Cape Town - Although AB de Villiers is expected to fit for the much-anticipated three-Test tour to Australia later this year, the lack of form of both JP Duminy and stand-in skipper Faf du Plessis are showing in the longest format of the game, which opens up the discussion as to who could actually replace the duo going forward.
We take a closer look at “The Contenders” …
1. Stiaan van Zyl
Tests:11
Runs:355
HS:101*
Ave:27.30
Easy on the eye is possibly the best way to describe Van Zyl. A left-hander blessed with an abundance of class and that significant factor of seemingly always having that extra second to play his shot.
All these attributes came to the fore on Van Zyl’s Test debut, where batting at No 6 against the West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion, he laced a glorious undefeated maiden century against the West Indies.
It was the perfect start to a promising Test career. Unfortunately for Van Zyl, though, the dynamics of the Proteas Test side changed with the retirement of opener Alviro Petersen after the following Test in Cape Town, and with ironically Duminy returning from injury, the only vacancy was at the top of the order for Van Zyl.
A regular No 3 for the Cape Cobras and equally desperate to play for South Africa regardless of the position, Van Zyl stuck up his hand to open the innings alongside Dean Elgar. The experiment ultimately proved to be a failure with Van Zyl’s technique first being examined on the ghastly spinning tracks of India before being given a solid working over by arguably the best new-ball attack in the form of England’s James Anderson and Stuart Broard.
Van Zyl was finally relieved of his misery when specialist opener Stephen Cook, who promptly too struck a century on Test debut, for the final Test series. Van Zyl’s failure as an opener, though, should not detract from is ability to perform in the Test arena especially now that he revered back to his more familiar middle-order role.
He is certainly is man in form too, judging by scores of 73, 43*, 133*, 85, 2 and 10 in his last six innings for the South Africa A side on their tours to Zimbabwe and Australia. Van Zyl is also a useful medium-pace bowler and has a knack for breaking threatening partnerships.
2. Omphile Ramela
Tests: 0
Arguably the most improved batsman in the country, Ramela has capitalised on opportunities that have come his way over the past three seasons.
A classic left-hander who is almost a throwback to a bygone era, the Cape Cobras captain bases his gameplan on pure occupation of the crease. Ramela possesses patience in abundance, possibly garnered during all those years studying for a Masters in Economics at the Stellenbosch University.
Cricket wise, though, his technique has all the right attributes to stand up to the rigours of Test cricket due him knowing exactly where his off stump at all times is, while always being very compact. At 28 years old, Ramela has played sufficient first-class cricket (90 matches) to be comfortable in his gameplan in terms of where he scores his runs.
There is a lot of former Proteas Test opener and coach Gary Kirsten in Ramela in terms of maximising scoring opportunities within his limitations. It seems also that Ramela relishes the challenge of playing at a higher level.
Although his overall first-class career average is only 29.89, it rises to 34.05 when playing for the Cobras and takes an even further leap to 41.10 when representing South Africa A.
3. Rilee Rossouw
Tests:0
ODI’S:31
Runs:928
HS:132
Ave:33.14
With Rossouw having been a major part of Proteas ODI plans for the past few years it is almost a forgotten fact that the left-hander was just 20 years old when he notched a place in the record books with the fastest triple century in South Africa first-class cricket when he hit 319 off 291 balls.
It was during the same season that he passed 1000 runs - a feat he shared with now Proteas Test opener Dean Elgar back in 2010. Six years on, though, Rossouw has not yet managed to break through for a Test debut although being named in a couple of squads since.
The drawback has routinely been Rossouw’s penchant for being overly aggressive and unable to sort out his shot selection. There has never been a question about the talent the boytjie from Bloemfontein possesses, but rather his temperament.
Injuries have also played a part in stalling Rossouw’s progress over the last couple of seasons as he is currently recovering from a shoulder ailment sustained during the Triangular One-Day International Series held in the Caribbean recently.
Rossouw may not be in the first in the queue at the moment, but a solid first-class season with the Knights this year could catapult him straight back into the reckoning, especially as he possesses the flair and attacking intent that the Proteas crave in the middle-order at the moment.
Independent Media