Added depth gives Proteas more fast bowling options ahead of World Cup

When Kagiso Rabada was diagnosed with an inflamed right ankle, the Proteas' managers took the careful approach and rested him for the ODI series in Australia, keeping Kwena Maphaka with the squad Down Under and for the subsequent tour to England. 

Meanwhile, Nandre Burger was back bowling in the ODIs, Lungi Ngidi is showing some of his best form, Lizaad Williams has been recalled for England after knee surgery and Marco Jansen who had a fractured thumb is available for the T20s in the UK.

On Saturday Gerald Coetzee is likely to start the first One-Day match of the SA A series against New Zealand A at Willowmoore Park, Benoni.

Also in that SA A squad is Lutho Sipamla, called up to replace Maphaka, while Okuhle Cele, 20-year-old Tristan Luus and Codi Yusuf (for the four-day matches) are also in the A squad. 

On the cusp of a season in which tours to Pakistan, India and next February’s T20 World Cup are the priority, items on the Proteas’ agenda, it is fast bowling feast for Shukri Conrad to choose from. 

Last summer, there was a veritable famine.

Conrad had to hand out debut caps to Corbin Bosch and Maphaka in the home Tests and at one stage called Anrich Nortjé and said a spot was available for the Centurion Test and possibly the World Test Championship final. But Nortje joined the lengthy list of quicks sidelined by an assortment of injuries, which left South Africa’s bowling stocks worryingly thin. 

These are difficult days for fast bowlers. So much about the sport has changed, most notably the proliferation of T20 leagues, dragging players in different directions. Nortje had asked not to be considered for a national contract last year to focus on strengthening his body and playing in leagues. 

Coetzee piled misfortune on top of misfortune with his body letting him down and Cricket SA putting him on a strength and conditioning block for three months, only for Coetzee to break down in the first innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka.  When he returned, with a spot in the Champions Trophy his for the taking, his body malfunctioned again — a groin strain — sidelining him for two more months.

Coetzee was back for the Proteas in Zimbabwe, keen to show that the bowler who lit up the 2023 World Cup was still a weapon. But he needs more match time, and the SA A series with New Zealand is the perfect outing in which to show he still has the pace, but more importantly the ability to recover and perform over three to four matches and not just one or two. 

Sipamla and Yusuf were two of the DP World Lions’ best players last season, and for Yusuf, who delivered exemplary performance in two Tests against Zimbabwe, SA A provides another opportunity to elevate his status with the national selectors.

What the treasure trove of quicks does is provide the kind of options for Conrad and the new national selection convener, Patrick Moroney, that allows the Proteas to give Rabada and Jansen extra time to recover from niggles and focus on whatever the more important format is for that period on the calendar.

As important as the 2027 World Cup is, Conrad stated it was still enough time before then to assess players and it is the defence of the World Test Championship and T20 World Cup that will be prioritised in the next few months. 

Rabada, Ngidi and Jansen, appear to be locked in for that tournament and 14 T20 Internationals before then, provides someone like Bosch, who performed well against Australia, with the chance to stake a stronger claim. 

Further down the line, the increase in fast bowling depth is critical as South Africa look at a busy Test schedule in 2026, that features eight Tests against Bangladesh, Australia and England.

The Proteas do have a target on their backs after Lord’s, but the additional quick bowling options means they also have the weaponry to fire back and that should be cause for optimism over the next 18 months.