Morris engine is purring for Test

11 January 2016 - 09:52 By TELFORD VICE

"Haven't a clue; your guess is as good as mine," Chris Morris said as he ambled back from the nets, still padded up, the day before the second Test against England at Newlands. Would he be picked to play, he had been asked."Chris Morris has good four-day figures, he's played in the SA A game against England, there's uncertainty regarding Dale Steyn's fitness, and we feel Chris Morris is a guy who could do the job," SA coach Russell Domingo had said when Morris was called up as cover for Steyn and his shoulder strain.Morris duly played. The question is being asked again ahead of the third Test at the Wanderers on Thursday.Steyn seems more likely than not to be ruled out of the third Test. However, that would not guarantee Morris a second cap, not with Kyle Abbott having recovered from his hamstring problem and Hardus Viljoen - who came in as cover for Abbott - also in the equation.Morné Morkel, meanwhile, is "in the red zone" in terms of needing a break, according to Domingo. But 68 of the 74 caps SA's attack took into the Newlands match belonged to Morkel.That means Morkel, no matter how weary he might be, will play if Steyn is ruled out, closing the door on Morris.Morris played like he belonged in a Test team.Not only did he help Temba Bavuma add 167, he enjoyed unfurling that cover drive as often as it was required.He also reverse swept Moeen Ali for four. Twice. That he was also dropped twice didn't matter - look in the book: Morris scored 69.Thus cleared for take-off, Morris yorked Root with his swinging first delivery of England's second innings.This time, just 11 scoring shots came off the 72 balls he bowled, many of them with pace and swing.So, should Morris crack the nod for the Wanderers? Yes, and not only because his first-class average there is 19.81, better than Steyn's 21.68 or Morkel's 27.72.Morris should play because of three important truths: can bat, can bowl, can field...

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