Australia must beat South Africa in Durban today to keep alive the five-match ODI series. In winning the first two matches, the Proteas’ pace attack has underlined what a major threat they will pose in Australia this summer.
Australian fans know all too well about the rare gifts of South African spearhead Dale Steyn, who has mauled their side again and again in Tests.
But this ongoing ODI series is the first time many of them will have got a good look at the heir to Steyn’s throne, razor-sharp 21-year-old Kagiso Rabada.
The young Protea is a superstar-in-the-making. And this is not one of those pie-in-the-sky ‘I reckon he could be an amazing bowler in a few years’ type assessments. Rabada already is an incredible cricketer.
He is so good that in July he edged out all-time greats Steyn, AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla to win South Africa’s overall player of the year, as well as the awards for the best player in Tests and ODIs.
At 20 years old, on ODI debut, Rabada snared 6-16 against Bangladesh. Six months later he grabbed 13 wickets in the fourth Test against a rampant England side, which already had secured a series win.
Across all three formats, Rabada so far has hoarded 91 wickets at an average of 23.
He is the real deal. Not since Pat Cummins have I seen a pace bowler who is this good at such a young age. Unfortunately, Cummins’ career has been derailed by injuries. Rabada’s body appears far more resilient, which is crucial when you bowl at the kind of express pace that he and Cummins achieve.(Click to Tweet)
In the opening ODI against Australia last week, Rabada topped out at 153kmh. There are only a handful of bowlers in international cricket capable of reaching such speeds – Australians Cummins, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson, New Zealand’s Adam Milne, West Indies’ Kemar Roach, and Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz.
South Africa also have Steyn and Morne Morkel who, at 32 and 33 years old respectively, are not as sharp as they once were but are still capable of hitting the high 140s.
Rabada, Steyn and Morkel this summer will form the most intimidating Test pace trio to land on Australian shores for 20 years.
The West Indian attack of Curtly Ambrose, Ian Bishop and Courtney Walsh back in 1996-97 is the last such fearsome combination.
The one difference is that, back then, Australian pitches played like Australian pitches. The WACA and Gabba were rocket fast, while the MCG also offered plenty of assistance to the quicks.
More recently, the Australian Test decks have been an embarrassment – featherbeds seemingly designed to ensure the home pacemen didn’t eviscerate the batting line-ups of India, the West Indies and New Zealand, resulting in three or four-day Tests.
One can only hope we aren’t served up similarly benign surfaces this summer.
The first Test against South Africa in four weeks’ time will be held at the WACA, which sported a disgracefully dull deck last summer. Imagine the spectacle of watching Steyn, Morkel, Rabada, Starc and Josh Hazlewood operating on a rock-hard WACA strip?
We should get to see those elite pacemen in their element in the third Test at Adelaide. That match will be played under lights with a pink ball. Last year’s day-night Adelaide Test was the highlight of the summer, thanks to a juicy deck designed to help protect the pink Kookaburra, which wears far more easily than the traditional, red version.
Given the strength of each team’s pace attack, we could see some carnage at Adelaide. That would make a welcome change from the run-fests which have marred the past two Test home summers. And, make no mistake, Rabada will worry the home batsmen just as much as Steyn or Morkel.
Even if the pitches are flat for this series, the South African pace trio should remain threatening, particularly with the new ball.
With Starc having finally realised his immense talent with the red ball, this season shapes as a bonanza for fans of pace bowling.
Tanmoy kar
Guest
It is going to be an interesting contest between the pace bowlers of both sides in the coming Summer Test Series.
Timbo
Guest
On behalf of all poms I must apologise, Ronan, that you're being plagued by English trolls. It must be a constant source of disappointment and frustration for you. Particularly, given your shining reputation for being infinitely fair-minded, balanced and proportionate when discussing anything to do with English cricket or, indeed, England in general. Some people are just incapable of not being one-eyed and narrow-minded, I'm afraid. Difficult for you to understand, I know mate, but don't judge us too harshly.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Ok so in a discussion exclusively around test cricket up to this point you’re now saying Steyn is rubbish because in your view he’s not a great ODI bowler. Who cares. He’s a stunningly good test bowler. If McGrath played ODI cricket in the last 5 years he would have been absolutely destroyed too, the pendulum has swung massively to batsmen in ODI cricket since about 2010, everyone can see that. Btw cherrypicking out a rubbish performance like you did below against Spruce is a rubbish argument, it in fact undermines your whole case because it implies you can’t actually mount a serious argument. I note you can’t explain away Steyn’s strike rate. Maybe you could say why a guy who has taken 416 test wickets at an average of 22 with a strike rate of 39 is not a world class bowler. Tell me that.
