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Follow UsCan de Zorzi make the opening slot his own?
Dean Elgar has retired from Test cricket, and it’s now time for Tony de Zorzi to take up the opening slot. The left-handed batter made his debut against West Indies last year and has featured in four Tests so far, scoring 145 runs @ 20.71. All his seven innings have come at No.3, but South Africa’s red-ball coach, Shukri Conrad, has now confirmed that he will be moving up into Elgar's opening slot, starting from the two-Test series against West Indies.
The 26-year-old has opened in almost 50 percent of his total first-class innings and averages more than 41. Even the unbeaten 304 he scored against the Knights in 2022 came as an opener. De Zorzi has also played four of his five ODI innings as an opener and scored 249 runs at an average of 83. So, this is not something that he hasn’t done in the past.
Howbeit, the problem with de Zorzi is he averages 18 against pace compared to 55 against spin in Test cricket. And he will be up against some quality fast bowlers while opening the innings. Even against West Indies, Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales could pose some serious threat with the new ball. De Zorzi will open the innings alongside Aiden Markram and would want to make an impression straightaway.
Stubbs at No.3 is going to be fun
"Technique is obviously a big factor because you're going to be facing the new ball the bulk of the time. And he's quite an imposing character, a big, strong, strapping boy, and I quite like that. I like the fact that at the top of the order, there are quite imposing guys; guys that have got a good aura about them and strong body language,” said Conrad of Tristan Stubbs, who has only played one Test so far.
The 23-year-old made his Test debut against India in January but could only manage scores of 3 and 1. Stubbs has already made quite a name for himself in white-ball cricket, but his numbers in first-class cricket are even more impressive. The right-hander has 1,205 runs in 18 FC games at an average of 50.20. Almost 50 percent of his runs have come batting at No.4, but he does have a century to his name at No.3 (117 vs Sri Lanka A in 2023).
With de Zorzi moving to the opening slot, Stubbs has been given the all-important No.3 spot and it won’t be too long before we find out how he responds to this challenge.
Who’s going to keep wickets?
Kyle Verreynne or Ryan Rickelton or Matthew Breetzke?
Markram, de Zorzi, Stubbs, Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham - South Africa’s top-five looks sorted. However, they will have to take a call on who their wicketkeeper is going to be. Verreynne, who made his debut in 2021, has been keeping wickets for the Proteas for a while. The 27-year-old has played 16 Tests, scoring 600 runs @ 26.08. He has just one century and two fifties in 27 innings.
Verreynne hasn’t done enough to cement his place, and that’s where someone like Rickelton could come into the picture. The 28-year-old played the last of his four Tests in March 2023 but has been in great form of late. Rickelton, who is averaging 50.11 after 59 FC games, has been regularly travelling with the team but hasn’t got much game time. In the warm-up game against West Indies Championship XI, the left-hander crafted 80 off 121 deliveries.
Breetzke (3,122 runs in 52 FC games @ 37.16) is also part of the squad, but for now, the 25-year-old will serve as back-up for Rickelton and Verreynne.
Mulder to replace Jansen?
South Africa prefer having a bowling all-rounder at No.7, and Marco Jansen has made that spot his own in the last couple of years. The left-arm fast-bowling all-rounder has 49 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 22.79. He also averages 23.58 with the bat, having registered five 30-plus scores in 21 innings. Jansen has been rested for the series and that could give Wiaan Mulder some game time.
The 26-year-old averages 15.52 with the bat and 27.1 with the ball in the 12 Tests he has played so far. Mulder doesn’t have a single half-century in international cricket but averages 35.29 with the bat in FC cricket. He has 11 hundreds and 13 fifties to his name and could start ahead of someone like Migael Pretorius, who has been brought into the squad as a replacement for Gerald Coetzee.
Pretorius is yet to make his international debut but has been around for almost 8-9 years. The 29-year-old has a batting average of 28.57 in 64 FC games and has also picked up 188 wickets @ 27.5. And since 2023, that batting average has been above 40. This series will be important for both of them as the Proteas won’t mind another all-rounder at No.8 even when Jansen returns back to the fold.
Can Burger keep up the good work?
Nandre Burger had a debut series to remember against India, picking up 11 wickets in two Tests at an average of 14 and a strike rate of 20.5. The left-arm seamer has played only one FC game since then, taking five wickets against the Dolphins in February.
Since then, Burger has played a lot of T20 cricket, but now, in Jansen's absence, he will be a sure starter, considering South Africa don't have any other left-armer in their squad. And a strong showing against West Indies will help him leapfrog Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee in the pecking order once everyone is fit and available.
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