SA giants in land of little brothers

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Harare

Slip catching practice does not usually draw a crowd, but it did when SA assistant coach Adrian Birrell put Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Alviro Petersen through their paces on the outfield at Harare Sports Club (HSC) yesterday.

With today’s start of the one-off test against Zimbabwe less than 24 hours away, the visitors were keen to tighten whatever nuts and bolts might have loosened since they secured a series victory - and with it the No. 1 ranking - in Sri Lanka last month.

A gaggle of young spectators had gathered in the pub overlooking the ground as Birrell edged catches to the cordon soon after the start of SA’s afternoon training session.

“Aw ... Well-taken,” one watcher called out as Petersen tumbled to his right to make a fine grab. “Great catch; better than Boucher,” another yelled, perhaps as a barb, when De Kock pouched a regulation effort.

By now, the South Africans should be used to their every move being scrutinised for signs of strength or weakness. They have come to this country of little brothers as giants, and they will be treated as such by those who idolise them as well as those who, like David, hope to unleash the fateful pebble from the slingshot.

Zimbabwe coach Stephen Mangongo sounded caught between that rock and a hard place yesterday when he called his team’s assignment a “privilege and an honour”.

“It’s the perfect opportunity to show the world we can play the game,” Mangongo said. “It is the ultimate, playing the best team in the world. We are up against it and we need to play out of our skins. That’s been the hymn all week.”

The South Africans have the opposite problem. Somehow, they have to find a way to regard the home side, who have lost six of the seven tests they have played against SA - four by an innings - drawn the other, have won only three of their last 10 tests and been beaten in the rest, are ranked eight places below them, and do not harbour any world class players, as a threat.

Hashim Amla had a go at that yesterday: “You’ve got to respect the game and the opposition. This team has done that very well over the past couple of years, and this is no different.”

Amla was also determined to keep SA’s focus on themselves. So much so that he was willing to talk about the weaknesses in his side.

“There’s been a lot of talk about Alviro’s position as an opener and about the role of the spinner in the team,” he said.

Alviro Petersen has not reached a century for 21 test innings, fallen shy of 30 in 15 of them, and been the first man out 14 times. All that would seem to be keeping Petersen in the XI is the lack of an obvious replacement, although thoughts could soon turn to making an opener out of Stiaan van Zyl.

Imran Tahir, meanwhile, has one five-wicket to his credit after 15 tests. In his last seven bowling innings, he has taken more than one wicket just three times. Dane Piedt is in the squad. Might he get a game today?

The most interesting selection poser for Zimbabwe concerns batsman Mark Vermeulen, who last played a test in May, 2004. In January, 2008 he was cleared on charges of arson - he set fires at Zimbabwe Cricket headquarters and at the academy - on the grounds of mental illness.

Vermeulen, the second-highest first-class runscorer here last season, is in Zimbabwe’s 12 for today’s match and seems set to play.

“He’s put his hand up and looking solid,” home side captain Brendan Taylor said. “He’s really calm for once. He’s full of constructive ideas. Hopefully he keeps a clear mindset.”

As for the pitch, the groundsman has opted for the browner of the two surfaces under consideration earlier in the week.

Ray Price, the former Zimbabwe left-arm spinner, described the surface as “rough as a badger’s bottom - it’s going to turn square”.