Bavuma and Co scoring big time wins
Zaahier Adams
Second Test – Day 5
South Africa: 358 & 317
Sri Lanka: 328 and 238
De Silva 50, Mendis 46, Maharaj 5/76, Rabada 2/63)
South Africa won by 109 runs, won series 2-0
On the Proteas’ last visit to Australia two years ago, South African cricket seemed broken in its entirety. Victory and the Test side had become strangers, exacerbated by head coach Mark Boucher's abrupt departure just weeks before what many consider the toughest tour in world cricket, leaving the team in the hands of rookie part-timer Malibongwe Maketa.
The pressure took a notable toll on captain Dean Elgar, who managed just 56 runs in six innings, returning home with a dismal series average of 9.33. Drastic action was required, prompting Cricket South Africa to embark on a bold new direction by splitting the coaching positions for the Test and white-ball teams.
Enter Shukri Conrad, a figure polarising in the cricketing fraternity. To his supporters, he is hailed as a maverick with an unmatched cricketing intellect; to others, he is perceived as a bombastic troublemaker.
Yet, one attribute stands out: he has always been forthright. His initial course of action was to replace Elgar with Temba Bavuma at the helm of the Test team.
This change wasn't mere political manoeuvring; Bavuma, the team’s most experienced batter after Elgar, was the sole player to exhibit defiance against the formidable Australian attack during their prior encounter, finishing as the leading run-scorer down under.
Since Conrad and Bavuma took charge, the transformation of the Test side has been nothing short of miraculous. The Proteas now sit atop the World Test Championship (WTC) table with just two matches left in the cycle. They have not lost a Test series since the duo's inception last February – with Bavuma absent for the depleted side that toured New Zealand – and he has firmly established himself as the leader of the squad.
This resurgence aligns with Bavuma’s most prolific run of form in Test cricket. He has, during this period, amassed double the number of centuries compared to his previous nine years as a Test cricketer, accumulating 632 runs at an impressive average of 57.45.
Bavuma’s dominance was epitomised in the recently concluded series against Sri Lanka, where he scored 327 runs at an astonishing average of 81.75, earning him the Player of the Series accolade at St George’s Park. His contributions were pivotal in the Proteas’ 2-0 series victory, extending their Test winning streak to five matches.
“I'm not a vocal person. I believe in letting your bat do the talking,” Bavuma commented, following Keshav Maharaj’s 11th career five-wicket haul that sealed the 109-run victory.
“What helps me is that there is a lot of hunger and desire from my side to put in winning performances for the team. Fortunately, the opportunity was there throughout the series and I was able to make use of it.
“I think as players, we prepare and train so that you can get this feeling. Where, I guess, not in an arrogant way, but you feel like you can score runs. And obviously you want to protect that space. For me, this is just a strengthened belief in myself.”
Precision from Paterson⚡️
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) December 9, 2024
Dane Paterson was at his best, as he skilfully dismissed the Sri Lankan batsmen to bag 7️⃣ wickets in the 2nd Test Match.
A maiden test cricket fiver to top it off as well.🖐️🏏#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #SAvSL pic.twitter.com/xWD78qq2PB
𝐀 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲! 🇿🇦🇵🇰
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) December 9, 2024
The first T20I between these cricket powerhouses kicks off tomorrow at 18:00 (CAT) 🤩🏏#SAvPAK | #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/enPm534pa1
However, the path to success had not been smooth for Bavuma. He entered the series without playing any competitive red-ball cricket due to injury, undergoing yet another rehabilitation process, making his achievements in the series even more remarkable.
“If I look at coming into the series from a preparation point of view, it was a lot different from what I've been accustomed to. Not being able to do a lot of skill work meant I had to focus more on the mental aspect and trust that my skills and abilities were still intact,” Bavuma reflected.
“My first couple of nets weren't great, to be honest. I was quite doubtful of myself, physically and in terms of form. But you’ve just got to trust yourself. You’ve got to trust what you've done. Having good teammates around you helps as well.”
The Proteas’ next Test assignment looms against Pakistan on Boxing Day at Centurion. A victory there could propel the Proteas to the prestigious WTC final at Lord’s next year.