CAPE TOWN – Trent Boult’s withdrawal from the second Test, which started in Wellington on Thursday morning, against the Proteas has once again cast the spotlight on the challenge international fast bowlers face in playing back-to-back Test matches.
Boult is New Zealand’s premier strike bowler and showed his pedigree in the first Test in Dunedin last week when he claimed 4/64 in South Africa’s first innings. The left-arm seamer did not complete the second innings though after sustaining a leg injury.
With only three days between Dunedin and the start of the Basin Reserve second Test, it was always going to be a battle for Boult to recover in time.
It is the second time this season that Boult – despite being “one of the fittest guys in the side” according to his new-ball partner Tim Southee – has missed a Test after also not playing against Pakistan in Hamilton.
While Boult’s absence will increase South Africa’s chances of taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, the Proteas medical and support staff will undoubtedly be sympathetic for they have encountered their fair share of fast bowler injuries over the past 18 months.
Dale Steyn – the Proteas spearhead for so long – is currently on the sidelines with a long-term shoulder injury after only a brief comeback. Vernon Philander was out for a lengthy period having injured his ankle ligaments, while Morne Morkel only played his first international at Dunedin’s University Oval in 14 months last week.
Equally, there is a constant worry over young Kagiso Rabada’s workload, especially after the 21-year-old had a knee niggle that forced him to be rested for the second ODI in Christchurch on this tour already.
Although Morkel has the “peace of mind that I can play Test matches again" having broken though the “mental barrier”, it remains of paramount importance that South Africa manage their prized assets with the greatest of caution.
After all the medical examinations have been completed, the responsibility ultimately though rests with the skipper Faf du Plessis out in the middle.
“I think it’s on the day,” Du Plessis said of the way he judges his bowlers’ fitness levels. “Sometimes you can see when a bowler is carrying a bigger tank. There are other days when you can see the bowler is struggling and it’s important that the other bowlers share the workload.”
Boult’s workload was certainly increased in the first Test due to New Zealand only playing two specialist seamers – Southee was left out for a second spinner – with the left-armer delivering 47.4 overs in the Test before he was forced off.
Du Plessis believed the composition of South Africa’s attack meant there was less of a burden on the Proteas’ fast bowlers, especially when left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj bowls well. Maharaj certainly did during the first Test on the South Island, when the Dolphins star claimed his maiden Test “five-for” in New Zealand’s first innings.
“Fortunately, or unfortunately for us, we have three seamers and a spinner. In the old days we had Jacques Kallis, who was the fourth seamer in the Test team, which obviously helps a lot. It helps the captain and the team a lot because your bowlers can rest a little bit more, and obviously from an all-round perspective there are more options,” Du Plessis explained.
“The nice thing is Keshav is bowling really well and when he’s bowling well, it allows the seamers to do a little bit less in the day. On the day he’s not bowling that well then the seamers will need to give a little bit more than they usually do.”
The current state of the series – it’s deadlocked with only Hamilton still to come – does however leave Du Plessis in a quandary in terms of how far he can actually push his fast bowling trio. With an away series on the line, and the hosts missing two of their key players in Boult and senior batsman Ross Taylor, the skipper may just view this as ideal opportunity to push for the jugular.
"I'd weigh up how far I would push it. If an opportunity presents itself later in the match I'd definitely be looking at it," Du Plessis said. "When it comes to a two-match series you have to be a little more street smart because it can go both ways."