Ken Borland

I don’t know whether Proteas captain Dean Elgar was boarding or not when he went to St Dominic’s College in Welkom in the early 2000s, but much of his language in the week building up to the second Test against Bangladesh was straight out of the manual of boarding school lingo.

To my horror as I wishfully think of myself as still being young, Elgar was born in 1987, the same year that I matriculated from boarding school.

But to hear phrases like “harden up”, “man up” and “dry your eyes” certainly took me back to my education, both at school and university.

Now I know Elgar’s statement that Test cricket is a man’s game has raised some eyebrows for bordering on sexism, but, as ever, it is important to consider the context and intent of such a declaration. What is far more sexist to me is that the world’s best women cricketers hardly ever play any Test cricket at all these days, which is why such a legend as Mignon du Preez retired this week having played just one Test in her 15-year career.

I also believe Bangladesh have deserved such criticism.

They won the toss at Kingsmead in the first Test, but were too scared to give their batsmen first use of the facilities. This was basically admitted by coach Russell Domingo – who it later emerged had urged them to bat first – when he used words like “uncertainty”, “lack of confidence”,  and “not able to front up” to explain the decision at the toss.

While the inconsistency of the Proteas team suggests they could do with the services of a sports psychologist on the staff, Bangladesh, it seems, should hire a mental toughness coach.

They matched South Africa blow-for-blow for most of the Test match, following on the steel and intent they showed in the ODI series, only to then fold completely in the last two sessions.

I would suggest their problems started when they began to blame the umpires, and judging by the reports coming out of Bangladesh media, some of the team went so far as to accuse Marais Erasmus and Adrian Holdstock of being biased in favour of the Proteas.

Covid has forced the ICC into dispensing with neutral umpires – although it probably is time to reinstate them – and for an umpire of Erasmus’s quality (he is also the reigning ICC Umpire of the Year award-winner), he did not have the best of matches. Holdstock, who has proven he is a quality umpire as well, also made a few mistakes.

But to accuse them of bias was ridiculous, particularly since of the eight decisions overturned on review, four of them were against South Africa.

The Proteas certainly don’t have a reputation for being silent on the field, and we’ve got a real chatterbox in Sarel Erwee, although his talk is more a stream-of-consciousness jumble designed to distract rather than a concerted plan to annoy.

But for Bangladesh to allege that South Africa’s sledging was “unbearable” or “deplorable” does not fit with the reality of what was seen at Kingsmead, either at the ground or for those watching and listening on TV.

The only memorable flashpoint of the Test was when Ebadot Hossain had a go at Elgar, and even that was within the bounds of normal fast bowler grumpiness.

Without detracting from the way Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer weaved their magic in the second innings, it was clear Bangladesh had lost focus and had become distracted by their perceived grievances at the umpires and opposition.

There is a reason teams talk about focusing on the controllables (like your own performance) and not the uncontrollable (what other people are doing or the conditions). Bangladesh’s focus was on matters they could not control and it led to a batting display that rapidly spiralled into ignominy.

There is another phrase from my boarding school days that could be used to describe the tourists in the first Test – sore losers.

Proteas captain Dean Elgar said on Thursday that “If we want success then we need consistency in selection” as he indicated that much the same South Africa team will take the field at St George’s Park on Friday for the second Test against Bangladesh.

For the first time since 1970, South Africa played two frontline spinners in a home Test during last week’s thumping win over Bangladesh in the first Test in Durban, and Elgar said he expected conditions to be similar. So Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer look set to both play again and even struggling all-rounder Wiaan Mulder remains in contention for the starting XI.

“If we want success we need consistency in selection and it’s normally a similar sort of pitch here as it is at Kingsmead,” Elgar said. “So I don’t think there will be many changes.

“I like the adaptability of our attack and I would love to have used Wiaan more. But when we saw the conditions, we decided to keep the pressure on with our world-class spinners.

“It might be different here in PE, especially if the ball swings, and then we’re more likely to use Wiaan to showcase his skills. The wind is a massive factor and it hasn’t stopped blowing since we got here.

“If it comes over the scoreboard then the locals call it the ‘Swing Wind’. But the players need to adapt to whatever circumstances come their way and the seamers might have a lot more work in this Test,” Elgar said.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, have apparently lodged a formal complaint with the ICC over the Proteas’ alleged sledging during the first Test, which they say was ignored by the South African umpires.

Elgar, in typically hard-nosed fashion, said the tourists have to harden up to the realities of Test cricket.

“It’s not justified what they said towards the South African side. We do play hard, but we were just giving back what we got. And there was certainly no swearing, we do everything with dignity.

“They need to harden up and play at the Test level of intensity. It’s Test cricket and they must dry their eyes. There’s a lot that’s not seen, there are off-camera incidents as well.

“But we would not intentionally intimidate a young player with language, but with skill. When I started Test cricket, the environment was much harsher than it is now.

“We still want to win though, so if some mind-games can help you with that then why not use them? Maybe Bangladesh got caught up in the moment a bit … ” Elgar said.

Vice-captain Temba Bavuma’s unbeaten half-century, his 18^th coming up in his 50^th Test, and captain Dean Elgar’s brisk 67, bookended a highly satisfactory day for South Africa as they reached 233/4 at stumps on the first day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Kingsmead on Thursday.

It was an extremely solid top-order display by the Proteas, especially since they had been sent in to bat, Bangladesh being swayed by a steamy morning that should have aided swing and a greenish tinge to the pitch.

The facts are, though, that Bangladesh bowled inconsistently through the day and South Africa suffered some soft dismissals.

The day began badly for the hosts when the start of play was delayed for 33 minutes by a malfunctioning sightscreen advertising board. But once Taskin Ahmed finally delivered the opening ball – a filthy leg-side full toss that was clipped away for four by Elgar – it was smooth sailing for the Proteas.

Elgar and Sarel Erwee took South Africa to 95/0 at lunch, but both fell soon afterwards, in the eighth and ninth overs after the break. Khaled Ahmed delivered a rearing delivery that found Elgar’s glove, wicketkeeper Liton Das snatching up the chance with a full-length dive. South Africa’s captain was at his pugnacious best, needing just 60 balls for his fifty and in all he hit 11 fours.

Erwee had worked hard for his solid 41, but then dragged a full and wide delivery from spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz into his stumps in the next over.

Keegan Petersen (19) was then run out by a spectacular piece of fielding by Mehidy, who dived full-length at point, got the ball in his hand and threw down the stumps while half standing up. It harkened back to the days of Jonty Rhodes at Kingsmead.

Debutant Ryan Rickelton moved boldly to 21, his first Test runs coming from a reverse-sweep for four off Mehidy, but he then mistimed a pull shot off fast bowler Ebadot Hossain and looped a catch to mid-on.

South Africa’s innings was at a crossroads on 180/4 half-an-hour after tea. But Bavuma, who had played with some glamour in the early part of his innings, really knuckled down and made sure he was there at the end of the day.

Bavuma reached the close on 53 not out, having occupied the crease for more than three hours and faced 119 deliveries, with six fours.

Kyle Verreynne (27*) showed good composure to bat through to stumps, which came at 5.18pm due to bad light, adding 53 with Bavuma to make it South Africa’s day.

The Proteas are considering playing two frontline spinners in the first Test against Bangladesh starting on Thursday at Kingsmead, where South Africa have had disappointing results in recent years, captain Dean Elgar has confirmed.

The Proteas have lost seven of their last 10 Tests at Kingsmead, dating back to 2008. They have repeatedly expressed their frustration at the dry, low and slow, spin-friendly pitch that has developed there.

But this time, with Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi all unavailable, they could well play both orthodox left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj and offie Simon Harmer.

“We’ve been having really good discussions about the best combination to take 20 wickets and we’re sitting with three different combinations as regards the bowlers,” Elgar said.

“Playing two spinners in Durban is very much a talking point. We are aware of the conditions, it’s generally slower and lower here, and our squad has covered a lot of areas.

“We obviously want more grass on the wicket and it seems that it has grown a bit. But it helps if you put more water on the pitch as well. We hope to get a nice and hard surface, with more pace and bounce.

“But we’re not too fazed by playing on slower wickets, we just need to do the basics better for longer,” Elgar said.

So what are the three permutations for the starting XI?

Disappointment for all-rounder Mulder

If conditions are going to be really tough for batting, or there is pressure to play three Black Africans, then South Africa could choose seven specialist batsmen, giving both Ryan Rickelton and Khaya Zondo their Test debuts. That would mean leaving out all-rounder Wiaan Mulder and probably fielding just one spinner and three pacemen.

Team – Elgar, Erwee, Petersen, Bavuma, Rickelton, Verreynne, Zondo, Maharaj, Williams, Sipamla, Olivier/Stuurman.

Two spinners, the most likely XI

The team that would be the most balanced and cover the most bases includes six specialist batsmen, a seam-bowling all-rounder, two frontline quicks and two spinners lining up. I’ll back this to be the team if the Kingsmead pitch is as it has been in recent years.

Lizaad Williams, so impressively controlled and effective in domestic cricket this season, could get the nod ahead of Duanne Olivier and Glenton Stuurman, who were both dropped after the first Test hiding in New Zealand.

Rather than choose a third, middle-of-the-road paceman, rather go with the four best bowlers, which in this squad includes two quality spinners in Maharaj and Harmer.

This would involve being slightly down on transformation targets, however, with only five players of colour and two Black Africans.

Team – Elgar, Erwee, Petersen, Bavuma, Rickelton, Verreynne, Mulder, Harmer, Maharaj, Williams, Sipamla.

Placing their hopes in pace bowling

If the Proteas go their traditional, unsuccessful-at-Kingsmead, route of having a pace-based attack and just one spinner, then Lutho Sipamla will be joined by Lizaad Williams and Duanne Olivier, or Glenton Stuurman if CSA insist on placing six players of colour in the team.

Recent pitches in Durban suggest this attack will not be as effective, but if there is a bit more grass present, and more pace and bounce, then it could be worth the gamble.

Team – Elgar, Erwee, Petersen, Bavuma, Rickelton, Verreynne, Mulder, Maharaj, Williams, Sipamla, Stuurman/Olivier.