Smith, Clarke key batsmen, says Holding

Times Media - February 12, 2014

TELFORD VICE, Centurion

A third of the top 15 batsmen in the world are likely to play in today’s first test between SA and Australia in Centurion, but Michael Holding did not struggle to pick the two players he thought would pose the biggest challenge to bowlers in the series.

“Michael Clarke is the major batsman for Australia and Graeme Smith is going to be a key player for SA,” Holding said with the same understated confidence that made him a prominent member of West Indies’ feared pace attack in the 1970s and 80s.

“Clarke has been Australia’s best batsman for some time and he will be the big wicket for SA to get,” Holding said.

In 11 tests against SA, Clarke averages 61.36 - more than he does against any other opponent and substantially higher than his overall mark of 51.40.

Clarke’s average in 11 innings against SA in Australia is 106.55, a figure boosted to its stupendous levels by the 259 not out and 230 he scored against Smith’s team in consecutive innings in Brisbane and Adelaide last season.

But Clarke has not done nearly as well in SA. After 10 innings here, he averages 34.11 and has scored only one century and a half-century.

More pressing for the Aussies is the fact that their best batsman has gone seven test innings without reaching 50, although that did not get in the way of his team thrashing England 5-0.

Smith, by contrast, has scored a double century and a 50 in his last five innings.

For Holding, “Smith is going to be important for SA because he comes in at the top of the order and he is the captain, factors which will make the Australians want to target him.”

However, Smith, does not have the best record against Australia or even in SA. His average against the Aussies, 37.28 in 35 innings, is the second-lowest on his list against SA’s opponents, and his 43.78 against allcomers in SA is third from bottom in performances in different countries.

In 15 innings against Australia in SA, Smith averages 34.23 compared to his 49.56 overall.

Because of their differing roles as an opener paramountly concerned with seeing off the new ball and a middle order man of daring do, Smith and Clarke are not easily comparable.

Their status as captains, senior players on the test circuit, and strong characters only adds to the intrigue of how they will marshall their teams and their batting orders in the series.

And beyond Clarke and Smith? What of the supporting casts?

Holding demurred: “There are so many South Africans to choose from I wouldn’t want to single out any more of them.”