SA Test captain Dean Elgar pleased with team's depth

02 March 2022 - 10:34
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SA Test captain Dean Elgar put on a masterstroke when he decided to bat after winning the toss in the series deciding Test against New Zealand.
SA Test captain Dean Elgar put on a masterstroke when he decided to bat after winning the toss in the series deciding Test against New Zealand.
Image: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

SA captain Dean Elgar is pleased with the all-round performance by the Proteas after the team dominated all facets of the game in their second and final Test against New Zealand in Christchurch to draw the two-match series 1-1.

The Proteas were rolled over in the first Test and suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 276 runs, but were good value for the series levelling win as they turned the tables on the Black Caps and dished out one of the finest comebacks in the history of Test cricket to win by 198 runs.

“It was good to see the young guys come in and test our depth,” said Elgar.

Debutant 32-year-old Sarel Erwee failed in his first Test, but showed he has a place at this level with a classy maiden 100 in the first innings of the second Test, and so did 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne, whose unbeaten 136 in the second innings knocked the wind out of the Kiwis' sails.

Sarel Erwee celebrates his century during day one of the second Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval on February 25 2022 in Christchurch.
Sarel Erwee celebrates his century during day one of the second Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval on February 25 2022 in Christchurch.
Image: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

“We had Sarel come in and get 100 in his first Test series and showed what he is made of and it is great to see him influence our batting unit,” said Elgar.

"Sarel is a bit older and understands the concept of hard work. He is an inexperienced Test cricketer, but he is not an inexperienced cricketer in the bigger scheme of things."

Verreynne has impressed Elgar in how he has been able to step up to the keeper role of retired Quinton de Kock and smashed his maiden ton in just his sixth match.

“Quinton de Kock who has retired, and those are big shoes to fill,” Elgar said.

“For him to come out to play his natural style of cricket in the second innings and get his first 100 was brilliant.

“It’s great for him as a player and his confidence.”

Verreynne, after scoring his first century, said doubts were planted in his head after the public and media put the microscope on him after five matches and Elgar lamented that it was premature and unfair to look at the young keeper with a magnifying-glass so early in his Test career.

“Kyle has been around for some time, he is inexperienced in Test cricket and maybe a lot of scrutiny has been put on him too early in his career, which is unfair, bearing in mind he has a huge role to play in this side being a wicketkeeper-batter.

“Great to see him come in and do what he does best,” Elgar said of the player who averages over 50 at domestic level.

“He has been doing it at domestic level and I am sure he is going to continue his good run of form.”

SA wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne celebrates his maiden hundred during day four of the second and final Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Chirstchurch on February 27 2022.
SA wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne celebrates his maiden hundred during day four of the second and final Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Chirstchurch on February 27 2022.
Image: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

After an out of sorts bowling display in the embarrassing defeat in the first Test, SA rang the changes with Stuurman, who struggled on his debut, and Duanne Olivier making way for Lutho Sipamla and Wiaan Mulder while Zubayr Hamza was dropped for Keshav Maharaj.

The team nailed the tactical changes to the mast as Elgar was impressed with how Sipamla, Mulder and Maharaj influenced the result of the second Test to save the series.

“We had a good squad effort, I would like to think, and we had some old guys put their hands up and influence our performance.

“Wiaan has always had a huge work rate and his work ethic is good, you can’t doubt him on that.

“He sometimes lets himself down by over-thinking the game, but I think that comes with inexperience. The more he plays at this level the better he is going to get.

“There is no doubt he has got the talent and ability. He just needs to keep doing the right things.

“It was good to see him come in and put on a good partnership with Kyle and extend our lead, which was vitally important for us, especially because the start of day four could have gone pear shaped for us and lost a few wickets.

“It was great to see young guys stay calm and notch up runs for us.”

TimesLIVE


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