Johannesburg – Cricket? In South Africa? In August? Indeed. For the New Zealanders it will be akin to their summer – at least during the day – but for a couple of night matches on the highveld, it will get chilly. Take a blanket if you’re heading to any of the venues.
Short of the demands made by cricket’s biggest financial investors – the television companies – there would appear to be very little point for hosting a series in winter in South Africa.
The poor ground staff at the various venues being used for the two T20 Internationals and three one-dayers will have to apply some serious “make-up” to their outfields so as to at least provide a pretty picture in HD.
There’s also some big competition to distract viewers not used to watching cricket in this country in August. The Ashes series concludes, India play a Test series in Sri Lanka – which, besides featuring cricket’s most popular team, will also be the last international matches for the great Kumar Sangakkara – and then there’s rugby, and local and European football to divert fans.
Cricket SA will be desperately hoping for something spectacular from Dale Steyn, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, or even the two New Zealand stars, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, to stand out amid all that other sporting content.
Predicting a winner in either series will be hard.
Both sides are in the midst of a transition, especially with their respective 50-over teams following the World Cup. The T20s are always notoriously hard to predict anyway, and in that regard there are a couple of players featuring who will be looking towards securing a spot for next year’s World Twenty20 in India.
New Zealand will be without their inspirational leader Brendon McCullum and will be captained by Williamson, who has for a while been earmarked as the Black Caps’ long-term skipper.
Besides McCullum, New Zealand have also rested their excellent newball pair of Trent Boult and Tim Southee with coach Mike Hesson claiming they were already looking ahead to the 2019 World Cup.
Among the unfamiliar names are: Ben Wheeler, a left-arm fast bowler whose brother Joe plays rugby for the Otago Highlanders; George Worker, a left-handed batsman; and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, who, despite having played 11 Test matches, has only appeared in two ODIs and T20s respectively.
It’s almost the same story with South Africa.
JP Duminy and Morné Morkel will sit out the ODIs as their wives are due to give birth, while Imran Tahir won’t play the T20s as the selectors eye up Aaron Phangiso and Eddie Leie’s credentials.
Because of the World T20 in India next year, there may be a greater emphasis on the two 20-over matches.
With Tahir South Africa’s main spinner, Leie and Phangiso may well be playing off for one spot as Tahir’s back-up in that squad next March.
Leie impressed on debut against Bangladesh, picking up three wickets, and if he continues to have that kind of success, he may well nudge Phangiso aside.
The left-arm slow bowler offers greater control, but South Africa have recently tended towards being more attacking with their spinner, and Tahir has provided them with a crucial attacking threat.
There is no reason to change that ploy and if Leie continues to impress, he may be in India come March.
Besides the axing of Quinton de Kock, who’s been hopelessly out of form all year, the continued backing for David Wiese will be the most intriguing element to watch.
Linda Zondi’s new selection panel have been suitably impressed with his performances, not just in his short international career – in which his improved bowling has come to the fore – but also for his IPL side, Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Wiese has long had a reputation for his thunderous hitting, but he has followed the instructions of franchise coach Rob Walter and improved his bowling to become more of an all-rounder.
For now, he has stepped ahead of the unfortunate Ryan McLaren, but as Proteas head coach Russell Domingo explained this week, South Africa are still battling to fill the position vacated by Jacques Kallis.
For Wiese, the next few weeks could have a huge impact on his life for the next few years.
SQUADS
South Africa, T20: Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Eddie Leie, David Miller, Morné Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Morné van Wyk, David Wiese
One-Day International: AB de Villiers (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Morné van Wyk, David Wiese
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Doug Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Grant Elliot, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McLenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Ross Taylor, Ish Sodhi, Ben Wheeler, George Worker
ITINERARY
Friday: 1st T20, Durban (6pm)
Aug 16: 2nd T20, Centurion (2pm)
Aug 19: 1st ODI, Centurion (12.30pm)
Aug 23: 2nd ODI, Potchefstroom (10am)
Aug 26: 3rd ODI, Durban (12.30pm)