SA, where are the runs?

Captain Dean Elgar’s criticism of the Gabba pitch appears a camouflage; his batters are just not providing big totals to the bowlers

South Africa are a flawed batting team and comments by captain Dean Elgar regarding a dangerous Gabba pitch and lack of matches against tough opponents tend to act as camouflage.

No team—no matter how good their attack—can overcome a string of mediocre Test totals, poorly compiled. No amount of games against tough opponents are going to help a batting team that is technically deficient and limited in their shot-making ability.

However, whilst the bowling attack possesses real ability, their wicket-taking capability could be drastically improved. There’s no doubt taking wickets currently compared with the 1970’s is different, mainly because of the great improvement in bats.

Nevertheless, the current South African attack is handicapped by their own poor batting. A team that are regularly provided with low scores and have to be constantly back bowling after yet another failure by their batting side finds its strength sapping as well as they become demoralised.

Unaware of how it’s done

The speedster Anrich Nortje aside, the rest of the attack could have performed better in Australia with improved leadership. Elgar, like many of his fellow international leaders, is not well versed in captaincy on Australian pitches.

The bowlers must first understand that producing the odd really good ball interspersed with some dispatchable deliveries won’t win much in Australia. Bowlers have to keep producing good deliveries to talented batsmen and their demeanour has to alert opponents to their wicket-taking desire.

I’ve often said about great Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee: “First you had to overcome his great ability and then you had to deal with his iron will.”

That is how good bowlers operate, but there were times when I felt the South Africans lacked that required iron will.

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It’s also worth remembering the practical words of talented Australian batsman 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 players.

It’s when those players survive the early period and start to punish the bowling that a captain has to be agile in his thinking. Dispensing slip fielders to places like point and square-leg is more likely to result in a catch than giving good batsmen easy singles by moving men prematurely into the deep.

Captaincy crucial

There comes a time when a batsman is well set and deep fielders have to be considered, but the fielding team are 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 then you are 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 players’ 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 then it’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 the 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 batsmen is to score runs quickly enough to allow their bowlers the time to collect those 20 wickets. 

The South African batsmen aren’t anywhere near doing their job. However, the better South African bowlers could be improved if they were provided with more inspiring leadership and competitive field placings.

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