Batting ‘remains an achilles heel’ for Proteas, says Conrad

Rather than fret over the Test batting unit’s inconsistent output, Shukri Conrad understands it's best for him and the players to take it in their stride as they look to build the foundations of a strong team. 

The Proteas head coach knows there is room for improvement despite his side winning a series in the West Indies, thanks to their victory in the second Test in Georgetown Guyana that concluded late on Saturday night South African time. The first Test was drawn.

“We did a lot of things really well, but there were a few things where we did not do so well, specially in the batting department. That remains a bit of an achilles heel for us,” Conrad said. 

The statistics indicate as much. Five batters made fifties across the two Tests against the West Indies but no-one scored a hundred, with Temba Bavuma’s 86 in the first Test the highest score for the Proteas. 

For all the talk after the dreary draw in Trinidad about batting quicker, there is a greater need for the Proteas to bat longer and bigger. 

“With young and inexperienced Test batters, you almost factor that in. You will have a few aberrations with the bat, but the vital signs are there that we can become a really good Test unit,” Conrad said. 

Tony de Zorzi, who played his first matches as an opener in the series, Tristan Stubbs, who batted at No 3 for the first time, and David Bedingham have 15 Test matches between them. Some of the greatest South African batters, including Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, needed more time than that to get accustomed to the rigours of Test batting. 

In the second Test the Proteas folded to 97/9 in the first innings, at one stage losing four wickets for 19 runs in the second innings, and five wickets for 23 at another. 

“It's experience you need. Our bowlers will always keep us in the contest because they are high-quality and it's for our batters to gain the necessary experience. With that you will find less soft dismissals, less falling over when bowlers do well and we will be able to put up more of a fight with the bat.”

A more seamer-friendly surface in Guyana — something Conrad said surprised both teams — played a part too, as did the quality of the respective bowling line-ups. But in forging crucial partnerships for the 10th wicket in the first innings between Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger, with 63, and then 85 for the seventh between Kyle Verreynne and player of the match Wiaan Mulder in the second dig, the Proteas were able to keep their noses in front.

Then Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada, two of only three players in the squad with more than 50 caps, were able to secure the 40-run victory. 

The Proteas’ next scheduled tour is to Bangladesh, but there is some doubt about whether that will take place in October because of ongoing political violence in that country which led to the ousting of its president. 

Conrad said he would continue to plan as if the tour was going ahead. He said Cricket SA is awaiting word from the ICC. The global mother body is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday about whether the Women’s T20 World Cup, which Bangladesh is supposed to host earlier in October, will go ahead there. 

If it is moved, it’s likely the Proteas men’s tour will also have to be rescheduled or hosted at a different venue. 

Zimbabwe, which expressed its interest in hosting the women’s tournament, and the UAE  are the two main candidates to host the event should the ICC choose to remove it from Bangladesh.