Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada were the new faces in the SA squad named yesterday for the Test series against West Indies, while Stiaan van Zyl should at last get the chance to show why he deserves selection.
“We have been very pleased with the way the Test squad has performed in its last three outings in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe,” a Cricket SA release quoted selection convenor Andrew Hudson as saying.
“Part of this has been the result of consistency in the selection process and also establishing a pecking order. Stiaan was the reserve batsman against Zimbabwe (in August) so he is the logical choice to replace (JP) Duminy (who will miss at least the first Test with a knee injury).
“Both Temba and Kagiso have impressed at franchise and SA A level and they are ready to be considered for senior international duty.”
The West Indians are unlikely to make Testing opponents, so the series presents a good opportunity to blood new talent without fear of too much mental bruising. And while David Miller’s supporters will be unhappy that he is not in the mix – justifiably so – and Aaron Phangiso might wonder what he has done wrong, not often do people as conservative as selectors venture this far out of the box.
But what makes Van Zyl, the Cobras’ accomplished number three, more suited to batting at number seven than opening in place of the under-performing Alviro Petersen – who has gone 21 completed Test innings without scoring a century – could spark a long discussion around a braai fire.
Rabada has two T20s of international experience, gained on SA’s recent tour to Australia, to his name. Although he is a long shot to play against the Windies, just having him around a Test dressing-room will be no bad thing.
Bavuma is not having the best of seasons so far, having scored 90 runs – 84 of them in one trip to the crease – in four first-class innings for his franchise, but his 11 first-class innings for SA A have yielded 380 runs at an average of 42.22. He is next in line for a SA top order batting spot. So, another good move.
Romantics, meanwhile, will be stirred by the recall of Robin Peterson, the only specialist spinner selected what with Dane Piedt injured, Imran Tahir dropped and Simon Harmer again ignored despite having taken 11 wickets in two franchise first-class matches this season.
Peterson has played only one Test against the Windies, at the Wanderers in December, 2003. He went wicketless and conceded 94 runs. That, however, is the Test he is most remembered for.
Brian Lara’s name will also not be easily erased from the story of that match. He hammered Peterson for 28 runs in the left-arm spinner’s decidedly unlucky 13th over – the single most expensive over in Test cricket. Until last December, that is, when George Bailey got hold of James Anderson in Perth, also for 28 runs in an over.
SA Test squad: Hashim Amla (capt), Kyle Abbott, Temba Bavuma, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl.
Winds change for Proteas Tests
Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada were the new faces in the SA squad named yesterday for the Test series against West Indies, while Stiaan van Zyl should at last get the chance to show why he deserves selection.
“We have been very pleased with the way the Test squad has performed in its last three outings in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe,” a Cricket SA release quoted selection convenor Andrew Hudson as saying.
“Part of this has been the result of consistency in the selection process and also establishing a pecking order. Stiaan was the reserve batsman against Zimbabwe (in August) so he is the logical choice to replace (JP) Duminy (who will miss at least the first Test with a knee injury).
“Both Temba and Kagiso have impressed at franchise and SA A level and they are ready to be considered for senior international duty.”
The West Indians are unlikely to make Testing opponents, so the series presents a good opportunity to blood new talent without fear of too much mental bruising. And while David Miller’s supporters will be unhappy that he is not in the mix – justifiably so – and Aaron Phangiso might wonder what he has done wrong, not often do people as conservative as selectors venture this far out of the box.
But what makes Van Zyl, the Cobras’ accomplished number three, more suited to batting at number seven than opening in place of the under-performing Alviro Petersen – who has gone 21 completed Test innings without scoring a century – could spark a long discussion around a braai fire.
Rabada has two T20s of international experience, gained on SA’s recent tour to Australia, to his name. Although he is a long shot to play against the Windies, just having him around a Test dressing-room will be no bad thing.
Bavuma is not having the best of seasons so far, having scored 90 runs – 84 of them in one trip to the crease – in four first-class innings for his franchise, but his 11 first-class innings for SA A have yielded 380 runs at an average of 42.22. He is next in line for a SA top order batting spot. So, another good move.
Romantics, meanwhile, will be stirred by the recall of Robin Peterson, the only specialist spinner selected what with Dane Piedt injured, Imran Tahir dropped and Simon Harmer again ignored despite having taken 11 wickets in two franchise first-class matches this season.
Peterson has played only one Test against the Windies, at the Wanderers in December, 2003. He went wicketless and conceded 94 runs. That, however, is the Test he is most remembered for.
Brian Lara’s name will also not be easily erased from the story of that match. He hammered Peterson for 28 runs in the left-arm spinner’s decidedly unlucky 13th over – the single most expensive over in Test cricket. Until last December, that is, when George Bailey got hold of James Anderson in Perth, also for 28 runs in an over.
SA Test squad: Hashim Amla (capt), Kyle Abbott, Temba Bavuma, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl.
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