I trust all my fans are enjoying my column. Some parts of the country are experiencing extremely hot weather conditions at the moment and please make sure to stay well hydrated.
Thursday was without a doubt the strangest day of Test cricket I have ever heard of. I was away at training in the morning and came back just as South Africa went in to bat. I took a short nap and when I turned on the TV again we were all out for 96! Then I had to go to a meeting and when I returned Australia were all out for 47. This created the gap South Africa needed to get the runs and win the game – which they did in a mere three days.
No-one could have predicted the turn of events. In fact I would have thought the Newlands wicket would be batsman-friendly. Not that you can blame the wicket entirely. There was obviously some excellent bowling, by Watson and Philander especially, but the batsmen must take some blame for panicking and folding under the pressure. It should never have happened and lets hope both sides learn a lesson from this.
Despite what happened in the first Test, if I were to choose between Newlands and The Wanderers as a Test venue to bowl at I would definitely go for The Wanderers. As a fast bowler I always felt there was something in it for me there.
The ball carries better in the thin air and there is pace and bounce on the pitch. There is also the possibility that you can get one or two balls to do something unusual.
So, you feel that you are always in with a chance of getting a wicket, even when the batsmen in is well established. For me the game was always on when I bowled at the bullring.
I do think that it has changed in recent times, however. Maybe the reason lies in the preparation of the wickets. There were times when Tests up there were all over inside three days, but that doesn’t happen so much anymore.
You have to wonder if they are trying to produce wickets that will see the contest stretch over all five days now. Whatever the reason, in recent games, it seems like the spinners get something out of the pitch towards the end of the game.
So it’s important to choose a frontline spinner who can hold up one end, and have a part-timer as second spinner to relieve him.
As far as selection is concerned, it’s obvious that the fast bowlers can only operate in short spells, especially in these hot weather conditions, so you have to have the spinners to hold up one end while you rotate your quicks at the other.
To beat Australia everyone has to be at their best. It comes down to what I call being the “captain of your own space”. Each player needs to take control of his own fitness, and we don’t stand a chance if everyone is not in top shape. And each player has to play a leadership role. Whether you are batting, bowling or fielding, you make decisions when you are in play and the rest of the team must support you.
It also applies to the technical aspects of your game. Every player knows his own weaknesses and it’s up to him to improve on them.
If everyone does all of that, I can’t see us losing the series. I am looking forward to seeing what happens at The Wanderers. South Africa will have the upper edge being 1 up, but never underestimate the Australians.
THE POWERADE CHOSEN ONE for this week has to debutant Vernon Philander for his sterling bowling performance. He is derinitely my Powerade Chosen One
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