For the Proteas

Once again the Proteas have come out of the April cut-off in first place of the ICC rankings in Test cricket. Both the Proteas Test squad and Proteas management staff had put in countless hours in making sure the players were well-equipped and fit to perform in literally each day of each Test match.

 

Although the Proteas Test squad had merely been the same starting XI for two consecutive seasons, a lot of interruptions have come about the Proteas camp of late. The much more recent interruptions were the two injuries that had Proteas coach and convenor of selectors, Gary Kirsten and Andrew Hudson respectively, in array of headaches and stresses. In just one season, we all witnessed legendary Wicket-keeper Mark Boucher being forced into retirement a series before his expected time to retire. It was the tragic freak-injury where a cricket bail cut Boucher’s eyeball socket off an Imran Tahir wicket-taking delivery in a warm-up game against Somerset. We also witnessed JP Duminy, who was beginning to show glimpse of maturity in Test cricket, injure his Achilles Tendor in a warm-down session in the first Test match against Australia in Perth.

Just these two injuries had set alight some huge debates within the South African cricketing nation. In Boucher’s case, a simple replacement of another wicket-keeper was the assumption, especially when Highveld Lions wicket-keeper Thami Tsolekile had already been granted a Cricket South Africa (CSA) contract before the tour to England. But the fairy tale story of Tsolekile’s comeback return into Test cricket was not to be when vice-captain AB de Villiers decided, along with both Kirsten and Hudson, that it would it best for the equilibrium of the Test team to take over the glove duties from Boucher. At this point in time AB de Villiers had already taken over the wicket-keeping duties from Boucher in T20 and ODI cricket for the Proteas making him also potentially eligible to take over with glove duties in Test cricket as well.

In Duminy’s injury scenario, Nashua Titans all-rounder Fanscois du Plessis was rewarded a Test debut for his remarkable performance in the domestic Sunfoil Series. Du Plessis immediately showed his worth, scoring a match saving 110* off 376 balls to see the Proteas securing a much needed draw in the second Test match against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Thinking of these two situations in a positive manner, the Proteas now have a much stronger squad with the inclusion of both du Plessis and Elgar into the foil. Alas with this is all said, let's not forget the sterling bowling performance from Kyle Abbott on his Test debut against Pakistan in Centurion, taking 7/29 in just 11 overs. All the Proteas’ new caps in the past season have shown determination to step up to the table when desperately needed to make miracles with both bat and ball. However the downfall of it all could be that a player like Elgar could end up being side-lined for a very long time once Duminy comes back from his Achilles injury. Duminy himself sat out for quite a long period of time before being granted the chance of batting at number seven in Test cricket. The same scenario could be the outcome for Abbott if Marchant de Lange finally gets fully fit during the winter period.

It shall all exciting to witness what shall happen next in the upcoming season when the Proteas once again collide against the sub-continent powerhouses of Pakistan in Dubai and India in the latter end of the year in South Africa. With so much talent Kirsten has in his disposal and a few other cricketers in domestic cricket fiercely knocking hard on the Proteas door –all shall be bitter-sweet dreams for the national head coach and his coaching staff entourage.

-Mandilulame Manjezi

www.jizzyjakes.blogspot.com

@JizzyJakesTheIN