Africa-Press – South-Africa. Captain Temba Bavuma rejoins a Proteas side that is ready to break new ground when they face Australia in the opening ODI at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns on Tuesday (from 6.30am).
It’s South Africa’s first 50-over outing at the venue where the Australians have built a formidable record.
For Bavuma, it’s a return to action from injury after lifting the Test mace at Lord’s in June, and a chance to lead a youthful squad determined to bounce back after their T20 series defeat at the weekend.
The Baggy Greens have won all of their games at the venue since 2003. Those series were against New Zealand and Bangladesh.
The teams played T20 cricket at the venue in the T20 series, and Bavuma has been tapping into his teammates about what to expect.
“The guys say the wicket is a bit more on the slower side. But again, I think like everything we must just try to adapt,” Bavuma said on Monday.
“We just try to assess and adapt on the day and try to play the best cricket required for those conditions. I had a look at the wicket. I had a look at the field and it was bigger than what I’m accustomed to. So, probably a lot of running from my side. But it looked like a good wicket out there. It was a good game of cricket in that last T20.”
Bavuma has not played cricket since June, when he led the Proteas to World Test Championship success.
He sustained a hamstring injury during his second innings heroics and missed the subsequent Test tour of Zimbabwe.
“The hamstring is good. It is a case of just looking after it. I went through the rehab that I usually do. Everything is good,” he said.
He said the Proteas would stick with Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton as the openers, and he’d come out at three, which he called a competent top order.
He was excited about the young faces such as Dewald Brevis stepping up in the T20 series. Brevis smashed a 41-ball century in Darwin and a half-century in Cairns.
“There has been a lot of talk about someone like Brevis, who has really put his hand up and shown what he’s capable of. I’m excited to see what he can bring to the ODI format.”
The Proteas added paceman Kwena Maphaka to the ODI squad after the teenager was the leading wicket-taker in the T20I series with nine wickets.
“And then there are guys like Maphaka, who has been added to the squad, and Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, who we are getting to know better,” Bavuma said.
“Prenelan Subrayen has also come into the squad. So, similar to the T20 series, it’s a bit of an exploration to see where the guys fit best. More importantly, we want to find our strongest XI.”
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