Johannesburg: Will anyone remember this three-match one-day series between South Africa and New Zealand in a year’s time?
Unlikely. Consider what the South African team’s agenda looks like for the next few months: a massive tour to India, comprising ODIs, T20s and four Tests and then a home summer Test series against Alastair Cook’s England side, currently basking in the glow of an Ashes triumph.
Those are matches with context which will have a defining effect on the careers of many of the players. But a One-Day series against New Zealand in August? Not so much.
We are too far away from the Champions Trophy in 2017 for these matches to have any meaningful baring on that event. And as for the World Cup in 2019 – well that tournament is not even a blip on the cricket horizon yet.
The three matches – the first taking place today at SuperSport Park – are all about providing content for television, which makes it most ironic that Cricket SA haven’t wrapped up a deal with Skysports in New Zealand to show the matches there. Quite why this series deserves “market related” fees is a mystery. With so many big names missing – whether through rest, paternity leave or injury – it’s not the sexiest sporting content on the box anyway.
The main storyline would involve any injuries to one of the top players who are participating and the chances of that are increased owing to the bad state of the outfields. The groundsmen can’t be blamed (it is winter after all), and to make things look attractive for TV, green spray has been used to brighten the outfield. That hasn’t made it any less dangerous for boundary fielders and players on both side are aware of the problems they could face were they to dive around in the normal manner they would in the summer.
Coaches, administrators and players will be hoping nothing catastrophic occurs, not with so much more important cricket ahead on the calender.
South Africa have made a good fist of trying to find value for the series. Vice-captain Hashim Amla said yesterday the players weren’t lacking for motivation – although they would not be drawing from any lingering disappointment from the events in Auckland earlier this year.
Besides new faces like Kagiso Rabada and David Wiese getting a run, there are also new roles for players like Rilee Rossouw and Dave Miller, who must assume senior status in the absence of JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis.
While the public may not remember the series in 12 months time, David Wiese is likely to do so. He is set to make his debut today at his home ground hoping to be the solution to a problem South Africa has found difficulty in solving.
The No 7 all-rounder position is not an area many would have assumed South Africa would have trouble with given the plethora of great all-rounders this country has produced. However that is exactly the challenge the side has faced in the last 18 months particularly when confidence in Ryan McLaren began to wane last year.
So Wiese gets a run in this series and the big Titans all-rounder will be hoping to build on the positive impact he’s made in the T20 format and carry that into the 50-over game. “In the T20s David has been the outstanding bowler and this is a great opportunity for him to put his name forward as a long term solution for the no.7 spot,” remarked Amla.
“He is a fantastic batsman and on the domestic front he has done exceptionally well. He’s hard hitting and an impact player. With JP at 6, David at 7, Vern at 8, that’s a good group of batsmen who can come in (hopefully late in the innings).”
Today’s match starts at 12.30pm. Dean Elgar has been called up as cover for the injured Du Plessis.
SQUADS
SA: AB de Villiers (capt),
Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Morne van Wyk, David Wiese, Dean Elgar
NZ: Kane Williamson (capt), Doug Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Doug Bracewell, Grant Elliot, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McLenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Ish Sodhi, Ben Wheeler, George Worker