Standing tall
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
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There is little worth reflecting over in South Africa’s massive second-Test victory against Bangladesh, says Ray White of the Witness. After the slight embarrassment of the first Test, the home team was disposed of in a suitable manner with regard to the respective status two participants in an unequal struggle.
But what White does pick out is comeback man Neil McKenzie's maiden double-century, in any form of the game. Having survived all the shenanigans that preceded the selection of this particular squad together with his failures in the first Test, says White, it was vital for McKenzie that he make the most of his remaining opportunity before the team to tour India was chosen.
From the team’s perspective, it is important that McKenzie continues to prosper at the front of the batting order because it is now clear that Gibbs has not been able to revise his technique to enable him to cope with skilled new-ball bowlers who are keenly aware of his technical frailties. There are also disturbing rumours that Gibbs has become gun shy at the prospect of dealing with determined pacemen such as Brett Lee. No other opening batsman in domestic cricket suggests that he is ready for promotion so McKenzie may be the only card left for the selectors.
One wonders what went through Jacque Kallis’s mind as he watched the long partnership between his captain and McKenzie. So often in the recent past he has had to rescue his team from the direst of starts. He may have enjoyed putting his feet up for a time but as the day progressed he must have begun to wonder at the unfairness of the situation. His bowling had saved the team in the first Test but now he had to watch as two lesser batsmen filled their boots. Still it is a team game and Kallis has not always put his team’s interests ahead of his own.
Jamie Alter is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo