Johannesburg — Dean Elgar will be demanding greater intensity from his batters ahead of the second Test with Bangladesh that starts in Gqeberha on Friday.
While there were a whole lot more positives to take from the 220-run victory at Kingsmead, the Proteas captain, wants his batting unit to take lessons from the second innings collapse. With the exception of the absent Rassie van der Dussen, the group which played in Durban is likely to be the one South Africa will want to start with in the long term.
However those batters were victims of the same sort of collapse that has occurred with the Proteas on an all too regular basis in the last few years. From 115/1 in the second innings, the Proteas were bowled out for 204. “I wasn’t too concerned, I was actually glad it happened, to expose the guys to those areas that they were lacking,” said Elgar.
South Africa’s captain scored half centuries in each innings, while vice captain, Temba Bavuma’s 93, was the highest score by a member of the home team. “We were lacking intensity. A lot of guys need to wake up and realise that Test cricket demands intensity. Whether you have the ball or bat in hand. Even at the start of the innings you need to be up at a certain level, whether it's being in good positions, and having good body language, or even running between the wickets - that all sets a level of intensity for your innings.”
“The inexperience of players - we need to be mindful of that - we had a guy making his debut…they are not familiar with that role play. They will get there. It is important for us as senior players and the coaching staff to still speak that language, about the small game plans they require for Test cricket.”
Sarel Erwee may be 32 but he’s played just three Tests, Keegan Petersen for all his brilliance against India, has played just six Tests, and Kyle Verreynne was in his seventh. The debutant last week, Ryan Rickelton spoke honestly about how his form from earlier in the season when he made three hundreds for the Lions had fallen away and he had some doubts going into the Durban Test.
Nevertheless, despite a poor shot that led to his dismissal in the first innings, the fact that he spent nearly three hours at the crease in the second knock, showed mental strength that should please him.
South Africa’s batting remains a work in progress despite the results achieved this summer. Elgar, Bavuma and to a lesser extent Van der Dussen have provided stability and of course Petersen was sublime against India, but it is still a batting unit that is finding itself.
Bangladesh’s bowlers gave the Proteas a thorough examination in Durban, from how the off-spinner Mehidy Hassan provided control throughout to how Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain delivered reverse swing in the second innings.
The home team didn’t cope well in that second innings and Elgar and the coaching staff will spend time ahead of the second Test poring over data, but also the thinking of the batters while they were at the crease.
“We were fortunate that we had a lot of runs in the bank, but I wanted more, because it's the style of cricket we want to play going forward. If your intensity is at the right level, your batting will be at a higher level as well,” Elgar explained.
IOL Sport