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Ken Borland



Paterson & Co are not going to let anything get them down 0

Posted on December 26, 2024 by Ken

THUMBS UP: Dane Paterson took his second successive five-wicket haul.
Photo: AFP

The day after Christmas can be a bit of a downer considering the joy of the previous day, but there were many at SuperSport Park on Thursday who were adamant that they were not going to let anything get them down on the opening day of the first Test between South Africa and Pakistan.

For the festive crowd of more than 16 000 – the sold out signs went up in the afternoon – it helped ameliorate any hangovers, both literal and figurative, that they bought more than a million rand of beer on Thursday. According to Northerns Cricket Union CEO Jacques Faul, this is the first time that has ever happened at Centurion.

But for the Proteas players it took good old-fashioned determination and pride to ensure they kept coming back.

For the spearhead of the attack, Kagiso Rabada, there was the frustration of any number of plays-and-misses by the Pakistan batsmen as he whizzed delivery after delivery past the edges of the bat. But he did not let it get him down, never once dropping his head. His tenacity was not rewarded, but Mother Cricket will surely smile on the great paceman in the second innings.

Having won the toss and sent Pakistan in to bat, the Proteas had to endure a wicket-less first hour. Captain Temba Bavuma said in the huddle at the drinks break that the wickets will come, they must just stay patient.

Debutant Corbin Bosch, who has had to overcome more challenges than most in getting to the international stage, then struck with his first delivery in Test cricket, the first ball after drinks. Pakistan captain Shan Masood (17), having put on 36 with fellow opener Saim Ayub, drove at a full delivery angled across him and edged to gully.

While Bosch finished a memorable first day in Proteas whites, taking four for 63 in 15 overs, it was Dane Paterson who did most of the damage as Pakistan were bowled out for 211 three balls after tea.

Paterson followed up Bosch’s memorable moment – he is just the 25th bowler to take a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket and the fifth South African – by then snaring wickets in successive overs.

Saim (14) was caught behind after edging an excellent delivery that was typical of Paterson’s effort on Boxing Day: In a great channel just outside off stump and the perfect, slightly fuller length.

Pakistan’s kingpin, Babar Azam, was caught in the slips for just 4 edging a limp, indecisive fiddle outside off-stump, and Bosch then claimed a second wicket as Saud Shakeel (14) gloved an attempted hook to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.

Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Rizwan took Pakistan to 88 for four at lunch, and went on to add 81 for the fifth wicket. But it was Paterson who returned to break the partnership, frustrating Ghulam (54) with his accuracy and drawing a reckless charge down the pitch and wild swipe that was caught at fine leg.

Rizwan (27) had also charged and flailed unsuccessfully at Paterson a couple of times, and a hard-handed drive saw him caught in the slips in the Western Province paceman’s next over.

Salman Agha (18) was also caught trying to slog Paterson, who removed five of the top seven batsmen for career-best figures of 16-4-61-5, his second successive five-wicket haul.

The 35-year-old Paterson has had several critics moaning about his selection for the Test side, but he has not let it get him down.

“I’m drifting nicely into the sunset and I’m happy just to be putting the team in good positions. I will be 36 next year, but I don’t really want to mention my age,” Paterson laughed in the press conference after the close of play.

“If people have something to say about me then they should take it in return too, that’s freedom of speech. The critics provide me with fuel to prove people wrong. But my focus is on putting the team in good positions, it’s not about me.

“I’m probably not a fan favourite because I’m 35 and I bowl at 124km/h. But hopefully after these last two Tests I will get some likes!” Paterson said.

The skilful seamer gave his fellow pacemen Bosch and Rabada likes as well.

“Corbin was in his home conditions and obviously has knowledge of what works here, but to have a debut like that and push for five wickets is a dream come true, it was really quite special.

“KG is special; even against Sri Lanka he had a lot of plays-and-misses. But he keeps on coming, which is good to see, and he doesn’t let it get him down, although that sort of bad luck can be frustrating. But he is a quality bowler,” Paterson said.

Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad often selects on gut feel and Paterson’s inclusion has been controversial but undoubtedly a success. In his five Tests under Conrad this year, he has taken 20 wickets at a brilliant average of just 21.75.

“I’ve known Shukri for a long time, I played a lot of amateur cricket when he was coaching at Western Province. We had a chat in January and I knew that I would be going to New Zealand. I thought that would probably be two Tests and I was done, but we had a chat and he said he had a plan for me. I knew what I had to do after that, I had to get in better shape and put in the performances at domestic level.

“Hopefully Shukri is now chuffed with his selection,” Paterson said.

In reply, a very good 47 not out by Aiden Markram, stroking nine handsome boundaries off 67 deliveries, took South Africa to 82 for three at stumps.

The pitch may have been unusually slow by SuperSport Park standards, but there was movement off the deck right until the close of play. Tony de Zorzi (2), Ryan Rickelton (8) and Tristan Stubbs (9) all fell to fine deliveries from Khurram Shehzad (twice) and Mohammad Abbas, trapping Stubbs lbw, that seamed a long way.

Critics staring at ill-looking scrum stats but Winter adamant that Bulls are making progress there 0

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Ken

Sitting 16th and last in one of the United Rugby Championship’s statistical categories means the critics are always going to stare at that facet of the game, but forwards coach Russell Winter is adamant that the Bulls are really making progress in the scrums.

The Bulls have won 87% of their scrums, which is 1% less than the Ospreys and only 2% worse than the Stormers, who are generally considered to have a strong set-piece anchored by Steven Kitshoff.

“The margins are very small, one or two percent. We have really good players here and they work really hard,” Winter said on Tuesday. “Set-piece gives you control of a game and we are definitely getting better in the scrums.

“We lost a very good player in Trevor Nyakane and we’ve had some injuries. So we need to make sure we get some depth, particularly in the front row. We need to look at signing props to get depth.

“We don’t have any new signings there at the moment, but we are looking. But props are really hard to come by and no-one has really been open to negotiation.

“We do have two scrum coaches in Werner Kruger and Edgar Marutlulle and things have definitely progressed. And we’re very happy to have Mornay Smith back, he’s playing Currie Cup in midweek,” Winter said.

The Bulls did, however, announce the signing on Tuesday of the versatile Ruan Vermaak, the former Lions and Red Hurricanes lock who can also play back row.

The Bulls face the Dragons in Pretoria on Saturday and even though the Welshmen have struggled this season having lost their most-capped player, stalwart captain and loose forward Lewis Evans, to retirement at the end of last year, Winter is expecting their pack to come out wanting to move heaven and earth.

“We’re not too sure yet of their travelling squad but Welsh internationals coming back will obviously strengthen their pack and they will want to play well after Wales lost to Italy.

“Their coach Dean Ryan was at Newcastle where I played and he is a tough man, so I imagine he is a tough coach too. So the Dragons will have a hard pack and they will definitely come at us.

“It will be a big pack too, so we gave our guys a couple of days off to make sure we are ready for what’s coming. It’s going to be a good battle up front,” Winter said.

Sharks will miss Am, their provider of beautiful magic on the field 0

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Ken

Springbok centre Lukhanyo Am is not only the Sharks’ captain but he has been the provider of numerous moments of beautiful magic on the field, so wing Sbu Nkosi acknowledges the team are certainly going to miss him against Scarlets in Durban on Friday night, but they have confidence the large hole he leaves will be adequately filled.

Am has left for Japan for a lucrative two-month stint with Kobe Steelers, meaning he will miss the Sharks’ next seven United Rugby Championship matches, returning in time for the last game of the round-robin phase, away to Ulster on May 21.

“It would be very difficult for any team in the world to lose Lukhanyo,” Nkosi said on Tuesday. “But we have very capable replacements and they are learning quickly.

“But it’s a huge loss for any team, Lukhanyo has exceptional quality and the ability to produce some great moments on the field when they are really needed.

“We will take time to adjust, but if each player brings 10% extra then that will more than make up for Lukhanyo’s loss.

“In terms of the captaincy, Siya Kolisi has played a leadership role since he arrived, he’s been very influential and involved. He’ll bring the same energy now, he’s just got the authority of the captain’s title now,” Nkosi said.

The Scarlets have travelled from the rain and temperatures of less than 10° of Llanelli to Durban perhaps expecting the weather to be a bit milder on the coast than it is currently in a place like Limpopo. But the temperature will be pushing 30° in Durban this week with humidity of 85%.

