Cape Town - He was the new darling of South African cricket following his thrilling century at Newlands in January, but Temba Bavuma doesn’t think his place in the Proteas Test side is secure.
That is why he is hoping to produce a big performance for South Africa A on their tour of Australia, which starts with a four-day “Test” against Australia A in Brisbane on Saturday.
The two-match series is an ideal opportunity for the Proteas selectors to run their eye over the next generation of international cricketers, but also to provide some valuable game time to some of the current Test players ahead of the New Zealand series next month.
The matches will also provide the batsmen the chance to get used to Australian conditions ahead of a three-Test tour Down Under in November.
There will be some jockeying for positions in the SA line-up for the New Zealand contest, particularly in the opening berths and middle-order. While Stephen Cook – who is captaining SA A against Australia A – can be sure that he will face the new ball against the Kiwis, Dean Elgar may come under some pressure from Titans teammate Heino Kuhn, who is pushing hard for a place.
Kuhn scored over 1 100 runs in the Sunfoil Series last season, which made him the leading run-scorer, and he has been knocking on the national selection door for a few years now. In fact, he could count himself unlucky to have been overlooked for Cook, as he has a better first-class average of 43.80, compared to Cook’s current 41.86.
Kuhn is now 32 and has been around the block, and has the added bow of being able to keep wicket if required.
Elgar has passed 50 just once in his last 16 innings – the 118 not out against England in Durban last December – and has battled to turn 30s and 40s into something substantial.
Things are even muddier in the middle-order, where T20 captain Faf du Plessis was dropped for the final England Test to make way for JP Duminy, who was recalled after being left out at Newlands for Bavuma.
Then there’s Stiaan van Zyl, who struggled as an opener, but will try to force his way into a No 5 or 6 berth. Duminy and Bavuma are the incumbents in those positions at the moment.
Cook, Kuhn and Van Zyl all scored centuries in the recent two-game series against Zimbabwe A, along with Omphile Ramela, who is probably behind the aforementioned trio in the pecking order.
Throw Du Plessis into the mix as well, and one can understand why Bavuma – who didn’t play against Zimbabwe A – is a bit anxious about getting runs under his belt against Australia A in Brisbane over the next few days.
But while that scintillating 102 not out in the New Year’s Test against England will remain long in the memories of those who were present at Newlands – which was also voted as the “So Good” Moment of the Year at the CSA Awards this week – Bavuma isn’t relying on past glories.
“I wouldn’t say I’m an established player as yet. There are quality players around me, and I still regard every chance that I get as an opportunity and I try to use it to the best of my ability,” the 26-year-old said in a Cricket South Africa statement on Friday.
“I think personally, I’ve had a lot of time to think about what happened at Newlands and what it meant to me and the entire country.
“I haven’t played cricket for three months, just lazing around the couch, gymming…but it’s given me time to realise that Newlands has come and gone. I’ve reassessed and have set new goals and new ambitions.”
Bavuma also produced an excellent knock of 78 not out in the Centurion Test, which helped to set up a 280-run victory against England, and scored 358 Test runs at an average of 44.75 last season.
Elgar is also part of the SA A squad, so it will be interesting to see where he bats, as Cook, Kuhn, Van Zyl and Bavuma need to be accommodated in the batting line-up.
SA A 4-day squad for Australia
Stephen Cook (Lions, captain), Qaasim Adams (Titans), Temba Bavuma (Lions), Dean Elgar (Titans), Heino Kuhn (Titans), Sisanda Magala (Warriors), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Duanne Olivier (Knights), Wayne Parnell (Cape Cobras), Andile Phehlukwayo (Dolphins), Vernon Philander (Cape Cobras), Dane Piedt (Cape Cobras), Omphile Ramela (Cape Cobras), Stiaan van Zyl (Cape Cobras), Dane Vilas (Cape Cobras), Hardus Viljoen (Lions).