Proteas captain Temba Bavuma gone for a duck. Image: SuperSport/Twtiter
Proteas: Three losers from Windies win
The Proteas won and while they might please many fans, there are still a number of concerns in this new-look squad.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma gone for a duck. Image: SuperSport/Twtiter
The Proteas won and while they might please many fans, there are still a number of concerns in this new-look squad.
Before we get going here, it wasn’t all doom and gloom at Centurion. Sure, at some point we are going to have to talk about scheduling a five day match on a Tuesday in Pretoria during the school term.
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But there were a number of positives. The biggest one must be Aiden Markram on his return to the Proteas lineup. A century in his first knock and then a big performance with a near half century in the second dig when the South Africans crumbled in setting a target.
Three Proteas losers from the first Test match
Temba Bavuma
The Proteas captain took over the reins and there wasn’t any real outcry from the public. He has put up a number of good performances but the real currency in Test cricket is runs and hundreds. You can only be judged on your average and your number of tons.
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Bavuma only has one to his credit and this match was an ideal chance to get a big score under his belt. He failed. Dismally. Zero runs in three balls across two knocks. The second Test match can’t come quick enough for the Proteas captain.
Shukri Conrad
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There’s been a lot of talk around the Proteas and the fresh start. Good luck then to explain this performance. The first innings crumbled after a great start. The bowlers remain arguably the best attack in the world and did their job. The second innings was a horror show. Conrad needs to make a difference particularly in the batting department. We cannot continue on this path.
Keshav out in the cold
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Keshav Maharaj
It might be a bit harsh. But from a player who was in the frame to captain the team following Dean Elgar, he’s gone to carrying the water bottles. Maharaj was dropped for the all-round abilities of Senuran Muthusamy, who was lucky not to make this list with his “contribution” at Centurion. The Proteas always favour pace and the fact that he’s now fallen beneath Muthusamy will be a major concern.
