No team – no matter how good their bowling attack – can overcome a string of mediocre Test totals poorly compiled. No number of games against tough opponents is going to help a batting team that is technically deficient and limited in their shot-making ability.
I’ve often said about the great Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee that you had to overcome his great ability first and then you had to deal with his iron will. That is how good bowlers operate. There have been times when I have felt the South Africans lacked that required iron will.
It’s also worth remembering the practical words of talented Australian batter Mark Waugh: “Hit the top of off with the occasional bouncer used to work.” That age-old cricket proverb still applies.
Then there are field placings for the current bowlers when considering the improvement and extra thickness of bats. It always pays to start with a packed slip cordon, as edges off the new ball continue to be a high-percentage way to rid yourself of good top-order batters. And when those players survive the early period and start to punish the bowling, a captain has to be agile in his thinking. Sending slip fielders to places like point and square leg is more likely to result in catches than giving good batters easy singles by moving men prematurely into the deep. There comes a time when a batter is well set and deep fielders have to be considered but the fielding team is already in trouble by the time that happens.
If the captaincy relates to the cricket being played, it’s generally good. If, however, it doesn’t relate to the actual play, you’re right to assume it’s poor.
On the subject of starting, why isn’t Nortje taking the new ball along with Kagiso Rabada? The best chance of taking wickets is at the start of a player’s innings. The most likely wicket-takers, if they are good, are the faster bowlers and it’s imperative they get the new ball. Nortje is a far better bowling proposition than an out-of-form and much slower Lungi Ngidi.
Keshav Maharaj has potential as a spinner but if he’s used as a containing bowler, that’s a mistake. Most of the time a captain has to seek wickets at both ends. Bowlers are wicket-takers; otherwise they shouldn’t be in a Test side. Having a player operate as a holding bowler means his ability is diminished.
Taking 20 wickets to win a Test is the hardest thing in the game but it’s also among the most rewarding. The job of batters is to score runs quickly enough to allow their bowlers the time to collect those 20 wickets.
The South African batters aren’t anywhere near doing their job. However, the better South African bowlers could improve their performance if they were provided with more inspiring leadership and competitive field placings.
