SA will have to adapt to a reshaped bowling attack when they face Australia in Thursday’s opening Dafabet One Day International, with captain Temba Bavuma acknowledging that four hamstring injuries have left the Proteas with some questions to answer.
Kwena Maphaka was the latest Proteas bowler to pick up an injury, with CSA announcing on Wednesday that the left-arm quick would not play a part in the three-match series starting in Durban.
The young seamer joined fellow fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Ottniel Baartman, who are all unavailable due to injury, leaving Marco Jansen, his twin brother Duan, Gerald Coetzee, Corbin Bosch, Nqobani Mokoena and Lizaad Williams, who replaced Maphaka, as the only seam options for the series.
Bavuma said the Proteas were not ignoring the pattern of injuries, while stressing that work was already under way to establish where they could improve.
“We are working tirelessly to kind of identify and find the problems that we have,” the skipper said.
“It is concerning. We don’t shy away from that, but we are working together to see where we can be a lot better in terms of managing them off the field.”
He said this placed greater responsibility on some of those still available, with communication and self-management becoming increasingly important.
Left-arm paceman Marco Jansen is likely to be central to that plan, with the all-rounder now one of the most experienced pace options available and his twin Duan having come into the squad following Baartman’s injury.
For Bavuma, however, the challenge extends beyond simply finding replacements, with the Proteas needing to make the most of the resources available to them.
“We definitely have to adapt. We’ll look into the depth that we have within our fast bowling resources and call upon those guys when required,” he said.
“We’ll finalise our team, see what’s the best eleven based on the conditions we encounter and move forward from there.”
That adaptability will also be required from the batting group, particularly with SA facing an Australian attack that will itself be rotated across the three-match series.
Bavuma said the absence of some of SA’s leading bowlers should not automatically translate into additional pressure on the batsmen, though he urged the top order to provide the attack with enough runs.
“We need to give the bowlers something to bowl to, something to defend.
“There’s an opportunity to get a score over 350 if we do so.
“But we wouldn’t want to put any extra pressure on those already there.
“And the guys who come in as well, [we know] they’re super capable.”
The series marks an opportunity for SA to rediscover their rhythm in the 50-over format, with Bavuma admitting that the ODI side has not had much time together recently.
“I think there’s a strong desire to go back to our ODI record of late and make sure that we bring our best when we take to the field.
“The immediate priority is getting the side back into competitive ODI cricket mode after a period dominated by franchise and domestic action,” he said.
He believes the opening exchanges will therefore be important as both sides settle into the series.
“I think whichever team has the most hunger and desire can lay the foundation early on; I think that is the one that will be victorious.
“A lot of us haven’t had the opportunity to dust off our cobwebs outside of domestic and franchise cricket.
“That’s international cricket. Those are challenges we can adapt to and answer questions posed as quickly as possible.”
The Proteas squad is: Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Aiden Markram*, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Duan Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Nqobani Mokoena, Lizaad Williams, Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin.
*Markram is only available for the second and third ODIs.
- Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.
The Herald