Top six must back Bavuma in high-stakes Newlands clash

Despite Temba Bavuma’s heroics in Gqeberha, concerns remain about South Africa’s batting ahead of the series decider against Australia on Tuesday at Newlands.

If the Proteas are going to prevail, it will take more than just Bavuma and Aiden Markram — their two best batters in the last three years — to score runs.

While it’s Australia’s vulnerable batting line-up that has been in the spotlight after Gqeberha, South Africa’s batters are certainly not out of the woods.

It’s unlikely there’ll be any change to the top six for Cape Town. Bavuma’s defining 179 in the second Test will have bought time for the likes of David Bedingham, Marques Ackerman and Matthew Breetzke.

Wiaan Mulder has not lit up the series with the bat either, but his value with the ball gives him grace.

We’ve been heavily reliant on Temba and Aiden, and then lower-order runs — Shukri Conrad, Proteas coach

Bavuma and coach Shukri Conrad are desperate to create a semblance of stability with the batting, having chopped and changed often in South Africa’s last six Tests. Tristan Stubbs batted in three different positions in those matches; Mulder has batted at No 3 and at 6, Tony de Zorzi has played at 4 and 5 and Dewald Brevis at 5 and 6 in Pakistan.

Semblance of stability

Notwithstanding decisions made for different conditions, that is asking a lot of the players, especially inexperienced ones like Stubbs and Brevis.

Besides Markram, the only semblance of stability in the batting has been Bavuma at No 4 and, weirdly, Senuran Muthusamy, who batted at No 7 three times in Pakistan and India.

Markram has been getting to know a fourth new opening partner in the last three years in Ackerman, while Bedingham is the sixth different occupant of the No 3 spot in the same period.

“We’ve been heavily reliant on Temba and Aiden, and then lower-order runs,” Conrad presciently remarked after defeat in the first Test.

The astonishing turnaround in Gqeberha resulted from exactly those two areas. Bavuma’s career-best innings was ably supported by No 8 Marco Jansen’s fearless 85 and No 9 Simon Harmer’s sturdy 82.

Red flags

But the position the Proteas found themselves in at 110/6, which followed two poor batting displays in Durban, means red flags are still fluttering.

Bedingham’s knocks of 49 and 46, along with his good form this year for both Durham and Western Province, should make persevering with him at No 3 a no-brainer, even beyond the Cape Town Test. Others in the top seven have not inspired confidence so far. In a combined 11 innings in the current series, Stubbs, Verreynne, Ackermann, Breetzke, Rickleton and Mulder have scored 162 runs.

“You definitely have many conversations, I think, obviously. When you front up to the media, you try to keep a steely face, but when you’re there alone in your room, you know you can’t kind of lie to yourself,” Bavuma said of his approach after the defeat in Durban.

A similar attitude will have to be adopted leading up to Tuesday’s start. “The strengthening of our belief — we will definitely take that [into the third Test,” the skipper added.

The Proteas will make one change to the team for Cape Town after confirming yesterday that Anrich Nortje had picked up a mild groin injury in Gqeberha. The obvious choice is between Corbin Bosch and Gerald Coetzee. Bosch offers some prowess with the bat in addition to being able to bowl at 140km/h, while Coetzee is marginally quicker but possesses a more fiery temperament.

What has so far been a relatively quiet series may turn more raucous at Newlands, given what’s at stake for both teams. Australia is returning to the scene of the crime and will be confronted with the Sandpaper saga in a more visceral manner than at any point previously on the tour.

A little argy-bargy

There were signs in Gqeberha of a more competitive edge between the players, highlighted by Jansen and Marnus Labuschagne exchanging words.

“There’s obviously certain individuals within the team who enjoy a little argy-bargy and you allow those guys to go about doing that within the rules, obviously. From the Australians, yeah, I guess there was a little bit more verbal chatter,” said Bavuma.

The defeat at St George’s Park has raised the volume even more for changes to Australia’s batting order, creating a level of pressure with which their cool captain Pat Cummins has rarely dealt.

England certainly didn’t do so last summer, and even the shocking loss to Bangladesh on home soil in August could be explained away as rustiness.

Labuschagne, one of the batters under the most scrutiny, following three scores in the 30s in the series, earned subtle backing from his captain after the poor shot that led to his dismissal in the second innings in Gqeberha.

“He’s actually doing the hard bit — he’s getting to the 30s. He’s got to find a way to turn those into bigger scores. Thirties aren’t going to win you too many matches,” said Cummins.