West Indies look to sustain fight
An injury-laden South Africa, an improved West Indies, and inclement weather have ensured that the series is still alive going into the third Test in Cape Town
The Preview by Firdose Moonda
01-Jan-2015
Match facts
January 2-6, 2015, Cape Town
Start time 1030 local (0800 GMT)
Big Picture
By the time this series reached 2015, it was supposed to be old news. South Africa were expected wrap up the contest in the first two matches so they could use third Test for experimentation. West Indies were meant to be playing catch-up. But an injury-laden host team, an improved West Indies and inclement weather thwarted those plans.
Instead South Africa will have to end the series with the same seriousness they started it, especially as any slip up could see the Test mace handed to Australia, if they are successful in Sydney. That means the reserve seamers, Kyle Abbott and Kagiso Rabada, will be left carrying drinks and a batting line-up which could do with a shake-up will have to remain stagnant for now.
West Indies will be aware of South Africa's hunger but have enough of their own to worry about as well. Their bowlers showed the disciplined needed to operate on South African surfaces and some of the batsmen the temperament in Port Elizabeth, and they will want to prove that was not a once-off. Winning may yet be a step too far for them, but competing vigorously is not.
Form guide
South Africa DWWDW
West Indies DLWWL
West Indies DLWWL
In the spotlight
There was no New Year's Test last summer because India's tour was cut to two Tests so the Newlands faithful have been kept waiting. The last time they saw their Test team was to say goodbye to Graeme Smith, this time it will be to greet a new and as yet undefeated captain, Hashim Amla. With another of their own in the XI, Stiaan van Zyl, thousands are expected to stream through the gates, onto the stands and under the oaks to end the Test season in style.
"If he doesn't score in the first two games, you'd better look out for him in the third," Marlon Samuels said of Shivnarine Chanderpaul during the second Test. After three innings without breaching 25, Chanderpaul is due a big one, especially as he looks to hold together a young batting line-up on what could be his last tour of South Africa.
Team news
South Africa may cap a third debutant in as many Tests if they opt for offspinner Simon Harmer in place of the inconsistent Imran Tahir at a ground that will require a competent container. They will not be able to make any changes to the three-pronged pace attack, especially with a series win yet to be achieved, and are also unlikely to tinker with the batting line-up, which will allow both Stiaan van Zyl and Temba Bavuma another chance to push for a more permanent spot.
South Africa (probable) 1 Alviro Petersen, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Hashim Amla (capt), 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Stiaan van Zyl, 7 Temba Bavuma, 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran Tahir/Simon Harmer
After all-round improvement in the second Test, West Indies will want to build on that and the best way to do that would be to have consistency in selection. That would mean no changes to the starting XI but they may be tempted to have a re-look at whether Leon Johnson needs replacing at No.3 and if Jason Holder or Jermaine Blackwood is the right man for the lower-middle order.
West Indies (probable) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Devon Smith, 3 Leon Johnson, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Denesh Ramdin (capt & wk), 7 Jason Holder, 8 Jerome Taylor, 9 Shannon Gabriel, 10 Sulieman Benn, 11 Kenroy Peters
Pitch and conditions
It was quick in Centurion and slow at St George's, now it's time for a bit of in-between. Newlands is what the purists call a 'good cricket wicket', because it offers something for bowlers early on, becomes good for batting on the second and third days, and takes turn in the later stages. The elements should not interfere with the series finale at all with warm weather and just the right amount of wind forecast throughout the Test.
Stats and Trivia
- After going wicket-less in Port Elizabeth, Dale Steyn still needs two wickets to surpass Makhaya Ntini as South Africa's second highest wicket-taker and 11 wickets to reach 400. The St. George's Park Test was only the second in Steyn's career in which he had not taken a wicket after last being left barren by India in Johannesburg in 2006.
- Shivarine Chanderpaul's average for the third match in a series - 55.70 - is higher than for the first (55.05) and second matches (48.56) which will augur well if he is to improve on his scores of 21, 4 and 7 in the series so far.
Quotes
"Guys have been sitting in the change room and I'm sure they are desperate to get on the field. A Test match over New Year is a big deal for us. I don't expect any change-room lag."
South Africa coach Russell Domingo expects his men to come out firing in the final Test after being frustrated by rain in the second
"Obviously you have designated bowlers and designated slip fielders but everybody has to bat. We put in the work in the nets with the lower-order batters. They have to step up."
West Indies coach Stuart Williams hopes their tail will wag to avoid another lower-order collapse
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent