As with all touring teams to South Africa – bar Australia – the challenge in adjusting to local conditions, particularly the extra bounce from the pitches, will be crucial for the chances of the West Indies ahead of the three-match Test series against the world’s No 1 team.
The sub-continent teams face the same questions each time they’re here, and in fairness to India and Sri Lanka recently, they’ve adjusted well enough to cope – but only just.
Those teams also contained some exceptional players like Kumar Sangakarra, Mahela Jayawardene, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
The West Indies team, preparing for a three-day warm-up match in Benoni starting tomorrow, is an inexperienced one, particularly as far as their batting is concerned.
The absence of Chris Gayle and Darren Bravo have robbed them of two senior players, leaving only Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Marlon Samuels as batsmen who know what it’s like to score a Test century in South Africa.
So, while 13 days of preparation for the first Test – which starts in Centurion next Wednesday – seems excessive, the young batsmen of the West Indies need all that time to grow accustomed to the conditions on the Highveld.
“Because of the grass, you get some extra bounce, especially with the new ball,” said opener Kraigg Braithwaite.
Of course, once accustomed to that bounce and movement, there’s the threat posed by Steyn, Morkel and Philander. “It will be important to be patient, on these pitches. If there are balls in your zone, look to score, respect the good balls, work hard and play each ball on its merit,” said Braithwaite.
Braithwaite and his fellow batsmen will be grateful that South Africa’s selectors are going to give their batsmen a good taste of what to expect at Centurion thanks to the bowlers that have been picked for the South African Invitation XI.
Beuran Hendricks, Rory Kleinveldt and Daryn Dupavillon make up a rugged trio of seamers, who will exploit any assistance from the Willowmoore Park surface.
The match – as is often the case with touring matches these days – does not carry first class status, meaning the visiting team’s goals won’t concern numbers posted on the scoreboard.
Rather it will be about spending time at the crease for the batsmen and getting overs in the legs for the bowlers, especially the likes of Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach who will lead the attack of the islanders in the Test series.
Stiaan van Zyl will also get a chance to build further on his batting rhythm ahead of his anticipated debut in that first Test, by playing for the Invitation side.
Having missed most of the domestic T20 campaign for the Cobras owing to a leg injury, Van Zyl returned for the Western Province amateur side last week and made a century and half-century in a three-day game in Cape Town.
The South African squad will gather in Joburg this weekend to begin preparations for the first Test. - The Star