South Africa prepare for Bangladesh Test - Pat Symcox
South Africa start their first Test tour of Bangladesh with a 45-minute flight from Dhaka to Chittagong tomorrow
Pat Symcox
27-May-2016
South Africa start their first Test tour of Bangladesh with a 45-minute
flight from Dhaka to Chittagong tomorrow. None of the South Africans have
played in Chittagong before, and little is known about the conditions. By
all accounts the hotel rates rather fewer than five stars, and the weather
predictions aren't great. It is the rainy season, and completing a Test at
all is considered fortunate. The city is a busy port, and is in very
mountainous region. Humidity is the biggest enemy of any touring team.
But after their solid performances in the last two outings of the TVS Cup
against India last week, the South Africans have good reason to feel upbeat
about their progress in this part of the world. The bowlers have clearly
worked out that on these sluggish pitches, slower balls are not easy to
score from. The batsmen, on the other hand, have realised there is no
substitute for time spent at the crease. They also now realise that if
someone gets in he has to go on and finish the job, as starting an innings
is not an easy task.
The make-up of South Africa's team for the first of the two Tests, which
starts on Thursday, will be interesting. The pitch is expected to be
tailormade for Bangladesh's spinners, but Eric Simons, the SA coach, has two
spinners in his own squad. Simons will have to weigh up whether to play both
of them, against a team which would probably prefer that, or to bank on the
fact that even on a slow turner the South African pace bowlers will still be
a handful. In any case, the two-spinner option would probably mean leaving
out one of the batsmen who have been doing well on subcontinental pitches
recently.
The left-armer Paul Adams is likely to be the first-choice spinner and,
since Jacques Rudolph and Graeme Smith can fill in with a few overs
themselves, Robin Peterson might well miss out.
In the pace department Charl Willoughby was picked specifically for his
ability to swing the ball in the air when pitches aren't conducive to
lateral movement. However, the fact that he is a genuine No. 11 won't help
his cause. Andrew Hall and Alan Dawson have stepped up when needed, and
their batting ability will make both hard to overlook.
The series may be in Bangladesh, but South Africa are still expected to come
out on top. Bangladesh, after all, have lost 16 of the 17 Tests they have
played so far - and their only draw came when rain washed out the last two
days of a match against Zimbabwe. It should add up to a gentle baptism for
Smith as a Test captain.