South Africa captain Temba Bavuma is looking for his frontline batsmen to score quicker when they take on the West Indies in the second match of their two-Test series, starting in Georgetown, Guyana on Wednesday.
The first Test in Port of Spain was drawn after rain curtailed play on three of the five days.
“The batters need to be a lot more ruthless. The guys who get the opportunity to settle in, must really go on and get a base score for the team that will give us a lot more time from a bowling point of view,” Bavuma told a press conference on Wednesday. “There was obviously a little bit of frustration at the fact that with a little bit more time, a result could have been possible.”
It is expected to be a docile pitch in Guyana, as it was in Trinidad and Tobago where South Africa attempted to bowl out the West Indians in the last two sessions of the final day but fell five wickets short.
“I think the bowlers did as best as they could, considering what was in front of them. There was a miraculous effort from Keshav (Maharaj), basically bowling of half the overs of the innings.”
Bavuma was among three South Africans along with Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs who scored half-centuries in the first Test. “The confidence is growing within the team, it’s a young, inexperienced side. I think it’s just a case of us working on that, putting it all together, which I believe will really make us a formidable team,” Bavuma added.
Teenage prodigy named in SA T20 squad for WI series
Teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka and all-rounder Jason Smith have been called up to South Africa’s Twenty20 squad for the first time for a three-match series in the West Indies, Cricket South Africa announced on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old Maphaka was named player of the tournament at this year’s under-19 World Cup in South Africa and later landed a contract in the IPL. “Several players were not considered for this series due to either injury, being in a conditioning block that is related to workload management, or their participation in ongoing T20 leagues,” said coach Rob Walter.
The three matches will all be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago on Aug 23, 25 and 27.
SquadAiden Markram, (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.
