JOHANNESBURG: Dean Elgar doesn’t mind that he’s not a flamboyant opening batsman in the mould of Dave Warner. Nor does he mind that he and Stephen Cook are a "throwback" opening partnership, one that doesn’t fit modern cricket’s fast and furious tastes.
“What our team needs now are mature heads and wiser cricketers at the top of the order,” said Elgar who was named man of the series after scoring 308 runs in the three Tests against the Sri Lankans ,which included a century and two fifties. In the midst of that he and Cook shared their first century stands as openers, and have, for the foreseeable future at least secured their spots at the top of the South African Test order.
“There will be a time when you must knuckle down and graft and there’ll come a time to score a bit freely and then you might be in the same mould as Dave Warner – but he’s a totally different cricketer to myself and Cooky.”
Indeed, but the Proteas need Cook and Elgar, a couple of grafters thrown together – eventually – after the selectors and coaching staff realised the error of their ways in sticking too long by Stiaan van Zyl as an opener.
Cook and Elgar average 37.92 together as an opening pair, not earth shattering, but when you consider the pitches they played on in the series just concluded against Sri Lanka and the new-ball bowlers they’ve faced in the last year – Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and the best that Suranga Lakmal has bowled in his life – it’s not a bad result.
“You’ve got to have a quality opening partnership if you’re going be a quality Test team and we are heading (in) the right direction now,” said Russell Domingo. “Stephen and Dean have a good thing going at the top, they complement each other really well, they are gutsy, gritty players. The way they played on that first morning (at the Wanderers) was wonderful. They only put on 45 but it felt like a hundred because of the nature of the wicket.”
And the nature of their personalities means the pair enjoy each other’s company even as they’re tasked with getting through the most difficult period of batting. “He’s a funny cat,” Elgar chirped about his opening partner. “We can crack a joke and there’ll be a good response. Also you don’t have to say a lot out there. I’ve known Cooky for many years, which is a saving grace for us. It’s a good partnership at the moment.”
Meanwhile, almost everything about his debut was a bit like Eminem's tune – 'Lose Yourself' – for Duanne Olivier.
To quote Marshall Mathers about Olivier – “His palms were sweaty, knees weak, arms were heavy, he was nervous.” There was no vomit on his sweater, thankfully, but it was somewhat untidily untucked as he bowled at the Wanderers. “It’s just what’s comfortable for me,” Olivier remarked.
Overall it was a good debut for the 24-year-old who was called into the squad after Kyle Abbott’s contract was torn up when he announced he was taking the Kolpak route.
Olivier’s first act as a Test player did not come with the ball, rather in a spot with which he was wholly unfamiliar – as nightwatchman on the first day of the third Test. “I’ve never done it, even at franchise level,” he said about heading to the crease in the penultimate over of the first day following the late dismissal of JP Duminy.
“It was an opportunity for my country I thought I’d take it on and do it. Batting with a guy like Hashim (Amla) was an unbelievable experience for me. It was scary, I’ve never batted that high for the franchise and I’m batting at five for my country ... it was quite exciting.” If his thoughts seem a bit scattergun, it’s perfectly understandable. As Olivier said: “When I play four-day cricket there’s no one watching, here it feels like there’s 20-million people watching. It’s intense, crazy, you need to concentrate, you need to be on the ball, you can’t wonder off watching the big screen, it’s exciting and challenging, the level is much different.”
He performed his nightwatchman duties perfectly well, occupying the crease for 41 minutes, he managed to score three runs, but it was his work as part of a four-pronged attack that was his primary role, and he did that very competently indeed.
Olivier finished with match figures of 5/57, taking advantage of a pitch with plenty of assistance for the seamers. Bowling behind Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander was helpful as well.
“There was a lot in the wicket and if I went according to plan and what Faf (du Plessis) told me to do, then I knew I’d get rewarded. It’s an unbelievable achievement,” he said.
Olivier is realistic too. He knows that once Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel get fit, his stay in the Test side may not be a long one. “I’m not too fazed if I don’t play, it’s not the end of the world, I’ll just keep working hard at franchise level until I get another opportunity,” he said.
For now he’s just happy to call himself a Test player. “It’s a massive honour to play for the Proteas,” Olivier said.