Africa-Press – South-Africa. Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj said Dean Elgar’s passionate leadership has also added a sounder and clear edge to their cricket in the past year and a bit.
While the Proteas remain a work in progress from a Test perspective despite their excellence in the format, they’ve yet to lose a series under Elgar’s leadership.
They took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match series against England through an emphatic innings and 12-run win in the first Test at Lord’s.
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They will be expected to replicate that at the second Test that starts at Old Trafford in Manchester on Thursday.
Maharaj said Elgar’s clear, concise and straightforward management has played a critical role in the team’s improved performance.
Elgar made 47 off 81 at Lord’s before he fell victim to an unlucky dismissal of England’s bowling spearhead James Anderson.
“We’re sounder as a unit. We know how to go about our business, while there’s more clarity and role definition in our team,” Maharaj said.
“That’s been Dean’s leadership mantra since he took over the captaincy. In the meeting we had before we went to the West Indies, there was a lot of clarity put into place.
“The guys needed that clarity and it shows in our performances and it’s been really good to see. Dean’s a driven and straightforward character.
“I think that’s what the guys needed in terms of a shake-up in our team environment and it’s paying the necessary dividends.
“With the youth in the team, there’s a lot of guidance from Dean, from where his character and persona feed into the youngsters and that’s showing in the performances.”
Despite varying pitch conditions in South Africa, New Zealand, and England, Maharaj has been a key tenet in SA’s performances.
Maharaj was dropped in the first Test that South Africa lost comprehensively against New Zealand in Christchurch.
But he returned for the second Test that saw Elgar make a bold call in batting first, a decision that was vindicated by an all-round performance from the Proteas.
Maharaj wasn’t used in South Africa’s first innings at Lord’s, but claimed the scalps of Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope that crippled England in their doomed second innings reply.
Maharaj understands that England hasn’t been the friendliest venue for spinners, but still expects to play a role.
Manchester has been raining, but with the forecast expected to clear for the duration of the game, Maharaj, who made a match-turning 41 off 49 in SA’s only dig at Lord’s, is hoping for a longer spell with the ball.
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“I would love to bowl all the time, but the seamers are doing their job, so full credit to them,” Maharaj said.
“I know my time will come for me to bowl my spells. We haven’t seen the pitch too much because the covers have been on.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the rain subsides, so if the seamers don’t strike, Dean will throw me the ball and I hope to have a nice, long spell.”
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