Cape Town - There was good news and bad news for Proteas on Thursday as they launched their England tour off in workmanlike mode at Worcester’s New Road.
The good was that Heinrich Klaasen seems like a man on mission to regain his place in the middle-order ahead of the first ODI on Tuesday at Chester-le-Street, while the bad is that Quinton de Kock once again did not get out of the sheds as he continues to recover from the hand injury he suffered on the preceding tour to India.
Fortunately, Klaasen, who struck a splendid 123 from just 83 balls (9x4, 5x6) to accompany his 35-ball 51 in Taunton earlier in the week, can also take over the wicket-keeping gloves if De Kock does not recover in time.
Equally, there’s also Test incumbent Kyle Verreynne in the squad who struck an unbeaten half-century just two ODI’s ago, although the Western Province gloveman was not included in the the XI on Thursday after uncharacteristically asked to open the innings in the first warm-up game in Somerset.
There were also half-centuries for Rassie van der Dussen (61 off 52 balls, 7x4, 1x6) and most encouragingly Andile Phehlukwayo (67 off 53 balls, 7x4, 2x6) that propelled the tourists to an imposing 360/7.
Phehlukwayo’s innings would have brought the Proteas’ coaching staff a great deal of satisfaction after the all-rounder’s troubles over the past 18 months.
The 26-year-old was dropped after the first ODI against Bangladesh at SuperSport Park in March and the message seems to have been delivered with Phehlukwayo responding immediately, with a maiden List A century for the Dolphins in Cricket SA’s domestic 1-Day Cup.
He followed it up with strong performances on the South Africa ‘A’ tour of Zimbabwe where he was the leading run-scorer with 143 runs at an average of 71.50 over the course of three matches.
After working out the rust a couple of days ago when the England Lions batters really tore into the Proteas’ bowling unit, there was greater rhythm in their efforts at New Road.
It helped that they started well - unlike when Tom Banton and Will Smeed bashed 113 in just 13.4 overs on Tuesday - this time around.
Captain Keshav Maharaj took on the responsibility and led from the front having Taunton centurion Smeed stumped second ball for a duck. There was further success for Maharaj three balls later when he clean bowled Sam Hain for a duck leaving the Lions at 0/2 after the first over.
Stephen Eskinazi (79) and Ben Duckett (44) tried to resurrect the chase with a 75-run partnership for the third wicket, while a couple of 40s from Benny Howell and David Payne brought some respectability to the Lions’ total, but they were never really in the hunt as the Proteas got their tour of England rolling.
Brief scores
South Africa: 360/7 (Klaasen 123, Phelukwayo 63, Van der Dussen 61)
England Lions: 253 all out (Shamsi 3/66, Maharaj 2/32, Nigidi 2/39, Nortje 2/63)