Cape Town – Stiaan van Zyl made a big statement in his bid for a Proteas recall with an unbeaten half-century for South Africa A in a tour match against Australia A in Brisbane on Sunday.
Left-hander Van Zyl, who was axed from the South African Test team during the England series last season after battling to cement a spot as an opener, scored 80 not out on the second day of the first four-day “Test” at the Allan Border Oval to help SA A to 181/4 in reply to the hosts’ 396 all out.
Classy stroke-player Van Zyl lost his spot in the Proteas set-up after a meagre return of 69 runs in five innings against England, and was left out for the final Test in Centurion, with Stephen Cook making his debut and scoring a hundred to secure his position for the next 12 months at least.
But there could be an opening in the middle-order for Van Zyl, as his talent is held in high regard by the Proteas selection panel. Primarily a No 3 batsman for the Cape Cobras in first-class cricket, Van Zyl came in at No 4 for South Africa A on Sunday and kept the innings together after Cook (5) and Omphile Ramela (4) were dismissed to leave the visitors teetering on 40/2.
Van Zyl shared a 114-run third-wicket partnership with Proteas Test opener Dean Elgar, who also scored a welcome 56 off 135 balls (7x4).
Temba Bavuma then came to the middle and went quickly to 21 off 34 balls before he lost his wicket with the last ball of the day, with Van Zyl still at the crease on 80 not out (120 balls, 12x4).
The elegant left-hander has made it clear that he would prefer to bat in the middle-order for the Proteas in future instead of opening, and he can continue with his form Down Under, he may provide a few selection headaches for convenor Linda Zondi and his panel for the two-Test series against New Zealand, which starts on August 19 in Durban.
In the end, whether Van Zyl returns may come down to whether South African coach Russell Domingo opts for six specialist batsmen and wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock – which would mean that there is place for only four front-line bowlers – or De Kock bats at No 6.
At the moment, one would think that the majority of the Proteas batting line-up would remain the same from the Centurion Test against England – Cook, Elgar, Hashim Amla, captain AB de Villiers and Bavuma, with De Kock at No 7 – but perhaps Duminy could be under pressure again as the extra batsman after scoring 16 and 29 in his two innings at SuperSport Park.
The Cobras left-hander was dropped for the Newlands Test to make way for Bavuma, who scored a thrilling hundred to help save the game, but Faf du Plessis lost his place to Duminy again for the Centurion clash.
Six specialists may be handy against a strong New Zealand bowling attack in pitch conditions that may suit seam bowling. The likes of Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Mitchell Santner may prove to be a handful on what may be green-tinged winter wicket at Kingsmead, and they will be bowling-fit too as they are currently engaged in a two-match series against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Van Zyl would compete with Duminy and Du Plessis for that sixth batting position, and with the latter two not in Australia and not having the opportunity to play first-class cricket before the New Zealand series, Van Zyl could force his way into the selectors’ thinking.
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