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The Proteas' Test depth is enviable

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada - great in all forms of the game. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Expert
28th November, 2016
26

The most remarkable aspect about South Africa’s commanding Test series victory in Australia was that they achieved it with little or no input from four key players.

Those quality cricketers are all-time great batsmen AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla, and intimidating new ball pair Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.

All four of those men have fantastic records against Australia and, combined, own 661 wickets and more than 17,000 runs in Test cricket. When South Africa last toured Australia each of them had standout Test series as the Proteas triumphed 1-0.

De Villiers and Amla together crunched 653 runs at an average of 59 across that three-Test series. Meanwhile, it was Steyn and Morkel who carried the Proteas attack, combining for 26 wickets at 29.

When Australia ventured to South Africa in early 2014 and beat the home side 2-1, Amla, De Villiers and Steyn each had a brilliant series.

This time around, however, De Villiers missed the series through injury, Morkel was left out of the team, Steyn went down injured midway through the first Test and Amla had no impact with the bat, averaging just 19.

Into this gaping void stepped Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott, Temba Bavuma, and Keshav Maharaj.

Bavuma’s series return of 162 runs at 32 looks ordinary but when the series was on the line the pint-sized batsman stood up. In the first Test at Perth, the 26-year-old arrived at the crease with his side in disarray at 4-32 on the opening day.

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Together with de Kock he soaked up the pressure and calmly stroked his way to a crucial half-century, which allowed the Proteas to post a competitive total.

At Hobart South Africa’s top six again crumbled, leaving them reeling at 4-76. Once more it was Bavuma and de Kock to the rescue. By the time they had finished their 160-run stand South Africa were in an impregnable position. In both Tests Bavuma showed a fine temperament and a compact, uncomplicated technique. He was untroubled by the short ball and left deliveries well.

Bavuma is currently positioned at six but he looks capable of batting anywhere in the order. He has the game to potentially succeed Hashim Amla at first drop in the coming years. Batting behind him at seven, de Kock is the best cricketer on the planet under the age of 25.

Like Bavuma he would not look out of place far higher up the order. For now, however, de Kock is a weapon at seven. He has made such an impression this summer that ex-players Ricky Ponting and Michael Vaughan compared him to Australian legend Adam Gilchrist, the greatest keeper-batsman in cricket history.

South Africa's Quinton de Kock celebrates making 100 runs

De Kock is gifted enough to match the extraordinary feats of Gilchrist. Similar to Gilchrist he is a versatile batsman who is equally adept at steadying his side after a collapse or ramming home the advantage once a platform has been set.

His glovework is still some way short of the standard set by Gilchrist but, at just 23 years of age, he has many years to sharpen it.

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In 21-year-old quick Kagiso Rabada, South Africa may have the second most talented young cricketer in the world. After 11 Tests, Rabada has the fantastic record of 44 wickets at 24.

What first catches the eye with Rabada is his unnerving pace, intimidating bouncers and searing yorkers. The more you watch this young man, however, the more you notice his uncommon intelligence. It is rare to see a fast bowler of his age who sets up batsman as cleverly as Rabada.

While de Kock and Rabada are prodigies, Abbott is somewhat of a late bloomer. Finally, at the age of 29, he appears on the verge of cementing his Test spot.

For years he was stuck behind the elite pace trio of Steyn, Morkel and Vernon Philander. Then along strode Rabada to push Abbott further back in the pecking order. Now, with Steyn facing a long-term injury and Morkel out of favour, Abbott has a gilded opportunity.

South Africa’s next Test assignment is in New Zealand where the likely seaming pitches should be tailor made for the accurate Abbott. The tall right armer is similar to Philander and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood in that he does not swing the ball prodigiously or possess great pace.

Instead he plays on the patience of batsmen, landing delivery after delivery on a tight line and length to create pressure and, eventually, a false stroke.

Maharaj employs a similar method with his left arm spin. He is not the type of tweaker who will run through a side with mesmerising spells like Pakistan’s Yasir Shah or India’s Ravi Ashwin.

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Instead he seeks to tie up one end and build pressure upon which his pace colleagues can capitalise. South Africa’s pace stocks are so supreme that they do not need a match-winning spinner. What they require is a reliable, frugal tweaker who can offer control to his skipper.

The Proteas have not had such a slow bowler since Paul Harris played the last of his Tests almost six years ago.

In his debut series, Maharaj was the most economical bowler from either side, giving up just 2.47 runs per over. Strangely he was dumped for the last Test in favour of the more attacking but less dependable Tabraiz Shamsi. The chinaman bowler took 2-150 on debut, with one of those wickets being batting bunny Nathan Lyon.

Maharaj impressed Australian fans with his accuracy and loop. He also offers greater depth in the tail with his enterprising batting. The Proteas would be wise to give Maharaj a decent run as the first-choice spinner.

In he, Rabada, de Kock, Abbott and Bavuma, the Proteas have enviable depth beyond the star bunch of de Villiers, Steyn, Amla, Morkel, Philander and Faf du Plessis.

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