South Africa’s mission in Australia is to repeat to the trick they did here on both previous tours. History tells us it will be a colossal task for no other team than the West Indies immortals of the 1980’s achieved the distinction of winning three consecutive Test series Down Under this century.
The man most likely to stand between the Proteas class of 2016 and legend status is a left-arm fast bowler who is only playing his first game back next Tuesday after having had more than 30 stitches to a deep laceration to his left leg after a training accident.
But such is the esteem with which Mitchell Starc is held within the tourists’ camp, regardless of the fact that the 26-year-old has been consigned to a couch with a leg brace on for the last few weeks, that they have still summoned a host of local left-arm fast bowlers to prepare for the challenge.
"It's a general request from our management; there are not a lot of left-arm seamers," Proteas opener Dean Elgar told the local media in Adelaide. "You have still got to tick those boxes in regards to preparation so we definitely have got a few (left-arm) net bowlers. And we have got a few of our management who also throw left-arm which is quite an asset, so we will definitely prepare in the right means."
Elgar, who too is on the comeback trail after rolling his ankle ahead of the final Test against New Zealand at Centurion a couple of months back, certainly needs to acquaint himself with the unique angle the left-arm seamer poses as he will most likely take first strike against Starc when the series opener gets underway at the Waca on November 3.
It certainly will be a significant challenge for the Titans left-hander as he has never gone head-to-head with the Australian spearhead. Considering that Starc has 115 Test wickets at average of 27.36, with 26 of those scalps coming in the last three-match series against Sri Lanka, there’s no doubt that Elgar will need to be alert from ball one.
"I think his (Starc) stats speak for themselves. He is obviously a massive asset, especially striking early which is something I obviously need to be wary of. It is going to be a challenge. I have never faced him, so for me is a total new encounter but an exciting one. He is serious competitor and a guy I respect," Elgar said.
Elgar, though, is one of the few within the Proteas Test squad to have played with the pink ball already after it was used on the recent South Africa A tour here during the winter. The 29-year-old is counting on that experience and the two warm-up matches the Proteas will play to prepare him for the day-night Test in Adelaide at the end of November.
"I played with the pink ball against the Australia ‘A’ side a couple of months ago which was a good outing for myself knowing that we are playing in Australia now. It swings a little bit more upfront for longer periods, I think that is probably the only difference,” Elgar said.
“I think we’ve given ourselves a lot of time coming to Australia before the first Test. It’s up to us how we manage it, we have to use our time wisely which we have been allocated by management. We will definitely have enough time to prepare for the first Test match.
"Today is our second practice with the pink ball. I think yesterday was a good outing for us. We practised in the evening during the twilight period which has been a talking point so far. I think the guys are quite excited, it’s exciting to play some Test cricket again."
Independent Media