To spin, or not to spin?

17 December 2014 - 02:01 By Telford Vice
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RESPECTED: Going beyond boundaries is nothing new to Hashim Amla, a player who makes his own moulds and then breaks them
RESPECTED: Going beyond boundaries is nothing new to Hashim Amla, a player who makes his own moulds and then breaks them
Image: REUTERS

Test captains usually conduct their press conferences in splendid isolation from each other - always at different times, sometimes at different venues.

But yesterday, the eve of the first Test between South Africa and West Indies at Centurion, the table was set for two. And there they were - Hashim Amla and Denesh Ramdin together behind the microphones.

"It feels like a bit of a boxing match, but it's all right," Amla said.

Not that there was any chance of fisticuffs between two of the most polite men in cricket. When the talking was done, Amla offered a mannered "thanks Denesh". Ramdin responded with "all the best".

Too bloody civilised, by half. How one of them will be able to toss the ball to a fast bowler this morning with instructions to, "put it up his nose" is a question worth pondering.

An answer was not blowing in the wind. It was singing on the roof: rain is forecast to soak the region until Sunday, Saturday excepted.

That would sap the spice out of the confrontation. It would also complicate the decision on whether to deploy a spinner or fire with fast bowlers on all cylinders.

"It does add favour for [an all-pace attack]," Amla said.

The visitors were also undecided. But Ramdin was sure that "when we get down there and pick our team, our fast bowlers will give the South Africans a good challenge".

Robin Peterson and Sulieman Benn, left-arm spinners both, are thus waiting to see if they're wanted.

Selection convenor Andrew Hudson described Stiaan van Zyl as the "logical replacement" for the injured JP Duminy, who bats at No7.

Yesterday, Amla said Van Zyl had "a very good chance" of getting a game. But he added: "If he does play, I don't think he'll bat at No7."

Might Van Zyl, the Cobras' No3, open in place of Alviro Petersen?

That way, there would be room for four seamers and a spinner. However, SA would then rely on six batsmen and not seven.

The Windies look like unleashing left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell, who took 5/16 in 6.1 overs in a tour match against an SA Invitation XI in Benoni last week.

SA have won two of Amla's three Tests in charge and drawn the other, all of them played away.

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