Ongama Gcwabe
IT doesn't matter where you play in the world or what conditions you face; it will always be difficult to win a series when the batting unit doesn't put up a single 300-plus total on the scoreboard.
Perhaps we have looked at Sri Lanka's only Test series victory in South Africa all wrong by emphasising the often spin-friendly conditions in Durban and Gqeberha where Sri Lanka became the first and only Asian team to win a series in South Africa.
A deeper diagnosis of the Proteas' batting performances during that series reveals their glaring shortcomings as they crossed the 250-run mark only once. Again, those numbers will almost always guarantee losses, especially in Test match cricket.
The one group that carried their weight superbly during that series was the bowling unit. Led by Dale Steyn in his last series in the country, alongside the current leader of the attack in Kagiso Rabada, South Africa took 31 of 40 possible Sri Lanka wickets, an effort that in most cases would lead to series victories.
Taking that in mind, it comes without surprise that coach Shukri Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma have backed their quicks for the first Test today at Kingsmead in Durban. In fact, Bavuma had an element of swagger when commenting about his pace attack – one which will feature Rabada, Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee, with Wiaan Mulder as the seam-bowling all-rounder option – yesterday.
"Coming to South Africa, fortunately, or unfortunately, you're going to have to deal with the fast bowlers," Bavuma said on the eve of the first Test. "From a seam point of view, we are quite confident in the guys that we've selected."
The decision was also influenced by the lingering rain in this part of the country, as Bavuma cited that the rain could further bring the quicks into play and perhaps not so much for the spinners.
"Considering the weather as well, I think the seamers will come into play and we're quite confident in our bowling pack," the 34-year-old said. "Looking at the wicket, we feel that if it does spin, it will probably be at the end of the game."
Furthermore, the pressure is mounting as two spots in next year's World Test Championship final are still vacant, and South Africa has a better chance of making the final, should they secure a minimum of three victories in the four Tests that remain in their campaign.
However, Bavuma emphasised that the pressure is only external, though the team fully acknowledges the magnitude of the task at hand this summer, starting with the Sri Lanka series today and then Pakistan on Boxing Day and in the New Year. The captain promised that his team would put on a show this summer.
"(There are) four games left in our Test Championship and every game is as important as the final will be. You should be seeing some good stuff from the guys," he said.
"The expectation and the pressure, I do believe that's something that has come from outside of the team. What we have spoken about as a team is to keep looking inwardly.
“We understand what has brought us results. We want to concentrate and focus on that as much as we can. We know we are getting closer to what we want to achieve."
The first Tests between South Africa and Sri Lanka will get underway at 10am today.
Proteas XI v Sri Lanka, first Test: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj