The New Zealand cricket team is eyeing a first Test series win over South Africa, when the two teams meet in the second and final test match in Christchurch on Friday. The Proteas were soundly beaten in the first test, the second-worst defeat in their history and they want to give a better account of themselves so as not to derail gains won over the summer.
The Proteas are experiencing the roller-coaster ride that is test cricket. Stepping out of a victorious test series against India where they fought admirably in the last two matches, they hit the shores of New Zealand brimming with confidence. But the lack of a warm-up match to get used to conditions has been touted as a reason for the dismal performance in the first test. Captain Dean Elgar needs the Proteas to step up in the second test to salvage the series.
“Well we have got to basically not replicate what we have done in the first test I think it was extremely disappointing in all aspects that we just failed…our competitive nature was not there something that I know has been our strength over the last while and just to have us blown out of the water within two and half days of play is pretty disappointing but needless to say it’s things that we also have to get over we’ve also worked on it and gone through it over the past few days in a group capacity and guys know what is expected of each individual going into the second test,” says Dean Elgar.
Elgar has batted South Africa out of the doldrums and into victory numerous times in his test career. He knows the psychology of test batting and that patience is a virtue often overlooked in the modern game.
“It is a little bit frustrating and disappointing that we haven’t fulfilled our ability but saying that guys are usually one knock away its professional cricket and me knowing the level of this intense international cricketing scene that we play in, you are always that one knock away from being in good form again. I’m kind of banking on that theory going into this next game hopefully that theory can pay us off and what’s happened in the first test could be a thing of the past for us and sure starting a series like that is never great,” Elgar added.
Of all the batsmen, Aiden Markram’s slump in form is the most alarming and as an elite top-order batter, he knows about the pressure of opening the batting, and these days, of coming in at number three. Elgar needs Markram to produce the goods as a matter of urgency although he may be dropped for the match.
“I have had a lot of good conversations with Aiden over the last few weeks. I kind of know the angle of attack with approach that I use or my technique that I use with him, it’s something that definitely resonates with him in a big way so I think the conversations we had now and I kind of need him to return the favours now as well,” Elgar explains.
The Proteas stay in Christchurch at the Hagley Oval for the second and final test. A win for the Black Caps would send them to the top of the test rankings.
