The underdogs tag is not one normally worn by South Africa when playing at home – or almost anywhere else for that matter – yet that is precisely what the Proteas will be when they take on the West Indies in a T20 series starting at Newlands tonight.
The number one-ranked Proteas Test side duly dispatched the eighth-ranked West Indies over the course of the recently-completed three-Test series and even though South Africa also rank higher than their Caribbean counterparts in the shortest format of the game, only a blithering fool would regard the outcome of the three-match T20 series as a foregone conclusion in favour of the home side.
For while South Africa, ranked fourth in the world T20 rankings, are arguably a finer and more complete cricketing unit than the West Indies (seventh), the Windies possess some of world cricket’s greatest T20 match-winners in their ranks.
And this was a fact not lost on Proteas T20 skipper Faf du Plessis who expressed his admiration – and no small measure of concern – over the pyrotechnic ability of the men from the Islands.
Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and skipper Darren Sammy are some of the players that will now be available for the West Indies during the T20 matches and Du Plessis said yesterday that with so much talent in their ranks, the 2012 T20 World Champions are a dangerous outfit.
“West Indies are probably for me the most dangerous T20 team in the world and they have proven that in the T20 World Cup when they won it,” said the SA captain.
“With us playing with a few of them in the IPL we know that a majority of the team is match-winners. So it will be a huge test for us, but that is what you play international cricket for.”
South African audiences indeed got a close-up preview of just how destructive the West Indies T20 specialists can be during the domestic T20 challenge when Pollard, Gayle, Russell, Bravo and Sammy plied their trade for the local franchises and delighted crowds with their ball-striking and wicket-taking abilities.
With the 50-over World Cup just over a month away, South Africa are resting a number of senior players, thus handing opportunities to players such as Farhaan Behardien, Kagiso Rabada and David Wiese.
“We are quite a young side with a majority of the Test guys getting a rest, and with the one-dayers coming up and the World Cup, some of the guys will get some well-deserved off-time,” Du Plessis said.
“They (West Indies) are a quality team and it is going to be a real tough series but that’s how you want it as a captain,” he added. “It is how you learn and for the young players it is a great stepping-stone for them and it gives them a chance to learn what international cricket is all about.”
Sammy added that his side will be looking forward to facing the Proteas in the shortest format as the side seek the first win of their tour to South Africa.
“There is a lot of confidence in the team right now. We became world champions in this format and we have some of the best players in the world in this format.
“A lot of big names have returned for this match but we are still without our two top bowlers (Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree). Despite this we are still confident,” he said.
The key battle for today’s match will feature South Africa’s bowlers against the West Indies batting line-up and Du Plessis is fully aware of what his side will need to do if they want to leave Cape Town with a victory in the opening T20 clash.
“From a captain’s point of view, normally if you look at a team then you will find two or three danger hitters, so you sort of build your plans around them so that you keep them off strike and rather (bowl to) the players who take longer to score in T20 cricket.
“But with these guys there isn’t one in the whole top seven... they’re all very destructive, they are all flair players and like to attack.”
Kyle Abbott will be expected to play a major role in trying to restrict the dangerous West Indies batting line-up, while Wayne Parnell is another player who will be looking to make a contribution with the ball.
Proteas coach Russell Domingo has roped in former Proteas ace and experienced death bowler Charl Langeveldt to assist current bowling coach Allan Donaldin preparing the South African limited overs bowlers.
“It is an opportunity for Langes to learn as a coach, he is a great death bowler and for us it’s a chance just to get his insight and for him to get some experience as a coach,” Du Plessis said. “In South Africa the conditions really affect death bowling so the guys need to learn as much as they can.
“A guy like Kyle is probably one of the best at bowling yorkers but sometimes those can be punished for six. Other players like Kagiso (Rabada) and Marchant (de Lange) can also benefit from learning more about death bowling and how to bowl to the conditions,” said Du Plessis. - Cape Argus