Ken Borland

Proteas captain Quinton de Kock said on Monday that all his team’s security concerns about being in Pakistan have been allayed, but given their location on the sub-continent, they are still anxious about whether they will be playing on pitches that will massively favour spin.

The South African team had their first practice session in Karachi on Monday and De Kock said they are happy with the logistical arrangements on the Proteas’ first visit to Pakistan since 2007. Due to security concerns following terrorist attacks, South Africa played two series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates after that tour.

“Security was a big part of our concerns, but when we saw the extent and amount of security, we got a lot more comfortable. It looks like every corner is checked, all the bases are covered and we feel really safe. With security being less of a worry, we are able to focus more and more on the cricket. It’s something to be seen – the security measures they have taken and we’re not worried at all about that any more.

“It also helps that we didn’t need to do two weeks’ quarantine, but we play so much cricket these days that that is almost out of the picture. It’s been a big help that the Pakistan Cricket Board have let us come out and prepare early, our hotel is across the road from where we practise. Otherwise we’re only allowed in our rooms and the team room,” De Kock said from Karachi on Monday.

The pre-tour talk about conditions in Pakistan was that they would be good batting surfaces and more pace-friendly than in the rest of the sub-continent, given the home side’s strong fast bowling resources. But the omission of pacemen Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah, and inclusion of six spinners, in Pakistan’s squad has the Proteas wondering.

“We don’t really know the conditions because no-one has played here before, barring one or two of our coaches. But we understand we are on the sub-continent and spin and reverse-swing will play a big part, so we’ll cover those bases in our preparation. The biggest thing is that we are dealing with the unknown, we don’t know what will happen.

“I’m sure the spinners will be a threat, that’s why they’ve chosen a couple of extra ones, which says a lot about where they want to go and how they’re going to prepare the pitches. Obviously it’s going to be a challenge. We’ve played on Asian pitches in the past and they’ve targeted us by preparing dustbowls and making it an uneven contest. But we have scored runs when conditions are decent,” De Kock said.

Pakistan are coming off a 2-0 series loss in New Zealand, their selectors punishing the players for not making the grade by overhauling the squad in dramatic fashion. But De Kock said Pakistan will be a totally different proposition at home.

“That result won’t count for anything, it’s difficult to bat in New Zealand and they will probably put up a much better fight in their own conditions. Babar Azam is back, and he’s one of their main players that didn’t play at all over there. It’s going to be a good challenge for us, very different because Pakistan are a very competitive team in their own conditions,“ De Kock said.

National coach Mark Boucher confirmed on Thursday that he has his sights set on getting Jacques Kallis back into the Proteas fold but in the short-term he is looking forward to his batsmen capitalising in Pakistan on the confidence boost the series win over Sri Lanka has given them.

Kallis has just started a controversial stint with England as their batting consultant in Sri Lanka. But South Africa’s most prolific run-scorer was almost forced into the position by the negative reaction he, Boucher and director of cricket Graeme Smith received when he was appointed Proteas batting consultant in late 2019 and by a subsequent Cricket South Africa decision that White consultants were no longer allowed.

That ruling has subsequently been put on ice by the interim board that is now running cricket.

“Losing Jacques to England is a bitter pill to swallow. He was working with our guys on an individual basis, someone like Temba Bavuma would Skype him and spoke very highly of his work. But then we were getting messages that we could no longer use him, so it was a massive loss. Jacques was a very good cricketer, he can add a lot of knowledge, so why wouldn’t you want him in the set-up?

“But I picked up from the media that Judith February [interim board director] said we were allowed White consultants again so the rules have changed a bit and I would certainly like to get him back in some sort of role, maybe even against Australia after the Pakistan tour. A lot of players have spoken highly of the knowledge he imparted in a short space of time.

“So Jacques is on my radar, but we need to treat it with care because he has a lot of other opportunities around the world. I know he would love to work with South African cricket again, but we must make sure we don’t mess him around,” Boucher said on Thursday.

The Proteas depart for their two-Test series in Pakistan on Friday and Boucher said it has historically been a good place for batting, something which a rebuilding South African batting line-up will welcome.

“They’ll take a bit of confidence from the Sri Lanka series where most of the batsmen had some good time in the middle. Historically the pitches in Pakistan have been pretty flat and Mickey Arthur [the previous Pakistan coach] said they were pretty good for batting. But you score in different areas over there and a lot of adjusting needs to be done, especially against reverse-swing, which a lot of our guys haven’t seen before.

“Pakistan have a very good bowling line-up, but the message to our batsmen is that if you apply yourself and spend a long time at the crease, then there are a lot of runs to be had. We are well aware of the technical adjustments that are needed over there and it’s not like India or Sri Lanka. It will be very foreign, but we expect nice and flat pitches, good cricket wickets,” Boucher said.

Pace bowlers are likely to play a much bigger role than elsewhere on the subcontinent and Boucher said he was pleased to have a bowling coach like Charl Langeveldt who has such a sound knowledge of reverse-swing.

