Proteas’ brittle batters will feel the heat in Down Under Tests

Theunis de Bruyn of the Proteas during the South African national cricket team training session at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 9 January, 2019. (Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

15 Nov 2022

South Africa boasts a Test bowling arsenal to rival the best in cricket. But the batting unit will have to step up if they hope to compete with Australia next month.

The Proteas will look to put their disappointing T20 World Cup campaign behind them when they face up to Australia in a three-match Test series in the same country next month.

On paper, it’s a battle between the No 1 and No 2 ranked sides on the World Test Championship (WTC) standings — which implies two sides of similar strength.

But in reality, Australia has been a level above any other Test-playing nation since the start of this season’s WTC.

They have only lost one of their 10 matches in the cycle, humbling innings and 39-run defeat to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in July.

Besides that blemish, they are undefeated with three draws and six wins.

The Aussies have all their bases covered. Each batter in their top four has a career average over 45 with Steve Smith averaging a remarkable 60.

On the contrary, the Proteas have won six of their 10 matches in the WTC and lost four. With none of their batters averaging more than 40 in their Test careers.

And it’s not going to be any easier to improve on those statistics when they face a varied, dangerous Australian attack on the lively Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney cricket grounds.

“We need to be cognisant of where we are on the log. It’s going to be a tough series in Australia, it’s never easy to beat them there. We need to make sure we have a good series there to give ourselves the chance to get on top of that log going forward next July [when the WTC final will be played],” said Cricket South Africa’s convenor of selectors, Victor Mpitsang.

Bowling threat

Mitchell Starc’s swinging, high-pace, left-arm deliveries have been a struggle to face for some of the best batters in a generation.

Paired with the relentless accuracy and extra bounce of Josh Hazlewood as well as the consistent high-pace and naggy lengths of skipper Pat Cummins, it makes the Australian attack one of the best in the world.

They also boast a consistent off-spinner nearing 450 Test wickets in Nathan Lyon.

Australia also have the option of 23-year-old all-rounder Cameron Green who averages 36.1 with the bat and 32.1 with the ball. Extremely respectable numbers for a player so young in their Test career.

The Proteas’ batters clearly have their work cut out for them in the heat of the Australian summer.

Things won’t be made any easier for the Proteas with Keegan Petersen — South Africa’s second-highest run-scorer of the year — ruled out of the tour with a torn hamstring.

The Proteas selectors also opted to drop Aiden Markram — who averages 15.5 this year — for the tour to Australia. However, they have not lost faith in the enigmatic batter.

Aiden Markram, batters Aiden Markram of South Africa batting during the 3rd Royal London Series One Day International at Headingley on 24 July, 2022 in Leeds, England. (Photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

“I’m a believer that Aiden is one of those in the group that we have that could easily play 100 Test matches but he is going through a dip,” Proteas interim coach Malibongwe Maketa said on Monday.

“The decision has been made to give him a break at international level but it doesn’t close the door in terms of the quality that he has and I’ve got no doubt that he’ll go to provincial cricket and score the runs and again push for a spot when the opportunity arises.

“Aiden has done it already. He was left out and he went to franchise cricket and he got tons of runs and he pushed his way back into the team.

“That mental break sometimes helps you. To have your blueprint dismantled and to go back and say ‘what is my method of scoring runs’ go back to it and find it more away from the glare of international cricket and then come back with a different confidence after you’ve scored all those runs. I have no doubt that will be his route back into the game.”

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Leading from the front

Captain and vice-captain of the Test side Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma are expected to carry most of the weight of expectations of runs on tour.

They are the most experienced batters in a batting lineup that remains largely inexperienced at this level.

Bavuma’s best position, statistically, is No 5 — where he averages 41.7 — but with the absence of Petersen, he might be pushed into the No 3 role.

“Going forward, I’d like to think there would be a little bit more consistency so the guys are clear mentally on where they fit in. [But] now there’s no No 3 and we have to go speak to certain guys to go and fulfil that job,” Maketa said about finding a replacement for Petersen.

Bavuma is the only South African batter to average 40 in the last two years. His ability to stabilise the middle order will likely prove extremely important in hostile Australian conditions.

While Elgar — who is South Africa’s leading run scorer in the last 12 months — will be responsible for ensuring there are no early collapses on the tricky Australian surfaces.

“We need to make sure we put runs on the board. If your top five, top six don’t do that, you’re putting everyone else under pressure,” said Mpitsang.

“We need to start up there. Once we put the runs on the board, we know we have a bowling attack that can put any team under pressure. So, it’s important that the top six fire.”

Seven batters?

Titans middle-order batter Theunis de Bruyn has also been recalled to the squad after three years of plying his trade in the domestic circuit since his last Test match.

“In terms of experience that we were looking for, he’s the one person that ticked that box. The other ones are unfortunately injured. Having worked with Theunis before, I know his mental strength and what he’s done to say ‘I’m back, I’m ready to give it another go at Test level’. It was really a no-brainer to have him back in the group,” said Maketa.

He boasts a healthy first-class average of 41.8 but interestingly, he does bowl medium-pace. The Proteas selectors are toying with the idea of going with seven batters and four bowlers — a tactic they employed successfully in Australia in the past.

Theunis de Bruyn, batters Theunis de Bruyn of the Proteas during the South African national cricket team training session at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 9 January, 2019. (Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

This will give the side some extra leeway in a batting lineup that has been struggling in recent years.

“The conditions will guide us [on selection]. We’ve done really well with seven batters and then push our quality of seamers and Keshav [Maharaj] to entrust them to take the 20 wickets. It’s something that’s definitely in the back of my mind, looking at past successes in Australia,” said Maketa.

De Bruyn’s rudimentary medium-pace bowling could be the factor that sways the selectors’ hands.

Finding runs

Khaya Zondo, who made his debut earlier this year, is also in the squad. He’s played two innings in Test cricket and while he looked good for his 39 in the first innings of the final Test match against England this year, he has not set the international scene alight in his limited opportunities.

Wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne has been on a slippery slope in Test cricket with his batting. Although he has scored 365 runs at a decent average of 30.4 this year, those statistics are highly inflated with his 136 not-out against New Zealand in February.

His highest score in South Africa’s recent tour to England was 21 in five innings.

Opener Sarel Erwee has had a solid start to his international career. He only averages 28.2 in Test cricket but has shown he has the temperament and technique to score runs at this level. He is 33 years old, however, and the selectors will want more from him than pretty runs.

Rassie van der Dussen is also expected to slot straight back into the middle order after missing the final Test match against England, due to a broken finger. Van Der Dussen has had poor returns with the red ball this year, unable to cross the half-century mark in 11 attempts.

The Proteas’ batting lineup has the potential to score big runs; each batter has shown that in glimpses. However, only Elgar and Bavuma have proven to be able to do it on a consistent basis.

South Africa will thus need their two leaders to stand up and be counted in tough Australian conditions and hopefully, the rest of the batters follow promptly in their steps. DM

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Leading from the front

Seven batters?

Finding runs