CAPE TOWN - Russell Domingo will surely be keeping one eye on the Momentum One-Day Cup, and in particular Morne Morkel’s fitness, despite being thousands of miles away in New Zealand from next week.
South Africa may currently be comfortably 4-0 up in the ODI series against Sri Lanka but after Tuesday’s fourth ODI at Newlands, it is clear that the Proteas’ fast bowling division will need to be reinforced before the ICC Champions Trophy in England in June.
The national selectors yesterday retained the 14-man squad that are on duty in the Sri Lanka series for the single T20 and five ODIs against the Black Caps starting next Friday in Auckland. The only addition is Cape Cobras paceman Dane Paterson providing cover for Dwaine Pretorius, whose wife is giving birth to their first child.
“Dane will travel with the squad when they leave on Saturday and will return to South Africa once Dwaine joins the squad,” said national selection chief, Linda Zondi. “New Zealand are playing very good cricket at the moment and as always will provide very tough opposition, particularly under their home conditions.”
The selectors were, however, hamstrung due to the non-availability of Titans rookie fast bowler Lungi Ngidi. The 20-year-old Tukkies student made a big impression in his first couple of T20 International appearances against Sri Lanka but his progress has been stalled by a hip injury.
This situation, therefore, places the focus squarely on Morkel and his recovery. Morkel has been battling with a back injury since last July.
With captain AB de Villiers keeping Kagiso Rabada away from the new ball at Newlands, the responsibility was handed to Wayne Parnell and Pretorius. Although both all-rounders came back superbly in their second spells, the way they started would have been a concern - they leaked 100/0 in just 10 overs.
Proteas Test and T20 captain Faf du Plessis, who stroked a marvellous 185 to power South Africa to 367/5 at Newlands, believes South Africa’s inexperienced bowlers would have benefited a great deal from almost failing to defend the highest ODI score ever at the ground.
“It was a pressure situation, we know that they are very top-heavy and score runs up front, and the bowlers possibly didn’t start as well as they would have liked, but they came back,” Du Plessis said after the Sri Lankans were eventually dismissed for 327.
“It’s important that we get pushed, especially with a young bowling unit ... That’s what big games are all about. That’s the difference between winning tournaments and not - the pressure.”
Morkel was seen at the nets in the build-up to the Newlands ODI and even loosened up to send down a few deliveries. Considering the lanky fast bowler has not made himself available for the IPL this year, it is clear that the 32-year-old remains committed to playing for South Africa.
Proteas ODI and T20 squad for NZ series:
AB de Villiers (ODI capt), Faf du Plessis (T20 capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Dane
Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi