TELFORD VICE
The toughest assignment in cricket has been given to Faf du Plessis, who was anointed yesterday to fill the void left by the retired Jacques Kallis in SA’s batting order for next month’s test series against Australia.
“Faf is the guy we are ear-marking to bat at No. 4,” SA coach Russell Domingo said after the squad was announced. “He’s got a big hundred batting there against India to save a test and he’s scored runs for the Titans batting at No. 4 there.
“Jacques Kallis is probably the greatest player who’s ever played, but we’re not looking for another Jacques Kallis - we’re looking for another player to step up to the plate.”
Du Plessis did exactly that on his test debut in Adelaide in November, 2012, when he defied searing heat and an increasingly rabid Australian attack for almost eight hours to score a yeoman 110 not out that was all that stood between SA and defeat.
His 134 against India at the Wanderers last month put SA in a winning position. They settled for a controversial draw.
Between those two innings, Du Plessis passed 50 just twice in 10 innings. But, after 11 tests, he has marked himself out as the best man for the impossible job of stepping into Kallis’ massive boots.
“We always knew we were going to lose a great player,” selection convenor Andrew Hudson said. “We had to look at combinations and the balance of the side very carefully.”
Kallis’ role as SA’s premier allrounder will be inherited by either Ryan McLaren or Wayne Parnell, who are both in the squad.
“Wayne Parnell adds pace and the X-factor, Ryan McLaren adds consistency,” Domingo said.
Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson has been retained but not leg spinner Imran Tahir.
“We have not gone past Imran; he’s a wicket-taker on turning wickets,” Hudson said, adding that Peterson “fits in with the style of cricket we want to play”.
When the Proteas play in SA their spinner will be used primarily as a holding bowler rather than as an attacking option. Peterson, when in form, is that bowler.
Thami Tsolekile remains the reserve wicketkeeper, but it seems AB de Villiers has recovered from hand surgery.
There was no room for Quinton de Kock, who has taken international cricket by storm in the shorter formats.
“He’s a massively talented player, and the question has to be asked,” Domingo said. “But it’s a tough ask for a player to make his debut against Australia.
“He’s got a lot of development to do as a player and a person, and I don’t know if (blooding him against the Australians) would be doing him a disservice.”
Dean Elgar and Rory Kleinveldt are again the spare batsman and bowler respectively, a nod to consistency.
“The formula has worked; there is no need to make a left-field selection,” Hudson said.
Cobras fast bowler Beuran Hendricks and Warriors off-spinner Simon Harmer will help the squad prepare. “It will be nice to have an off-spinner and a left-armer to practice against,” Hudson said.
Part of that process, which starts on Monday, will be a game between what Domingo described as “probably a shadow test side” and a team drawn from the rest of the squad and available franchise players.
Unlike SA’s series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in October, when the Proteas lost the first test having not played in the format for almost eight months, they have the chance to shake off what will be six weeks of inactivity as a group by the time the Australian rubber starts in Centurion on February 12.
SA are about to take their first steps into a reality they did not have to think about for the 18 years that Kallis was a test player.
“The team will have to go in a new direction,” Domingo said.
SA test squad: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile.
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