Australia’s four-Test tour of South Africa kicks off on Thursday with their sole warm-up match. So what lessons for Australia emerged from the Proteas’ recent home series against Test number one team India?
SA’s pace bowling depth is even better than Australia’s
As if the quartet of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada wasn’t frightening enough, the Proteas unearthed a new potential spearhead against India, in Lungi Ngidi.
The 21-year-old made his Test debut having played only a paltry nine first-class matches, yet had an immediate impact, taking 6-39 in the second innings to lead his side to a 135-run win.
Ngidi was the quickest bowler in that Test, consistently operating above 140kmh and pushing the speed gun as high as 150kmh. The powerfully-built youngster is not just sharp, he also earns disconcerting lift thanks to his 193cm frame.
He was particularly impressive with the old ball, earning reverse swing on occasions, and getting it to leap off the surface even when it had gone soft.
Ngidi looks like the kind of quick who batsmen can never relax against because of his ability to produce the unexpected.
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SA’s middle-to-lower order is a weakness
With all-time greats AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla, skipper Faf du Plessis, and in-form openers Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram in the home side’s top five, it will be hard yakka for the Australian bowlers to break through.
But once they do, the game could really open up.
The Proteas may well play five bowlers, just as they did in all three Tests against India, which leaves them with a seriously out-of-form Quentin de Kock at six, followed by the tail.
The Aussies have seen the best of De Kock, who was superb on their last tour Down Under, making 281 runs at 56. But that De Kock was almost unrecognisable to the version who floundered against India.
In the young keeper-batsman’s last eight Tests, he has averaged just 14 with the bat and appears to have lost sense of his off stump, regularly poking at deliveries which could be left alone.
Once the tourists get past him they could encounter five bowlers and, as they showed during the Ashes, Australia’s intimidating quicks are adept at scything through tails.
Which only makes their battle with the top five all the more pivotal.
South Africa’s Quinton de Kock. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Philander is the biggest bowling threat
South Africa have may have four genuinely fast and intimidating Test quicks – Steyn, Rabada, Morkel and Ngidi – yet it is the comparatively innocuous-looking Philander Australia should be most concerned about.
With the prospect of juicy pitches, Philander may well his side’s most important bowler. As we saw in the last Ashes in England, and in Hobart in 2016, on green pitches, precision always trumps pace.
No bowler in world cricket lands more deliveries in testing areas than Philander. That’s why he can terrorise batting line-ups despite bowling at a gentle pace and being just 176cm tall.
Philander took 15 wickets at 15 in the three Tests against India, taking his home record in Tests to an astonishing 113 wickets at 18.
He is a nightmare match-up for rookie Test opener Cameron Bancroft, who has a major weakness in his defence against pitched-up, straight deliveries.
South Africa’s Vernon Philander. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Keshav Maharaj is not on the same level as Nathan Lyon
South Africa’s left-arm spinner has made a very impressive start to his Test career, taking 57 wickets at 27 from his 16 matches. Those are elite statistics over a 16-match period for a veteran, let alone a rookie.
Yet those numbers flatter Maharaj. He is a solid spinner, no doubt, but remains a class below Australia’s Lyon.
Playing against India is arguably the biggest challenge for any modern Test spinner and, while Lyon excelled on the subcontinent last year, Maharaj flopped against them at home.
During Australia’s four Tests in India, Lyon matched the performance of the world’s number one ranked Test off-spinner Ravi Ashwin. Maharaj, meanwhile, in two Tests against India took 1-125 and going at 3.5 runs per over. Compare that to Ashwin, who took seven wickets at 30 and gave up only 2.8 runs per over.
Whereas the Indian batsmen frequently were beaten in the flight by Lyon last year, they had no such troubles reading the length of Maharaj.
If the pitches are as moist as the ones India received, Maharaj is unlikely to have an impact.
Mark Butters
Roar Rookie
I fear for Bancroft, Khawaja, Marshes and Paine against this attack. Fresh from the docile Australian pitches to South Africa who have been playing tests on their wickets against quality opposition. Throw in the fact that Warner has been trying to slap a white ball around for the last month and it's a concern.
Steve Baggaley
Roar Rookie
It shapes as an exciting series and if SA bowl as they did in Aus last time then I fear for those of dubious technique: Bancroft of the crooked down swing, S. Marsh and Kawaja lacking forward momentum when driving and Handscomb, well, he must be incredibly talented to be where he is with that technique. Added to that is the lack of warm up matches. Aussies should be ready by the fourth test. It's little wonder why so many overseas teams struggle. Something seriously needs to be done about that. Having said all that, SA have looked awesome on paper for years and apart from their great victory in Aus, don't have much to show for it. South Africa by 24 points.
Bazza
Guest
If the pitch has bounce it will favour Lyon just like sk warne loved bounce.
