South Africa vs West Indies 1st Test Match Preview
Posted in preview, South Africa vs West Indies Series
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Tuesday, 16 December 2014 By Unknown
West Indies and South Africa kick off a long sojourn with the first Test in Centurion on Wednesday. West Indies are in South Africa after a marathon six years and it is a crying shame that it has taken this long for the charismatic Caribbeans to visit the rainbow nation. The last International match the West Indies played was a poor apparition of the game. With all their troubles still lurking in the dressing room, they take on the undisputed champions of Test Cricket with the first Test starting in Centurion on December 17. It is amazing as well as depressing how the most dominant force in world cricket at one point could have regressed to such a nadir. The process of rebuilding began in what now seems like another lifetime and lingers on in their tour of South Africa amidst festering player-board disputes, which may have blown over for now. On the other hand, it is the beginning of an era in South African cricket on the captaincy front. Hashim Amla will lead South Africa for the first time in a Test at home come December 17. His first assignment as their Test skipper was a successful tour of Sri Lanka.
The touring party hasn’t had the luxury of acclimatizing as perhaps they would have desired. They played a rain affected practice match on a traditionally benign Benoni surface, in which they fared rather well, but it is too small a sample size to gauge form or ability. However, Marlon Samuels’ double hundred has auspicious portents; what will please them further was the performance of Devon Smith who was inducted as a late replacement for Chris Gayle. Smith was stomping in his 170s before retiring. But the rest of the batting line up plodded to create an impression. The absence of Darren Bravo leaves a gaping hole in a middle order that with the exception of Shivnarine Chanderpaul is volatile by nature.
The visitors pace attack led by Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor — one area in which they feel smug about challenging the might of the Proteas. Sheldon Cottrell may have booked himself a berth in the eleven with a five-wicket haul in the practice game. Being a left-armer, his inclusion will lend variety to their attack. With Shane Shillingford out, Suliman Benn offers them a spin bowling option. But they may be tempted to take on board a fourth seamer instead — the imposing Jason Holder. Their headache will be facing up to the formidable trio of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. Considering their wobbly form against spin bowling, Imran Tahir’s exclusion is slightly surprising. However, their willingness to put in the hard yards with the bat will determine the course of the Test and the series.
South Africa are coming off a disappointing one-day series loss to Australia, but Test cricket is a different ball game. Test cricket at home is what they’d like for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With most bases covered, it is only the absence of Jean-Paul Duminy due to injury which leaves a spot vacant in the middle order. Stiaan Van Zyl would be the likely beneficiary, all set for debut. The absence of Tahir suggests that they might go into the first Test with a four pronged pace attack, which may be much desired in the Highveld. South Africa enter the series beginning in Centurion as overwhelming favourites. It is for the West Indies now to turn the tables on the hosts and have them hopping for cover.
The touring party hasn’t had the luxury of acclimatizing as perhaps they would have desired. They played a rain affected practice match on a traditionally benign Benoni surface, in which they fared rather well, but it is too small a sample size to gauge form or ability. However, Marlon Samuels’ double hundred has auspicious portents; what will please them further was the performance of Devon Smith who was inducted as a late replacement for Chris Gayle. Smith was stomping in his 170s before retiring. But the rest of the batting line up plodded to create an impression. The absence of Darren Bravo leaves a gaping hole in a middle order that with the exception of Shivnarine Chanderpaul is volatile by nature.
The visitors pace attack led by Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor — one area in which they feel smug about challenging the might of the Proteas. Sheldon Cottrell may have booked himself a berth in the eleven with a five-wicket haul in the practice game. Being a left-armer, his inclusion will lend variety to their attack. With Shane Shillingford out, Suliman Benn offers them a spin bowling option. But they may be tempted to take on board a fourth seamer instead — the imposing Jason Holder. Their headache will be facing up to the formidable trio of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. Considering their wobbly form against spin bowling, Imran Tahir’s exclusion is slightly surprising. However, their willingness to put in the hard yards with the bat will determine the course of the Test and the series.
South Africa are coming off a disappointing one-day series loss to Australia, but Test cricket is a different ball game. Test cricket at home is what they’d like for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With most bases covered, it is only the absence of Jean-Paul Duminy due to injury which leaves a spot vacant in the middle order. Stiaan Van Zyl would be the likely beneficiary, all set for debut. The absence of Tahir suggests that they might go into the first Test with a four pronged pace attack, which may be much desired in the Highveld. South Africa enter the series beginning in Centurion as overwhelming favourites. It is for the West Indies now to turn the tables on the hosts and have them hopping for cover.
South Africa 11 : Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla (capt), AB de Villiers, Stiaan van Zyl, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Robin Peterson
West Indies 11 : Kraigg Brathwaite, Devon Smith, Leon Johnson, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Denesh Ramdin , Jerome Taylor, Kemar Roach, Sheldon Cottrell, Sulieman Benn
Fantasy 11: Brathwaite, Chanderpaul, du Plessis,de Villiers, Amla, deKock, Philander, Samuels, Cottrel, Steyn, Morkel
Captain : Amla or de villiars
Vice captain : Chanderpaul or samuel
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