Ken Borland

The first Test between South Africa and Pakistan is being played in Karachi and, given its location in the middle of the subcontinent, the Proteas being bowled out for just 220 probably shouldn’t be too much of a surprise – in their last 21 innings in Asia, only one has ended in a total above 300.

However, given that this was the first day of the Test and the pitch wasn’t offering excessive turn, plus the fact that the Proteas were 94 for two after 26 overs at lunch, having won the toss and batted, the afternoon collapse was a bit of a shocker.

From 108 for two, South Africa crashed to 136 for five, before Temba Bavuma (17) and George Linde (35) provided some stability with a 43-run stand. That promising partnership was ended by Bavuma being run out, as was an unusually brisk start by Rassie van der Dussen, who was also run out for 17. They were the most unnecessary of the dismissals but there were several others that were soft.

It smacked of the South African batsmen getting ahead of themselves and pushing too hard, an assessment opener Dean Elgar, who top-scored with 58, agreed with.

“You can get caught trying to balance intensity with what’s happening on the scoreboard, but we were going at more than 3.5 runs-per-over at lunch. You want to maintain that because then you’ll have a good day with the bat, but you’ve got to earn your right to do that. We did it before lunch, but then you have to start again and earn the right again.

“You have to create that platform for yourselves again, give yourself another 10-15 overs after the break. Instead we lost quick wickets. You have to trust your game, but sometimes you have to go more defensive, trust your defence, and then you can be more aggressive. It’s a balancing act, you can’t get caught in your own bubble and we definitely had that after lunch when the pitch got slower,” Elgar said after close of play.

Kagiso Rabada won a battle with seamer Hasan Ali as he hammered three fours and a six in his 21 not out that lifted South Africa past 200, and the adrenalin from that impressive cameo provided the avenue for the fast bowling spearhead to produce a superbly intense burst with the new ball.

Rabada removed both openers – debutant Imran Butt (9) and Abid Ali (4) – and his first three overs were maidens as he set the tone with his spell of 6-3-8-2.

Anrich Nortje also bowled with express pace to take one for 20 and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj then slid his third delivery into the front pad of Babar Azam, trapping Pakistan’s key batsman lbw for 7.

It meant Pakistan were heading for an even worse first-innings score than South Africa as they reached stumps on 33 for four.

Providing the bowlers continue down the same road, South Africa’s avenue to success in this first Test will be to put up a much better batting performance in their second innings.

Coach Mark Boucher said on Monday that he is on a crusade to change the mindset of South African cricket which is why the Proteas could well field three frontline spinners – Keshav Maharaj from KZN, Tabraiz Shamsi from northern Gauteng and George Linde from the Cape – in the first Test against Pakistan on Tuesday.

With Pakistan understandably going the dry and slow route in terms of the Karachi pitch, South Africa playing two spinners might have surprised a few people. For the Proteas’ attack to comprise three spinners and just two pacemen would be considered downright outrageous by many people used to “the South African way” of doing things.

But Boucher firmly believes that is their best chance of taking 20 wickets and, just like he was as a player, he wants the current Proteas to be bold.

“The weather is a lot cooler than normal on the sub-continent and there’s a lush green outfield. So conditions are completely different to in the past. In South Africa, colder weather means the pitch is a lot slower and with a quite moist outfield, I don’t know how big a weapon reverse-swing is going to be. But the pitch is really bare and there will definitely be turn.

“We are definitely not scared to go out and try something different. If you want to win away from home, you have to make brave calls. We’re not going to die wondering, you don’t want to go 1-0 down in a two-match series and then regret not playing the extra spinner.

“We’ve spoken about our mentality and the South African mindset has always been to revert back to seam. But I’ve said to the team I don’t want them to be scared of trying different options, if it looks like it’s going to turn then we must make good cricket calls. I’ve encouraged an open mindset instead of just going back to the norm,” Boucher said in a press conference on Monday.

Boucher later told The Citizen that Linde, who scored 37 and 27 and took four for 133 in his only previous Test, against India in Ranchi in October 2019, is likely to get the nod.

“We will make a call on the all-rounder – whether it’s a seam bowler or a spinner – and there’s a very big possibility that we will go with two seamers and three spinners, if it’s really going to turn. George showed before he can bat in sub-continent conditions and he’s been in good form with the bat for the Cape Cobras. Wiaan Mulder played really well in South African conditions, but it’s about who will create more opportunities, who can dry up an end in these conditions? And having George, Kesh, KG Rabada and Anrich Nortje doesn’t make our tail too long, it’s possible for those guys to score some runs too,” Boucher said.

With Tabraiz Shamsi being an aggressive wrist-spinner and Rabada and Nortje not really being holding bowlers, it looks like South Africa will go to town with attacking bowling and Maharaj could well perform the holding role.