“The pitches in Pakistan don’t turn a lot and they are more conducive to fast bowling. We expect them to go with pace and reverse-swing because it’s very flat. So there’s certainly a need for us to look at reverse as well. But you need to be able to get the ball to reverse first and in these times of Covid you have to be very careful with the ball, but there are always legal ways to scuff up one side.

“A lot of our bowlers have not had to deal with reverse-swing before and the guys sometimes can’t control the ball if they’re not used to it, so they need to adapt. Kagiso Rabada uses reverse really well, so he can pass on the right lines and lengths and fortunately Langers was a master of reverse so I’m very comfortable we’ll get it right,” Boucher said.

South Africa Women’s coach Hilton Moreeng says he and his technical staff are having to find innovative ways to prepare the team properly as the Proteas ladies eye their return to action on January 20 when their ODI series against Pakistan starts at Kingsmead in Durban.

The three-match ODI series is followed by three T20s, with all of the matches being played at Kingsmead, as the Proteas Women play their first competitive cricket since their nailbiting ICC World T20 semifinal loss to Australia on March 5 last year.

“Being in a bubble is a challenging environment and we have to follow a new normal which is very strange for everyone, training with masks and everything. But it is an opportunity to play cricket and we are just educating the players, this is a new experience for them. Our last three days of training have been very good and our preparations are on track, I’m very happy with how things are proceeding.

“The most important thing is that the team has had a year out of action with no competitive cricket, so just to get out on the park is a big thing. We have had a lot of camps, which went well, but you can only see so much in those. I’m looking forward to a lot of youngsters now getting the opportunity to actually play. And at the end of the day we’re just playing to win,” Moreeng said on Monday.

There are at least two spots available in the batting line-up due to the absence through back injuries of captain Dane van Niekerk and the hard-hitting Chloe Tryon, even if those players coming in are just leasing their spots from two world-class performers who will be missed.

“It’s a big loss but mostly for the individual players because we don’t know when their next opportunity to play will come. But their absence does give an opportunity to others to play and that only makes the team stronger. A couple of youngsters have put their hands up in our camps. Of course competitive cricket will always be another level and rustiness will be there.

“We wanted to take our momentum from the T20 World Cup and keep improving while we build for the next World Cup [the 50-over edition in New Zealand next year], so not playing for a year has been a blow for everyone, but we can only control what we can and that’s the attitude we want the players to have. At the end of the day, safety must come first and we are just thankful for the opportunity to play,” Moreeng said.

The Dolphins began the defence of their Momentum One-Day Cup title with a very impressive bonus point win as they swept the Titans away by 76 runs in Potchefstroom, where they found conditions very much to their liking on Saturday.

The Dolphins were sent in to bat after the Titans won what seemed a very good toss. Teams batting second have won more games at Senwes Park recently and the pitch held some moisture, making it slow. The general consensus was that the wicket would get faster, making scoring easier, as it dried in the sun.

But the Titans were a mess in the field, bowling 21 wides and missing half-a-dozen chances.

Nevertheless, three wickets fell in the first 11 overs, Dayyaan Galiem claiming a brace, and the Dolphins were grateful for a fine 65 off 69 balls by opener Grant Roelofsen that kept them afloat.

Andile Phehlukwayo played a crucial innings of 51 off 69 balls as he added 54 for the fifth wicket with Roelofsen and then another 50 for the sixth wicket with Senuran Muthusamy.

But when Phehlukwayo was removed by Kyle Abbott in a much better second spell by the rusty fast bowler, the Dolphins were 183 for six in the 37^th over and still had plenty of work to do if they were to post a challenging total.

It was Muthusamy who ensured the Dolphins reached 272 for seven with an outstanding innings of 70 not out off 69 deliveries. The left-hander stuck it out through the tough initial stages on a pitch which made it hard to force the pace, but then scored freely at the death. With the help of Robbie Frylinck’s 32, the Dolphins scored 59 runs in the last five overs.

Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi bowled very well for the Titans with one for 45 in 10 overs.

With the bowling of the Dolphins being much tighter and their fielding better, it was obviously going to be a tough chase for the Titans. It became even more difficult when Frylinck (8-0-25-1) and Kerwin Mungroo (7-2-16-2) bowled superbly up front to remove openers Diego Rosier and Neil Brand cheaply inside the powerplay.

The class of Theunis de Bruyn posed a threat but the introduction of seamer Ruan de Swardt, midway through the 22^nd over when the excellent Phehlukwayo (5.3-0-14-0) started cramping, saw the back of the Proteas batsman for 36.

The variety and skills of the Dolphins attack meant the pressure was never released and the Titans limped to 196 for eight in their 50 overs.

The probing left-arm spin of man of the match Muthusamy saw him take two for 39 in 10 overs, while De Swardt ruled the middle overs with three for 30.

The Dolphins now play the Knights on Sunday and they will be hoping the conditions keep reminding them of Kingsmead and home.