‘We want youngsters to feel comfortable’: Proteas stand-in captain Maharaj

The outcome of the first Test with Zimbabwe was to be expected, even in the absence of seven World Test Championship final starters from the Proteas team, but the fact that so many notable achievements came from players either new to the team or in new positions is seriously encouraging. 

“A lot of the regulars aren’t here, so with youngsters coming into the team it's about making them feel welcome and comfortable,” said Keshav Maharaj, who is standing in as captain for the two-match series while Temba Bavuma recovers from a hamstring strain. 

“We want them to be the best version of themselves and naturally the mentality of where we want to go with the style and brand of cricket we want to play, filters through to them,” Maharaj added.

South Africa won comfortably by 328 runs, inflicting the largest margin of defeat by runs that Zimbabwe have suffered in a Test. There were notable contributions from the three debutants. Lhuan-dre Pretorius took home the player of the match prize — an award that could have gone to at least two other Proteas players — for his record-breaking 153 in the first innings, Dewald Brevis scored a half-century at an important time in South Africa’s first innings and Codi Yusuf claimed six wickets, making excellent use of helpful conditions with the new ball in both innings. 

For Corbin Bosch playing in his second Test there was a momentous achievement of matching Jacques Kallis, in becoming only the fourth South African player to notch up a century and claim a five-for in a Test, while Wiaan Mulder did an excellent passing impression of South Africa’s greatest cricketer, scoring a century at No 3, taking four first innings wickets and holding on to two catches. 

“Corbin has settled in very well, not many have his skills to bowl 140km/h and bat the way he does. He works really hard, backs himself and his skill so I’m really happy for him. It’s so nice to see everything come together for him.”

After making his hundred at the end of the first day, Bosch, perhaps still stiff from those exploits, struggled with the ball in Zimbabwe’s first innings, going wicketless in nine overs. “We had a long chat after [Zimbabwe’s] first innings and to see him bounce back like that is very encouraging for us,” said Maharaj.

Bosch picked up 5/43 in Zimbabwe’s second innings and with his performances with both bat and ball in the first Test, has added an extra name to the list of all-rounders South Africa can choose from as they look ahead to a busy year across mainly the two limited overs formats, but the Test arena too. 

In Marco Jansen, who opens the bowling, Kagiso Rabada and Mulder, who gave more reasons to continue with him at No 3 after scoring 147 in the second innings in Bulawayo, the Proteas, with Bosch’s growth, are signalling a return to the late 1990s when the likes of Shaun Pollock, Kallis and Lance Klusener gave the team plenty of versatility. 

Pretorius and Brevis will certainly provide food for thought as Shukri Conrad weighs up his batting options for the tours to the subcontinent at the end of the year. 

They started their first innings partnership with South Africa in trouble on 55/4, but counterattacked superbly to lay the foundation for a first innings declaration on 418/9. 

Pretorius has made an incredible start to his professional career, and what will be of interest is how he manages the first dip in form he is most certain to have. In Brevis he has a teammate he can lean on when that happens, because even in his short time in the spotlight the 22-year-old has endured questions about whether he was good enough. In Bulawayo he showed he was, and he will be keen to build on his 51 in the second Test next week. 

There is the caveat that this was “only” Zimbabwe, who already without the services of opener Ben Curran before the series, with a broken hand, then lost Brian Bennett to concussion after he copped a bouncer to the head from Kwena Maphaka. They also got their selection wrong for the conditions served up at the Queens Sports Club, picking just two front-line seamers, and then the spearhead of the attack, Blessing Muzarabani, couldn’t get through his full quota of overs in South Africa’s second innings because of illness. 

But South Africa is also seeking answers about their own depth, with some questions remaining especially as it pertains to the opening batters with neither Tony de Zorzi nor Matthew Breetzke making a statement with the opportunities granted to them in Bulawayo. 

“With the bat, we can be more cautious at the start in certain aspects,” said Maharaj. 

Nineteen year-old Maphaka had a difficult match, struggling to find his rhythm and offering up too many boundary balls. It’s clear he needs to play more and perhaps tours with the SA A team later this year will prove beneficial.