South Africa looking to sing redemption song against Windies

TMG Digital

TELFORD VICE in Southampton

IT took Roddy Estwick, West Indies’ assistant coach, to put the AB de Villiers affair into perspective in Southampton on Sunday. “We haven’t been talking about it at all. We can’t focus on people who people who aren’t here.”

Estwick spoke the day before the World Cup match between South Africa and West Indies at the Rose Bowl, a match both sides will be under pressure to win.

The Windies have one win from two matches, while South Africa have lost all three of their games.

The latter’s plight intensified on Thursday, when it emerged that the retired AB de Villiers had made an offer to return hours before the squad was announced.

But De Villiers had rendered himself ineligible by not playing in South Africa’s home series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in January and March, choosing instead to play in concurrent T20 leagues in Bangladesh and Pakistan, and the selectors rejected his proposition.

De Villiers’ supporters argue his inclusion would have boosted South Africa’s shaky batting, which will be tested by West Indies’ potent pace attack.

Andre Russell is among the top 10 bowlers in the tournament in terms of average, economy rate and strike rate, while only New Zealand’s Jimmy Neesham and Australian Mitchell Starc have delivered a better performance than the 4/27 Oshane Thomas took to help dismiss Pakistan for 105 at Trent Bridge on May 31.

South Africa planned to send Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortjé into the fray.

But Nortjé broke a thumb before the tournament and didn’t make the trip, Steyn went home without playing a game with a shoulder injury, Ngidi left the field with a hamstring problem after bowling four overs against Bangladesh and missed the match against India. He is doubtful for Monday’s clash.

Rabada is thus South Africa’s last fast man standing. Was he envious of the firepower West Indies would bring to the match?

“I wouldn’t say it’s jealousy,” Rabada said. “We have to deal with what we have. We’ve had quite a few problems concerning injury so we are going to have to work our way around it. There’s no point in complaining.”

But he knew good bowling when he saw it: “It’s nice to watch when they play; they’ve got some nice pace.

“There’s a culture of fast bowling in the West Indies. It’s good for cricket to see fast bowlers still around.

“For West Indian cricket it’s a good thing.”

Rabada is likely to be joined in South Africa’s attack on Monday by Beuran Hendricks, who replaced Steyn.

“I rate him a lot,” Rabada said. “The fact that he is a left-armer gives us variety.

“I am really confident with him being in the team.”

That Hendricks came to the tournament through the back door wasn’t an issue for Estwick: “The great Bob Marley said when one door is closed, another is opened.

“People get opportunity in strange ways.”

If he plays, Hendricks will want to help South Africa sing a redemption song.