PROTEAS captain Temba Bavuma was not ready to name the playing XI yesterday for the second Test against the West Indies in Guyana starting today (4pm SA time), but he said that the selectors were strongly considering a couple of changes.
The teams played to a draw last week in Trinidad and Tobago – the first stalemate across 28 Tests globally – and the tourists will now be aiming to secure victory at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground to preserve their 100 percent series winning streak in the West Indies since the first Test after readmission back in 1992.
With lone specialist spinner Keshav Maharaj having delivered 66.2 overs out of a possible 148.1 in Port of Spain, and the conditions expected to be even lower and slower in Guyana, Bavuma hinted that off-spinner Dane Piedt and left-arm seamer Nandré Burger could be recalled.
“A guy like Dane Piedt definitely comes into the picture. Then, from a seam-bowling point of view, Nandré being a left-arm option, he obviously could help a guy like Dane Piedt,” Bavuma said yesterday.
“From my side, it’s just to get a better idea of the conditions, to be honest. We haven’t had an opportunity to train at the ground yet, so I can’t really speak about the conditions.
“That will be finalised soon rather than later, but yes, there will be a strong consideration in playing the second spinner.”
Piedt’s recall to the Test line-up would mark yet another chapter in a remarkable comeback for the pugnacious off-spinner.
The 34-year-old was recalled from the international wilderness almost 12 months ago.
The former Western Province captain had relocated to the US, where he was playing Minor League Cricket on matting wickets.
But after a discussion with Test coach Shukri Conrad, Piedt returned to South Africa, and after a short while he was back playing Test cricket for the Proteas on the tour of New Zealand earlier this year.
Training Underway 👊
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 14, 2024
Our Proteas have been training hard ahead of the 2nd and final Test Match against the West Indies this Thursday.
Guyana awaits! 🇬🇾#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#SAvWI pic.twitter.com/2sf8lm3gsz
While that selection may have been forced due to the unavailability of a host of players due to SA20 commitments, Piedt showed that he had lost none of the ability as he claimed a five-wicket haul against the Black Caps in Hamilton.
The prospect of Piedt and Maharaj bowling in tandem will certainly provide Bavuma with striking power, especially after Maharaj easily caused the Windies batters the most problems in Trinidad.
Although the rain played a major role in denying the Proteas the opportunity to push for victory in the first Test, there is an argument to be made that the visitors’ batting unit did not look to increase the scoring tempo, particularly in the first innings.
The Proteas batted at three runs per over before drastically improving to almost six in the second innings.
“I think if we are really nitpicking, we can look at that. I think if it’s a slow wicket, scoring quickly is a bit tricky, especially if it’s the first innings when you are trying to understand the conditions. I think that does become dangerous,” Bavuma said.
“For me, it’s more about the batters that got in without going on to get anything big. There were also a couple of soft dismissals that we had in the first innings.
“It’s about putting a higher price on your wicket. But we wouldn’t have predicted that we would have lost seven sessions in the game, and that was always going to put us under pressure.
“We can’t control the weather. We want to play what’s in front of us as well as we can.”
Likely Proteas Team
Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Nandré Burger.