The South African captain, Temba Bavuma, on Tuesday, declared an all-pace attack for the first Test against Pakistan, which will kick off at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday. This two-match series holds great importance for South Africa, as it can earn them a spot at next year’s World Test Championship final if they win one of the matches. ‘We back our seamers at Centurion,’ Bavuma said at his pre-match press conference. Fast bowler Corbin Bosch will make his debut for a team missing several leading pace bowlers because of injury. He plays for the Titans provincial team whose home ground is at Centurion.
Bosch, age 30, is the son of the late Tertius Bosch, who played in South Africa’s initial isolated Test, which took place against the West Indies in Barbados during 1992.
“He will be playing at the venue where he has made a name for himself in the provincial set-up,” said Bavuma. “He adds that element of extra pace. He’s a big, strong guy who hits the deck hard and he offers a role with the bat as well.”
More than 140kmh (87mph) was surpassed by Bosch while bowling when he made his one-day international debut against Pakistan at Johannesburg last Sunday and accumulated 40 runs in the lower order.
Bavuma said his players know what is at stake in the title chase of the world championship final.
“We know what’s at stake. There’s confidence and belief because of the good cricket we have played over the last while. Nothing has happened by accident.”
Despite Cricket South Africa’s deliberate downgrading of Test cricket behind an attractive high-profile Twenty20 franchise series, South Africa wandered its way into a Test championship final.
It does not matter what else, this schedule of South Africa for 12 Tests – all in a two-match series – has been the joint lowest with Bangladesh in this championship cycle. England has played 22 matches, while the number of matches played by Australia and India when they complete their fixtures will total to 19.
Their average points have transgressed the wall into the ticket of South Africa in the top list while losing the series almost completely in New Zealand when coach Shukri Conrad could not get to field any players who are contracted to the SA20 league.
Not to have played against Australia or England, South Africa’s only series against one of the ‘big three’ Test nations has been a tie against India. Both of Pakistan’s Tests in South Africa have ended in victories.
Pakistan has a dismal tally in South Africa: 2 out of 15 Tests they have been able to win but will go to the series buoyed by a convincing 3-0 one-day series win. Seven players of the Pakistan unit, eight of the South African Test-team players were also part of the one-day combatants.
South Africa’s Playing XI: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson.
Pakistan’s Squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
