Johannesburg - Backyard battles with his twin brother Duan, have meant that despite Marco Jansen being a callow youth, he’s happy to engage in verbal scraps with opponents old enough to be his uncle.
It was Jansen’s inaction with Neil Wagner, who is never shy to share an opinion, which sparked the late afternoon shift in momentum in Saturday’s play in the second Test between South Africa and New Zealand at Hagley Oval. The hosts had seized back the momentum in the morning session, after the Proteas had dominated the first day’s play.
Wagner, chasing a 10th Test ‘five-for,’ did not take kindly to Jansen smashing him to the long on fence for four midway through the afternoon session.
Wagner chirped, and Jansen replied. It continued in that vein for the next few overs. Wagner, bowled and chirped, Jansen replied, but in addition to his words, three more boundaries followed.
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Keshav Maharaj, his batting partner followed suit and the pair added a critical 62 runs for the ninth wicket, a new record for South Africa against New Zealand and hit Wagner, who claimed 4/102, out of the attack.
“Wagner as always had come hard, especially with the short balls. Me and Kesh decided that we would take the positive option. If it was in our area we were going to capitalise, but obviously not play recklessly, just have a full go,” said Jansen.
“It wasn’t that heated, obviously there were a few words said, it was just two guys going at each, being very competitive.”
Jansen’s exchanges with Wagner, were definitely a far cry from the literal ‘head-to-head’ he had with Jasprit Bumrah at the Wanderers in just his second Test last month. That battle, in which the two players had to be separated, showed that Jansen was not shy - certainly on the field - and he was happy to engage even against one of the best fast bowlers in the world.
Asked if the seeds of that aggression were planted in the backyard brotherly battles, Jansen replied: “I hadn’t thought about it but now you’ve mentioned, my brother and I were quite competitive.”
Jansen said that going into the series with India, he felt he needed to make an immediate impression, which further added to his competitive nature on the field.
“In my first Test against India I viewed it as my only opportunity and it didn't matter what happened I would give everything I had. Look, Bumrah and them didn't bowl slowly and I knew that eventually they would bowl short, and then I had to make a decision; to take it on or to take a step back. Because I felt that I might only get that one chance I decided not to take a backward step so that if I didn’t get another chance, I couldn’t say that I didn’t give it everything I had,” Jansen remarked.
His unbeaten 37, which included six fours, was backed up with two wickets later as South Africa took a 207-run lead into the third day. Although he felt the pitch for the second Test was easier to bat on than was the case in the first match of the series, there was still sufficient assistance if the bowlers put in the effort.
“When I batted it felt like the hard length balls, nipped a bit more, but when you pitch it fuller the ball didn’t do as much.
“We have to try and make them play as much as possible, especially against the new ball.”