Proteas will need to attack the stumps: Temba Bavuma

Adopting a more direct approach with the ball will be key to victory, Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said as his side prepared to face Sri Lanka in the crucial second Test in Gqeberha on Thursday.

Speaking at the captain’s media conference at Dafabet St George’s Park on Wednesday, Bavuma said it was not an easy ground to play on and he identified key areas his side would need to be efficient in executing.

“We will judge on day one, have a look at conditions, adapt and play accordingly,” Bavuma said.

“The difference here [at St George’s Park] is you want to bring the stumps into play, so guys have spoken about bowling straighter lines [compared with those in Durban].

“Whether we are bowling or batting first [on Thursday] is something for us to consider.

“It probably won’t be as quick as we are accustomed to, so the adjustments will happen after day one.”

Bavuma made his debut at the Nelson Mandela Bay landmark in 2014 and has played five Test matches at the venue since, scoring only one half-century across the eight innings during that period.

Asked what made Test cricket such a challenging assignment in Gqeberha, Bavuma said it was a surface that was not more favourable to one facet of the game than the other.

“It is one of the better wickets in the country, where there is something in it for the batters and bowlers with the new ball, and when the ball gets soft, the spinners also come into play later on in the game,” he said. 

“It really makes for a proper test of your skills because games don’t often end in two, two-and-a-half days, so you have to be in it for the long haul.”

The combative right-hander leads a team showing two changes from the one that claimed a commanding 233-run victory over the same opponents in the first Test in Durban last week.

Batsman Ryan Rickelton and seamer Dane Paterson have been drafted to replace Wiaan Mulder and Gerald Coetzee, who suffered injuries during the first encounter.

The two were the only new faces in the XI named by red-ball coach Shukri Conrad.

Going with a seven-four split in favour of the batsmen, Bavuma was happy with the group’s composition, saying they did not want to make any unforced changes to what had been working for them. 

“We were happy with the resources we have from a seam-bowling point of view, so that is why we went with three frontline seamers, with Kesh coming in as the seam option while Aiden can also do a job there. 

“Looking at the way the team is made up, we always wanted to try to get as many runs as we can on the board, so Rickelton coming in as the extra batter gives us that opportunity, and encourages us to keep playing in the manner we have been speaking about.”

Proteas’ starting XI: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson.

Reuters