Rob
Guest
Okay Cunning it appears Smith gets out to Spin more regularly than to pace. Maybe Smith is better than some others like Warner and UK but that doesn't make him a great player of spin IMO. He's a great bat but not a great player of spin if you looked at the stats or his dismissals? Especially with the ball going across him. Yasi Shah has dismissed Smith 6 out of (9) innings Hearth. 5 out of (6)(left arm orthodox) Taijul Islam. 2 out of (4)(left arm orthodox) Jadeja, 4 out of (12) (left arm orthodox) Kaneria 2 out of (4)(left arm orthodox) M. Ali 3 out of (15) he averages 40 with the ball. Bowling round the wicket? Bishoo 1 out of (1) That's just to prove even a West Indian averaging 35 with the ball is a chance. How this one Jomel Warrican (left arm orthodox) 4 Tests for WI. average 76 against Australia. His wickets are Smith, Warner, Shaun Marsh, Burns, Mitch Marsh. The young South African Maharaj has already taken Smith's wicket in a Test. What Bollocks?
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Your first sentence is bollocks.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Oh snap, well done Fergus!
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
I think Shaun Marsh will have a very good series. He's in form and traditionally likes the types of decks available in SA. He is still prone to nicking in the first few overs, so Philander will be a challenge, but if he gets through that, he could make some serious hay!
vikram
Guest
is there any chance of playing 2 slow bowlers? . i m sure the middle order of SA hate it . might be easy test winns for Australia.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
I never said i believed so, you just assumed that. I said "it remains to be seen, keep in mind he's in career best form" where is the he will succeed in that?. I don't believe marsh deserves to be in the team or deserved all the opportunities he's gotten (unbelievably bias when you drop others after 1-3 tests or players doing okay like burns). But i can see that at number six given how he performed this summer he would be a valuable player for the team. Will south africa expose mitch marsh? Probably Is it a certainty? No Therefore it remains to be seen as i said. We cannot predicate the future, mitch marshs 181 proved that.
Bakkies
Guest
Australia won by 400 runs. Broad and Anderson were like club bowlers on that pitch so the curators turned up with seamers for the next two tests.
AREH
Roar Guru
Yeah, far more positive - an innings somewhat out of character. Perhaps he is changing his approach to include more regular scoring and turning the strike over, which could surely only help his batting. Will certainly go places this kid, and when he does eventually get back into the test side, he might stay there for a long time.
Mitcher
Guest
Yet you’re the one bringing up the Ashes as the first item of business on an article praising the Aus SA series. You’re either a stirrer or a complete donkey.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
Fair points, but Renshaw has been in a terrible form slump and its a brave call to replace a failing bat with one who himself failed rather recently and hasn't had a long period of time to regain confidence. You are right Watson wasn't too shabby an opener. To be perfectly honest until latter in his career when his technical issue got targeted he thoroughly deserved his place in the side.
Rob
Guest
Renshaw's Test average 36. Bancroft Test average 25.57. In Renshaw's last 8 Test innings overseas he averaged 18 and got dropped. He averaged 52 on Australian pitches and 44 against South Africa. Bancroft has averaged <16 in his last 6 innings on Australian Roads. Watson's average of 40 opening the bat is not that shabby?
Rob
Guest
Test average of less than 30, FC average 31. Overseas average 22. Average against SA 13. Last 7 FC bats average <18. I'm not sure Mitch Marsh is a top 6 batsmen at Test level and doubt he will do well against this South African line up, but if you believe so go for it.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
Burns has more right to go to SA then Renshaw, one feather does not a pillow make (or to put it in cricket terms one century does not a season make). Also Handscombe was up to test standard, whether its a technical issue or a form slump is unclear, both can be resolved in time so there's still time for him. With regards to Bancroft i'd agree he's had his opportunity but i wouldn't be too disappointed to see him receive one more chance. However, if his technical issue persists and he gets out to it again he shouldn't see the light of day on this tour, shane watson proved test cricket is no place to work on technique. Also if its an issue which has plagued him at domestic level he shouldn't play as he's no chance of fixing it, if it's recently acquired i'd believe he could fix it in the time which has been available to him.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
That remains to be seen, keep in mind he's in career best form.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
Thanks Marfu but it was hardly exhaustive, just detailed enough to get my point across in a way which is easily followed, but now that i think about it i did go a bit overboard (well you never can have to many stats but it was a long post). If i could get rid of those two grammatical mistakes i would definitely take that beer.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
170 at a strike rate of 78, not bad at all. If he keeps going like this hopefully he can pick up the ropes if bancroft or burns fails, but one big innings is a small sample size and its at the G the biggest feather-bed of the summer so far. Time will tell if he's truly back on track.
Fergus
Roar Rookie
Your boundless optimism fills my heart with joy