“It’s not gonna happen!” Nkosi laughed when asked about the potential for cooler weather now that summer has entered its last month. “It’s still very hot and humid and the ball is very slippery.

“That’s just how it is and I expect that on Friday night as well. We’ve been training in that, we are moulded in heat and our coaches have us training when the sun is at its highest.

“We want to use the humidity and heat to our advantage. Scarlets are flying from the cold to extremely hot weather.

“But it does not matter where they are placed on the log [12th], that does not always reflect the quality of a side. We ourselves were in a totally different place on the log three weeks ago, so we will approach them with respect,” Nkosi said.

Steyn’s red card was always going to cause tears for the Bulls, but their poor finishing cost them in the end 0

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Ken

Morne Steyn’s red card in the 11th minute of the game was always going to cause some bitter tears for the Bulls, but their own poor finishing ability cost them in the end as a storming comeback saw them fall just short, losing 29-22 to the Sharks in their United Rugby Championship match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The veteran Springbok flyhalf was sent off permanently for a late, high swinging arm on Lukhanyo Am, which definitely made contact with the centre’s neck area. But the Sharks did not dominate the flow of the game thereafter as much as they would have liked.

Flank Henco Venter bustled over for the opening try from the resulting penalty, and the Sharks went 14-0 up as hooker Bongi Mbonambi bolted over from a maul. It was an unfortunate blow for the Bulls as the Sharks were given a lineout just outside their 22 when fullback David Kriel’s massive relieving kick just landed on the line inside the Sharks’ 22.

But the Bulls settled into life with only 14 men and dominated territory for the rest of the half. Players worth their salt would have converted a couple of chances that came their way, but reward finally came in the 39th minute when Venter was yellow-carded and then Cornal Hendricks went over in the corner.

But Am scored a sensational try from the restart to make sure the Sharks went into the break 19-5 up. Two Bulls players thought the restart was going directly into touch, but Am snuck in, jumping to catch the ball and then darting down the touchline, regathering his own deft grubber to score a crucial try.

The Bulls scored first in the second half though, superb build-up play, keeping ball-in-hand, taking them into Sharks territory. The maul was again defended well by the visitors, but the Bulls kept bashing away and flank Marcell Coetzee forced his way over for the try.

The Sharks responded though in the 58th minute as they finally made use of the extra man with replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams producing a wonderful long, flat pass out wide to Makazole Mapimpi, who was able to stroll over for the try (26-12).

But just four minutes later, it was Williams who was crying big briney tears as he was red-carded for going in high on Bulls replacement flyhalf Chris Smith, smashing head-first into his cheekbone. Smith had to be stretchered off and it left the Bulls without a regular goalkicker, Kriel being forced to take over.

The Sharks’ defensive resolve did not dissolve though when they were down to 14 men, but the Bulls still scored two more tries but also wasted another couple of opportunities.

Several short passes close to the line went down and there was a three-man overlap wasted by Coetzee when he threw an awful, massive forward pass which myopic referee AJ Jacobs somehow missed, but the TMO did not.

Replacement prop Simphiwe Matanzima dived over to score with five minutes remaining, but Kriel missed the crucial conversion.

Three minutes later, replacement scrumhalf Embrose Papier made a searing break and wing Madosh Tambwe produced a stunning finish through two defenders. Kriel could not make the touchline conversion, so the Bulls, 22-26 down, had to try and score again with just two minutes left.

They won the restart and ran from deep, but the ever-alert Am produced the crucial turnover, replacement flyhalf Curwin Bosch kicking the resulting penalty.

Scorers

Sharks – Tries: Henco Venter, Bongi Mbonambi, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi. Conversions: Tito Bonilla (2), Curwin Bosch. Penalty: Bosch.

Bulls – Tries: Cornal Hendricks, Marcell Coetzee, Simphiwe Matanzima, Madosh Tambwe. Conversion: Chris Smith.

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  • Thought of the Day

    2 Peter 3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

    True Christianity starts with accepting Jesus Christ as your saviour and redeemer and fully surrendering to him. You have to start living a new life; submit daily to the will of your master.

    We need to grow within grace, not into grace, and the responsibility rests with us. Your role model is Jesus Christ and he is always with you to strengthen you in your weakness, but you have to cultivate your growth. So spend more time in prayer and use the faith you already have.

     

     



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