SA, WI search one final Test excessive earlier than switching focus to ODI World Cup

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For South Africa and West Indies, the present World Test Championship will come to an finish on the Wanderers, with neither aspect competing for a spot within the ultimate however each aiming for a greater end than they managed of their earlier run. South Africa ended the 2019-2021 cycle in fifth; West Indies led to eighth. Now, they’re eyeing third and sixth locations respectively. If nothing else, that represents progress at a time when Test cricket in each locations is struggling a dearth of fixtures and relevance.

After this match, until there are further fixtures added to an already jam-packed calendar, South Africa won’t play in whites for the subsequent 9 months – earlier than internet hosting India in December – and opening their subsequent World Test Championship cycle. West Indies’ subsequent Tests are additionally in opposition to India, however a bit of sooner, in July-August. Between every now and then, each South Africa and West Indies will consider securing their spots within the 2023 50-over World Cup, with at the least one in every of them set to look within the qualifying event in Zimbabwe. For international locations who have been the third and fourth to play Test cricket respectively, the shift in priorities is just too stark to disregard however their want to reassert themselves as vital gamers on this format will likely be on full show this week.

You can anticipate each of them to make a robust case. Although each groups have batting line-ups which might be fragile underneath stress, they boast sturdy seam assaults and in idea, there isn’t any higher place for them to placed on a present than the Wanderers. In apply, the Bullring has been unusually spinner-friendly this summer time and Simon Harmer and Bjorn Fortuin have been among the many beneficiaries. To that finish, South Africa have included two specialist spinners of their XI and are hopeful the match will transcend three days to carry them into play.

West Indies will not be too sad with that. A tamer floor will likely be extra like dwelling for them and provides them a chance to finish an away run that began in Australia after which traveled by way of Zimbabwe, on a constructive be aware. While there will not truly be any prize for West Indies in the event that they win the match, it is going to be the primary time they haven’t misplaced a sequence in South Africa. For the hosts, letting that file slip will not be an choice, particularly as they search to finish the Test summer time on a excessive.

Form information

(final 5 accomplished matches, most up-to-date first)

South Africa: WDLLL

West Indies: LWDLL

In the highlight

After bagging a pair on his captaincy debut and being dropped from the T20 aspect for what white-ball coach Rob Walter stated have been “performance-based” causes, Temba Bavuma fortnight can solely get higher. Test cricket is his greatest format and he’s South Africa’s most constant batter and has scored a half-century in all however one in every of their final six sequence. With South Africa’s No.3 and No.5 spots nonetheless up for debate within the batting line-up, Bavuma’s function in holding collectively the line-up at No.4 is much more vital, particularly after the middle-order have been blown away at SuperSport Park.

Team news

South Africa named their XI on the eve of the match and have emptied their bench, with 4 modifications from the crew that performed at SuperSport Park. Keegan Petersen drops out of the batting line-up and Ryan Rickelton has been included – reward for a summer time wherein he scored three first-class a whole lot in as many matches and averages 121.66. With Anrich Nortje out with a groin niggle, surprisingly, South Arica have included two spinners – Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj – in addition to allrounder Wiaan Mulder. Marco Jansen has been rested and Senuran Muthusamy has misplaced his spot.

South Africa doable XI: 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Tony de Zorzi, 4 Temba Bavuma (capt), 5 Ryan Rickelton, 6 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Simon Harmer 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Gerald Coetzee

Windward Islands batting allrounder Alick Athanaze may very well be in line for a debut instead of Roston Chase. West Indies might additionally herald left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie to interchange Shannon Gabriel.

West Indies: 1 Kraigg Braithwaite, 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Raymon Reifer, 4 Jermaine Blackwood, 5 Alick Athanaze/Roston Chase, 6 Kyle Mayers, 7 Joshua da Silva, 8 Jason Holder, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel/Gudakesh Motie

Pitch and circumstances

All eyes will likely be on Brendon Frost, the brand new Wanderers groundsman who’s making ready his first Test strip. Frost was beforehand in cost at Willowmoore Park so he’s accustomed to Highveld circumstances and is unlikely to veer too far-off from the standard Johannesburg floor, with good tempo and bounce on supply however, in a plot twist of be aware, there may be additionally prone to be some flip. The previous few seasons have seen spinners among the many wickets on the Wanderers and a patchy, grassy floor might supply them one thing if the sport goes previous three days. They could also be negated by the climate to a level. After a scorching week in Centurion, there’s been some rain round within the build-up to the Wanderers Test however clear skies are forecast for the primary 4 days, with thundershowers anticipated late on Sunday. A mid-week begin to the match means there will not be a lot of a crowd with Friday afternoon prone to be when the stadium involves life.

Stats and trivia

Quotes

“We got away with a good result but truth be told we weren’t particularly good. TheWest Indies were good. And the wicket was tough but that doesn’t then mean that we just roll over as we did the other day and have done in the past.”

South Africa’s Test coach Shukri Conrad gave a harsh evaluation of their first Test efficiency regardless of the win and needs to see a greater batting effort on this match.

“It was very good for us as a bowling group to get 20 wickets. In the first 20 wickets, we were a bit too expensive and as a batting unit, we’ve got to improve. We’ll come hard, no matter the XI South Africa play. We aren’t far off. South Africa is a tough team at home. With a little more application, we could do well.”

Kraigg Brathwaite is not underestimating his opponents