Ken Borland

SuperSport Park has been the site of some high scoring in domestic cricket lately, but Proteas captain Dean Elgar knows his batting line-up will “be up against it” in the first Test against India which starts at Centurion on Boxing Day.

In the last four-day match played at SuperSport Park, when the Northerns Titans drew with the KZN Dolphins, 983 runs were scored for the loss of just 21 wickets, with 12 batsmen getting past 40 and two centuries being scored.

“Although there’s been quite a lot of rain recently, Centurion has had a pretty good pitch of late and if you apply yourself as a batsman, put away some shots, then you can get runs under the belt,” Elgar said of his home ground.

But India possess one of the best attacks in world cricket, coming up against a South African batting line-up that is yet to reach its full potential.

“If there’s some extra pace and bounce in the pitch then bowlers can exploit the conditions and there’s always a bit of spice in South Africa, especially on the Highveld.

“India have an immensely improved bowling attack, especially away from home, and we are going to be up against it, but we’re perfectly comfortable with that.

“We feel comfortable at home and it’s going to be tough for India’s batsmen too against our attack. I’d rather be in our changeroom than their’s,” Elgar said.

Elgar led the batting averages for the Proteas the last time India were here, scoring 207 runs at 41.40, in early 2018. South Africa won that series 2-1, but this time there is no AB de Villiers or Hashim Amla or Faf du Plessis. The left-handed opener will have to lead the way again with the bat.

“I naturally always want to lead from the front with the bat and scoring runs is a massive role of mine, let alone being the captain. I will never run away from that responsibility and hopefully I average a little more this series,” Elgar said.

“I know we have a relatively inexperienced batting line-up, but they have an opportunity to take, which is what professional cricket is all about. Either they take it or there are other guys knocking on the door.

“It’s always tough against one of the best attacks in the world. We need to prepare well against the Indian attack, but I believe we are not far away from batsmen coming in and cementing their places.

“India have a well-balanced attack that covers all the bases. So mentally we really need to tap in, being mentally ready is extremely important for me,” Elgar said.

An excellent third-wicket partnership between Zubayr Hamza and Kyle Verreynne held a tidy, probing Netherlands attack at bay in helpful bowling conditions, before the dam wall broke in the last four overs as Andile Phehlukwayo raced South Africa to 277/8 in the first ODI at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.

Phehlukwayo lashed 48 off just 22 balls, including six mighty sixes, as he and Keshav Maharaj (18*) pounded 68 runs off the last 40 balls of the innings, including 61 off the final four overs. It provided the late boost needed to convert an average score into a good one.

Winning a useful toss under cloudy skies following heavy overnight rain, the Netherlands gained early reward for bowling first when left-armer Fred Klaassen removed both Proteas openers inside the first seven overs. Reeza Hendricks (6) played way too early and popped a catch to cover, while Janneman Malan (16) edged a loose, flatfooted drive at a wider delivery to second slip.

At 24/2, Zubayr Hamza had just the man for a crisis join him in fellow Western Province star Kyle Verreynne. The pair added 119 off 137 balls for the third wicket to give the innings a solid platform.

Hamza looked particularly good and played some wonderful strokes, while Verreynne was typically busy and positive and ensured that the Dutch bowlers never totally gained the upper hand, playing strongly off the back foot.

Hamza fell for 56 off 79 deliveries when he skied a pull off a Brandon Glover slower ball, but Verreynne went on to a career-best score and was in touching distance of a century when he was unfortunate to fall to a slower-ball gone wrong from Vivian Kingma. The back-of-the-hand delivery came out as a dipping full toss, which the wicketkeeper/batsman swung away one-handed, but straight to deep square-leg.

Verreynne had worked hard through the tough times for his 95 off 112 balls, and was all set to really launch before his dismissal.

The rest of the batting was made of flimsier material though as South Africa slid from 143/2 to 209/7; up to that point, Verreynne and Hamza had scored 57% of the Proteas runs.

Fortunately, Phehlukwayo showed his finishing ability as he belted the ball over the boundary to great effect, with skipper Maharaj providing important support as the Proteas made a strong end to their innings.

New-ball bowlers Klaassen (8-2-45-2) and Kingma (9-0-49-2) were good for the Netherlands, while Roelof van der Merwe returned to his former home ground with 1/27 in six overs of tidy left-arm spin.

