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For South Africa and West Indies, the present World Take a look at Championship will come to an finish on the Wanderers, with neither facet competing for a spot within the remaining however each aiming for a greater end than they managed of their earlier run. South Africa ended the 2019-2021 cycle in fifth; West Indies resulted in eighth. Now, they’re eyeing third and sixth locations respectively. If nothing else, that represents progress at a time when Take a look at cricket in each locations is struggling a dearth of fixtures and relevance.
After this match, until there are extra fixtures added to an already jam-packed calendar, South Africa won’t play in whites for the subsequent 9 months – earlier than internet hosting India in December – and opening their subsequent World Take a look at Championship cycle. West Indies’ subsequent Exams are additionally in opposition to India, however slightly sooner, in July-August. Between from time to time, each South Africa and West Indies will consider securing their spots within the 2023 50-over World Cup, with a minimum of considered one of them set to look within the qualifying match in Zimbabwe. For international locations who have been the third and fourth to play Take a look at cricket respectively, the shift in priorities is just too stark to disregard however their want to reassert themselves as necessary gamers on this format might be on full show this week.
You possibly can count on each of them to make a powerful case. Though each groups have batting line-ups which might be fragile beneath stress, they boast sturdy seam assaults and in idea, there isn’t any higher place for them to placed on a present than the Wanderers. In observe, the Bullring has been unusually spinner-friendly this summer season and Simon Harmer and Bjorn Fortuin have been among the many beneficiaries. To that finish, South Africa have included two specialist spinners of their XI and are hopeful the match will transcend three days to deliver them into play.
West Indies will not be too sad with that. A tamer floor might be extra like dwelling for them and provides them a chance to finish an away run that began in Australia after which traveled by Zimbabwe, on a constructive word. Whereas there will not truly be any prize for West Indies in the event that they win the match, it is going to be the primary time they haven’t misplaced a collection in South Africa. For the hosts, letting that document slip will not be an possibility, particularly as they search to finish the Take a look at summer season on a excessive.
Type information
(final 5 accomplished matches, most up-to-date first)
South Africa: WDLLL
West Indies: LWDLL
Within the highlight
After bagging a pair on his captaincy debut and being dropped from the T20 facet for what white-ball coach Rob Walter stated have been “performance-based” causes, Temba Bavuma fortnight can solely get higher. Take a look at cricket is his finest format and he’s South Africa’s most constant batter and has scored a half-century in all however considered one of their final six collection. With South Africa’s No.3 and No.5 spots nonetheless up for debate within the batting line-up, Bavuma’s function in holding collectively the line-up at No.4 is much more necessary, particularly after the middle-order have been blown away at SuperSport Park.
Staff information
South Africa named their XI on the eve of the match and have emptied their bench, with 4 adjustments from the staff that performed at SuperSport Park. Keegan Petersen drops out of the batting line-up and Ryan Rickelton has been included – reward for a summer season by which he scored three first-class lots of in as many matches and averages 121.66. With Anrich Nortje out with a groin niggle, surprisingly, South Arica have included two spinners – Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj – in addition to allrounder Wiaan Mulder. Marco Jansen has been rested and Senuran Muthusamy has misplaced his spot.
South Africa potential XI: 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Tony de Zorzi, 4 Temba Bavuma (capt), 5 Ryan Rickelton, 6 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Simon Harmer 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Gerald Coetzee
Windward Islands batting allrounder Alick Athanaze could possibly be in line for a debut rather than Roston Chase. West Indies might additionally herald left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie to exchange Shannon Gabriel.
West Indies: 1 Kraigg Braithwaite, 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Raymon Reifer, 4 Jermaine Blackwood, 5 Alick Athanaze/Roston Chase, 6 Kyle Mayers, 7 Joshua da Silva, 8 Jason Holder, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel/Gudakesh Motie
Pitch and situations
All eyes might be on Brendon Frost, the brand new Wanderers groundsman who’s getting ready his first Take a look at strip. Frost was beforehand in cost at Willowmoore Park so he’s accustomed to Highveld situations and is unlikely to veer too distant from the standard Johannesburg floor, with good tempo and bounce on provide however, in a plot twist of word, there’s additionally prone to be some flip. The previous few seasons have seen spinners among the many wickets on the Wanderers and a patchy, grassy floor might provide them one thing if the sport goes previous three days. They could be negated by the climate to a level. After a scorching week in Centurion, there’s been some rain round within the build-up to the Wanderers Take a look at however clear skies are forecast for the primary 4 days, with thundershowers anticipated late on Sunday. A mid-week begin to the match means there will not be a lot of a crowd with Friday afternoon prone to be when the stadium involves life.
Stats and trivia
Quotes
“We obtained away with an excellent consequence however reality be advised we weren’t significantly good. TheWest Indies have been good. And the wicket was robust however that does not then imply that we simply roll over as we did the opposite day and have achieved up to now.”
South Africa’s Take a look at coach Shukri Conrad gave a harsh evaluation of their first Take a look at efficiency regardless of the win and desires to see a greater batting effort on this match.
“It was excellent for us as a bowling group to get 20 wickets. Within the first 20 wickets, we have been a bit too costly and as a batting unit, we have to enhance. We’ll come laborious, regardless of the XI South Africa play. We aren’t far off. South Africa is a troublesome staff at dwelling. With slightly extra software, we might do properly.”
Kraigg Brathwaite is not underestimating his opponents
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and girls’s cricket