spruce moose
Guest
I never said he was a GOAT. I said one of the best bowlers. A critical difference for the literate. Boom! Go to cricinfo and you can read some literature on Dale Steyn. I love how you'd use one match as your entire thesis. Brilliant. Trumpism to the fore here. Take the insular Australian goggles off. It's people like you that give licence to Channel 9 to act as stupidly as they do with cricket commentary. The moment anyone questions whether a non-Australian could possibly be better (such as Ronan did) it's people like you that instantly look to attack. It's shameful.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Spruce Goose " fortunately smart and better people than you or I agree with that assessment." Oh really....??? Please provide me with the reading links which outlines this assessment (unrivalled paragon ) . You must be living in South Africa because I have never heard any former players even talk about him in the conversation as the GOAT . Didn't Dale get carted for 96 and set a South Afircan record today ? Yeah Spruce , the GOAT.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
I rate Steyn , but he is not a well rounded bowler like an abundance of other greats ! Steyn is all pace and lacks bowling intelligence , he has no plan B - hence him getting destroyed constantly in one day cricket - unlike McGrath.
David a Pom
Guest
Not whingeing mate, just pointing out a simple truth that all countries doctor pitches, of which there is nothing wrong, including Australia with their roads.
David a Pom
Guest
Flat pitches aren't sporting, it makes it pretty tough for a touring (especially Asian) side to take 20 wickets. Any touring time would prefer a bit of zip in the pitch so there's a genuine opportunity to take 20 wickets. It's no coincidence the only match India won on their dreadful tour here in England in 2014 was on the greenest Lord's pitch I've ever seen - they took 20 wickets.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Doesn’t matter how much I point out you’re wrong, you just come back with more irrelevant criticisms. Fundamentally you just don’t rate Steyn. I do. As spruce says below he has one of the best strike rates of all time, craps all over every bowler you have named so if that doesn’t prove his greatness to you there’s nothing else I can do.
spruce moose
Guest
Mike Goober, What a pointless response. I'm sure anyone would rather face Steyn to a Marshall. Steyn has spent his entire career bowling in the most batsman friendly era of all time, and still maintains a strike rate in the low 40's, and a 22 average. Not even the great West Indians had those figures. Low averages, sure. Strike rate? No. Steyn is one of the best bowlers of all time (statistically superior to Marshall, and without the luxury of fair pitches either), and fortunately smart and better people than you or I agree with that assessment. I'd prefer to face McGrath instead of Steyn.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Spruce Goose "A 27 average, against what was once a stellar Australian batting line up is a huge achievement. Don’t undercut it " . It may be a huge achievement to you and Dale - but the greatest pace battery of bowlers of all time , WI , excelled to far greater heights and averages against far better Australian teams . I am sure Allan Border and Greg Chapelle would much rather face a Steyn to a Marshall every day of the week .
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Paul D Yes , as I note he has taken one ten wicket haul against Australia in his career - Melbourne 2008 - on a drop in wicket . Perth 2012 - he took seven wickets . Both performances were good but not the norm against Australia . By the end of his career Stuart Broad will have a far better record against Australia than Steyn .
Paul D
Roar Guru
Melbourne 2008 and Perth 2012. That's at least two occasions he decimated us at home.
Drew
Roar Rookie
Australia produces the most sporting pitches in world cricket. The reason for the roads is to ensure the game goes 5 days. Cricket is no longer a sport; it is a product.
Johnno
Guest
It shows how remarkable the Hobart partnership was. But then again if there was DRS, Justin Langer would have been gone early.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Once we get batsmen in they don't even bother bowling Philander. It's odd.
william
Guest
Sadly he is too injury prone and has not played consistently in recent years, that being said if fit I would pick him especially if Morkel is injured
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Which is why it's great that we have 2 day-night Tests this summer, because they can't possibly prepare awful flat, dry wickets for those matches or the pink Kookaburra will fall apart. That's the best thing to come from day-night Tests so far - the fact that it forces the curator to produce a moist, lively wicket to protect the ball, creating a good contest between bat and ball in the process.
Jonty 23
Guest
Sadly one thing is certain again this summer is the "CEO" prepared wickets !
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"The 1999 touring Pakistani attack – Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, not to mention Saqlain Mushtaq. Crikey Moses." That was an incredible attack - I would argue that is the "best" attack that has visited Australia in my time of watching cricket. On reflection it was also just as intimidating/scary as the 1995 Windies attack. There have been pace attacks as good as that Pakistan one (like the Windies 1995 attack) but the fact that Pakistan also had a gun spinner in Saqlain tips the balance in terms of being the "best" attack.