The Netherlands, with former Protea Roelof van der Merwe leading the way in typical Bulldog fashion on his former home ground, and motivated by the anger caused by the scrapping of the Super League for World Cup qualification, will come out roaring in the first ODI against South Africa in Centurion on Friday, but Tabraiz Shamsi promised that the home side will also be sufficiently fired up to be at their best.

South Africa’s motivation will come from a combination of new faces being given precious opportunity at ODI level, and their own rather poor standing in the Super League at present: They are currently in ninth place. The 2023 World Cup will be a 10-team event, with the top teams from the Super League qualifying.

But earlier this week the ICC decided that the 2027 World Cup, of which South Africa will be co-hosts, will be a 14-team event with a separate, one-off qualifying tournament for non Full Members.

“The Netherlands have a few South African players and I’m sure they’ll have a point to prove,” Shamsi said. “And with the Super League being scrapped, the Netherlands could feel this is their last opportunity to make a statement.

“But we definitely won’t be taking it easy either, we have been preparing as hard as we can because we need points for World Cup qualification. The Netherlands also have some quality players, some of them play county cricket.

“It took me two-and-a-half years to play two ODIs in a row and now we have some new guys who will get to play three games in six days, so it’s a massive opportunity to establish yourself.

“So not much changes whether we’re playing England, India or the Netherlands, every game is an international and we’ll be trying to put in a performance that reflects that,” Shamsi said.

South Africa’s attack will be a pale imitation of their usual firepower, with Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje being rested, Lungi Ngidi testing positive for Covid and Lizaad Williams out injured. Although there are experienced seamers still available in Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius and the recalled Wayne Parnell, it is likely that the Proteas will rely heavily on spinners Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj.

The duo have enjoyed a purple patch in ODI cricket of late, taking 26 wickets between them in eight matches at an economy rate of just 4.68 runs per over.

SuperSport Park has a reputation for spinners being mown all over the ground, but the actual figures are not so clearcut. Shamsi brushes off the theory that spinners can’t shine on the Highveld.

“It’s weird that the chat is that the Wanderers and SuperSport Park are not spin-friendly, but I made my international career playing at Centurion and I don’t see any stigma for spinners there.

“Yes the ball flies, there are smaller boundaries and not as much assistance from the pitch, but we have developed different game-plans that take the pitch out of the equation if it doesn’t turn,” Shamsi said.

The second-innings fightback shown by the Northerns Titans will please coach Mandla Mashimbyi, but in the end his team could not complete the job as they lost by one wicket to the Eastern Province Warriors in a thrilling CSA Four-Day Domestic Series match at Centurion on Monday.

Eastern Province began the final day on 180 for seven, chasing 236 for victory, and it was young Tiaan van Vuuren who steered them to the win with a brave and aggressive 32 not out.

He and last man Mthiwekhaya Nabe (10*), who scored the winning runs via an excellent sweep for four off seasoned spinner Simon Harmer, added 24 for the last wicket to get the visitors over the line in exciting fashion.

Fast bowlers Corbin Bosch and Junior Dala both struck early on Monday, with Bosch getting the key wicket of Lesiba Ngoepe for 52 as he flapped at a lifter down the leg side and was caught behind.

But the Titans had further chances and Van Vuuren was dropped in the slips when he had just 4. Dala, who finished with three for 59, was the unfortunate bowler.

Western Province managed to draw their match against the KZN Dolphins at Newlands with the considerable help of unseasonal rain.

Western Province were 186 for seven in their follow-on innings, but only 28 deliveries were able to be bowled on Monday with the home side finishing on 190 for seven, still 30 runs short of making KZN bat again.

Daryn Dupavillon was the best of the bowlers with four for 35 in 13 overs.

Janneman Malan, in a new middle-order role, scored a top-class unbeaten 200 for Boland as they piled up 520 for nine declared against the Free State Knights in Bloemfontein.

Malan was completely dominant as he stroked 20 fours in his 319-ball innings.

Ferisco Adams also reached three figures, scoring a wonderful 127 and sharing in a partnership of 260 for the eighth wicket with Malan, a South African record, beating the 257 put on by Dane Vilas and Robin Peterson for the Cape Cobras against the Knights in Kimberley in 2011/12.

Trailing by exactly 200, Free State had to ensure they did not lose early wickets and Matthew Kleinveldt (31) and Jacques Snyman (49) ticked that box in an opening stand of 64.

Raynard van Tonder (33*) and Pite van Biljon (29*) then took the Knights to 143 for two when the teams agreed to call it a draw.