It’s the third ball of the 42nd over of South Africa’s second innings. Ben Stokes, the man who has strode across world cricket like a colossus for the past 12 months, digs in with a 140km/h short ball, writes DANIEL GALLAN.
The Proteas’ batting unit has struggled to score more than 300 runs in recent times, but they will need to dig deep when it’s their turn to bat, writes JOHN GOLIATH.
Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj bowled 22 consecutive overs on a day of cricket that moved slower than Table Mountain. In total, he trundled to the crease and twirled the ball for 27 overs, conceding 79 runs and accounted for exactly zero Englishmen, writes DANIEL GALLAN.
If the on-field umpires aren’t going to bother calling no-balls at Newlands, then the television umpire needs to be immediately empowered to police the frontline, writes JOHN GOLIATH.
One day, when the Atlantic Ocean laps the base of Lion’s Head and the Karoo desert has shrivelled all the vineyards of Paarl, what will historians and sociologists make of Test cricket, asks DANIEL GALLAN at Newlands.
The arrival of Anrich Nortje as the Proteas’ new bowling enforcer is a massive boon for Mark Boucher’s team, writes CRAIG LEWIS.
Keshav Maharaj won’t dominate the headlines after the Proteas’ resounding victory over England, but his value should not be overlooked, writes DANIEL GALLAN.
Shorn of superstars, the Proteas beat England by 107 runs in the first of four Test matches as a result of the team’s overall strength, writes DANIEL GALLAN at Centurion.
This Test was heavily loaded in favour of South Africa the moment they went past 250 in their first innings after inexplicably being put in to bat by England’s Joe Root at the toss.
The light was already fading at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday when Jofra Archer’s knuckleball slipped from his grasp, writes Daniel Gallan at Centurion.
Two years ago, Kyle Abbott quit the Proteas in favour of a Kolpak contract. Two years later, Duanne Olivier did the same.
Of all the new faces involved when it comes to 2020 after the annus horribilis that was South African cricket in 2019 the most important is going to be Jacques Kallis..
The Proteas’ top-order needs to leave the ball a lot better if they want to score big runs against England this summer.
With the first Test against England less than 10 days away, new head coach Mark Boucher will have to make some big decisions as to how his starting XI will look come Boxing Day.
The appointment of Mark Boucher as head coach will improve the Proteas’ chances of a long-term turnaround.
