With the mud having really set on final yr’s painful sequence defeats in England and Australia, which all however broken their hopes of creating the World Take a look at Championship closing (2023), the Proteas will need to regain their kind shortly in opposition to the West Indies at residence. The Windies, however, wish to make it a double sweep on their travels to Southern Africa after beating Zimbabwe in a not too long ago concluded two-match sequence.
This instalment of the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy is subsequently a lot anticipated in each South Africa and the West Indies. It’s additionally fairly a particular one for Temba Bavuma, who will play his first Take a look at as captain after he changed the outgoing Dean Elgar. Additionally it is a particular sequence for younger Western Province batsman Tony De Zorzi who’s in line to make his debut after a string of spectacular showings in top notch cricket.
Gamers to Watch:
Aiden Markram:
Markram is again within the Proteas arrange after lacking the sequence in opposition to Australia because of poor kind. He has since returned to the highest of his sport throughout the latest SA20 league, the place he captained the Sunrisers Japanese Cape to glory within the inaugural competitors. He scored a superb hundred throughout the match and in addition had a good ODI sequence in opposition to England. Can he cement his tempo within the Take a look at aspect, as properly?
Temba Bavuma:
In addition to captaining his workforce commendably, Temba was additionally in wonderful batting kind throughout the ODI victories in opposition to England. His subsequent problem is to proceed this wealthy vein of kind within the longest type of the sport. He has been arguably the Proteas most constant batsman in Take a look at cricket over the previous couple of years and has carried out greater than most to assist South Africa by a difficult transitional interval after the retirements of Hashim Amla, AB De Villiers and Faf Du Plessis. He’ll need to begin his tenure as captain on the best be aware and will likely be hoping to attain some massive runs with the bat as properly.
Kagiso Rabada:
Having struggled for momentum throughout the nightmare sequence in Australia, KG will need to put all that behind him and begin 2023 with a bang. Having taken extra Take a look at wickets than any bowler on the planet final yr, Rabada will definitely be pumped up for this sequence to remind himself (and the world) of his talents not solely with the ball, but additionally the bat. Is a primary worldwide half century on the playing cards? Possibly.
Kraigg Brathwaite:
The West Indian skipper has change into an inspirational chief and his workforce’s finest batsman. His kind in Zimbabwe was stable – he compiled a well-made 182 in Bulawayo – however one imagines that he’ll want extra massive runs if his aspect are to tug off an unlikely sequence win in South Africa. He’ll undoubtedly be happy with the emergence of opening companion Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of West Indian legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who has actually appeared the half in Take a look at cricket since his debut in Australia final yr.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul:
Son of a legend, Tagenarine Chanderpaul performed immaculately in opposition to Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. He additionally made a stable half century in Australia and definitely appears a prime prospect for West Indies cricket going ahead. Can he enhance on his sturdy Take a look at batting common of 69.66 so far? It is going to be a tricky ask however Tagenarine actually has the pedigree.
Gudakesh Motie:
Motie performed an important position for the West Indies within the latest victorious tour of Zimbabwe: the Guyanese leg break bowler mustered excellent figures of 4-50, 7-37 and 6-62 within the sequence. It has been a powerful begin to his Take a look at profession – he presently averages simply 15.89 within the 3 Exams he has performed with a superb economic system price of two.86. Nevertheless, he would possibly discover situations a bit of tricker in South Africa the place the seamers are normally on prime.
Who will win?
The upcoming Sir Vivian Richards Trophy guarantees to be a singular and enthralling sequence. South Africa will attempt to put issues proper in entrance of their residence crowd while the West Indies will hope to win a Take a look at sequence in South Africa for the very first time – they received in 1992 (in South Africa’s first sport after readmission) but it surely was only a single Take a look at. Historical past is subsequently in opposition to the vacationers however the Proteas do have their weaknesses. Who do you assume will win the sequence and which cricketers will shine?
Squads:
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton.
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Jermaine Blackwood (vc), Alick Athanaze, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Akeem Jordan, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Devon Thomas.
Sulaiman Karodia