“A lot of thought has gone into how we’re going to pick up 20 wickets on pitches that are generally good for the first three days. We’re not going to go in thinking about containing. Shamsi is an attacking, aggressive spinner, so if conditions suit, why not use him? We’ve got attacking options with spin, and pace through the air in flat conditions is the seamer’s best weapon and we’ve got that covered.

“But you also need to balance your attack and someone needs to do the containing role. Kesh didn’t bowl a lot against Sri Lanka because the pitches were more conducive to spin, but he’s hungry to get stuck in and do his role as the main spin bowler here. He wasn’t at his best on the last tour to India, but we’ve worked on a few technical things and he’s come on leaps and bounds,” Boucher said.

Another outstanding all-round bowling display by the Imperial Lions backed the Warriors into a corner and saw them defend a mediocre total of 210 to win their Momentum One-Day Cup match by 42 runs in Potchefstroom on Sunday.

On a tricky pitch which rewarded straight lines, the Lions pacemen were extremely disciplined and the spinners were once again excellent as the Warriors were bowled out for 168, exactly the number the Lions required for a bonus point.

The Warriors only just failed to prevent the Lions from getting their second successive bonus point win thanks to the gutsy efforts of their tail, with Glenton Stuurman (10), Mthiwekhaya Nabe (14*) and Stefan Tait (9) ensuring the last two wickets added 36 runs.

Swing bowler Eldred Hawken (9-1-29-2) struck two big blows up front when he bowled both Yaseen Vallie (5) and key batsman Jon-Jon Smuts (0) with successive deliveries.

The Warriors’ other vital batsman, Rudi Second, also fell for a duck as his cramped attempted pull off paceman Sisanda Magala (9-1-34-2) was smartly caught by Wesley Marshall, moving quickly from a short midwicket.

Opener Lesiba Ngoepe (33) and Aya Gqamane (29) did pose some difficulties for the Lions, but Malusi Siboto (8-1-26-2) removed them both.

All-rounder Delano Potgieter (5-0 19-2) also chipped in with a couple of wickets and it was left to Wihan Lubbe, who fought for two hours for his 42, to keep the Warriors hopes alive.

But the Lions attack once again delivered under pressure.

The batting of the Lions, though, obviously left something to be desired as they crashed to 47 for four.

But the experience and determination of Nicky van den Bergh, who played some fine strokes in collecting nine fours in his 73 off 92 balls, with the help of Potgieter, saw them to a good enough total of 210 all out.

The left-handed Potgieter showed impressive composure as he added 129 for the fifth wicket with Van den Bergh. Normally not shy to show his attacking tendencies, he batted within himself to score 57 off 67 deliveries.

The loss of Van den Bergh and Potgieter, when both were about to launch, obviously reduced the final Lions total considerably, but it was still enough considering the brilliance of their bowlers and the submission of the Warriors batsmen.

Seamer Nabe removed both Van den Bergh and Potgieter on the way to highly creditable, career-best figures of four for 31, while left-arm spinner Smuts was tight and probing as he took three for 40 in his 10 overs.

Ryan Rickelton celebrated his inclusion in the Proteas squad for the first time with a marvellous unbeaten century to take the Imperial Lions to a bonus-point victory over the Cape Cobras in their Momentum One-Day Cup match in Potchefstroom on Friday.

Rickelton thoroughly dominated the bowling as he stroked an impressive 109 not out off 98 deliveries, as the Lions chased down their target of 222 in just 39.2 overs with six wickets to spare. The 24-year-old Rickelton is one of the country’s brightest young batting talents and this week he was named in the Proteas squad for the T20s in Pakistan, his maiden international call-up.

Opening the batting, Rickelton and Wesley Marshall (28) gave the Lions a solid start by raising the 50 in the 10^th over, before the Cobras struck back with two wickets in four overs. But an inspired stand of 98 in 16.2 overs between Rickelton and Dominic Hendricks (54 off 61 balls) put the Lions within sight of victory.

Rickelton completed his third century in 50-over cricket and a brisk 22 from Nicky van den Bergh ensured the bonus point was gained.

The Cobras, having won the toss and elected to bat first, made a good start, Janneman Malan’s well-controlled 67 off 94 balls driving them to 121 for two after 28 overs. But the Lions attack, bowling straighter and fuller than they had been earlier, fought back impressively by taking regular wickets.

It was fine all-round effort by the Lions attack, but Eldred Hawken, in his first game this season, recovered from a rusty start to lead the pacemen with one for 26 in eight overs, and captain Aaron Phangiso took care of the middle overs, taking two for 33 in his 10 excellent overs of left-arm spin.

Debutant Jean du Plessis scored 34 and Christiaan Jonker struck a quickfire 33 off 35 balls, but the Cobras batsmen were generally lacking enough intent against the tight Lions bowling.

The Cobras will also leave Senwes Park for the bio-bubble feeling they had a raw deal when it came to lbw decisions. Du Plessis looked unfortunate to be given out to Phangiso just as he was starting to accelerate, while Rickelton survived three appeals during his innings when the ball certainly looked wicket-bound.