Bosch picks the perfect time to showcase skills and give Proteas upper hand

27 December 2024 - 17:00 By STUART HESS AT SUPERSPORT PARK
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
South Africa's Corbin Bosch celebrates his 50 runs during day 2 of the 1st Test against Pakistan at SuperSport Park.
South Africa's Corbin Bosch celebrates his 50 runs during day 2 of the 1st Test against Pakistan at SuperSport Park.
Image: Lee Warren/Gallo Images

The most pertinent and popular question doing the rounds at SuperSport Park and beyond on Friday was: “How the hell is Corbin Bosch only making his debut now?”

A wicket with his first ball, a four-wicket haul in Pakistan’s first innings and then a momentum changing unbeaten, world record 81 not out that helped the Proteas build a lead of significance thrust Bosch even further into the spotlight as this match unfolded. 

Pakistan were 88/3 at stumps — still two runs in arrears — and though Bosch didn’t take a wicket, there was little doubt about who the player of the day was.

His teammates certainly thought so as they gave him the honour of leading them off the field when bad light stopped play.

They knew that the position of authority they currently hold is primarily down to him, and his role with the bat on day two, which saw him forge two partnerships for the ninth and tenth wickets worth a total of 88 runs 

To be fair to him, Bosch hasn’t worried about why his opportunity to play international cricket has only arrived at the age of 30.

“Five years ago, I was maybe still raw. I think this is the time I was meant to play international cricket,” he said after the first day.

Others have understandably been given opportunities — Andile Phehlukwayo perhaps too many — while Wiaan Mulder's development has also not been as quick as many forecast.

Timing is everything and Bosch has used his seven years as a professional cricketer to strengthen his body and garner experience playing in leagues around the world — including the IPL and Caribbean League.

It was why he so effectively marshalled those last two partnerships with Kagiso Rabada (13) and Dane Paterson (12).

South Africa’s was a precarious position when Aiden Markram — who’d kept the home team’s innings afloat — was dismissed for 89, with the total 213/8. 

They’d lost four wickets for 35 runs in 10 overs and were on the brink of surrendering control of the match after bowling Pakistan out for 211 shortly after tea on the first day. 

There were a lot of irresponsible shots from Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen, who all fiddled outside off stump giving Pakistan’s slip cordon a series of comfortable catches. 

Markram, was magnificent in making 89, an innings that lasted over four and half hours and in which he attained the right balance between attack and defence. 

He played in a manner more in keeping with how South Africa has approached its batting in the last few months while his teammates got carried away. 

Pakistan certainly sniffed an opportunity, but it was ripped from their grasp by Bosch’s muscular counterattack, that included a host of sumptuous drives and a couple of baseball-like swots down the ground that brought the crowd — not as good as the first day, but enthusiastic nonetheless — to their feet. 

His unbeaten 81, was a new record for a player batting at No.9 on debut and continued what has been a stunning introduction to the international stage. 

South Africa were sloppy with the ball initially — perhaps too high on the adrenaline created by Bosch — and Pakistan knocked off more than half the runs, before Rabada finally cracked Saim Ayub’s defences in the 11th over. 

Jansen delivered a much- improved performance compared to what we saw in the first innings, picking up two wickets thanks to low catches by Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton, though the latter’s looked like a generous decision by TV umpire Kumar Dharmasena.   

South Africa will hope to bowl better on Saturday, because while this pitch doesn’t have any demons, the fact that some deliveries have kept low — at both ends — means they don’t want to be chasing much more than 200 in the final innings of the match. 


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.