South Africa sweat on Temba Bavuma fitness
Joel Gould |
South Africa are sweating on the fitness of middle-order batter Temba Bavuma as he nurses a nagging elbow injury ahead of the first Test against Australia at the Gabba.
Bavuma won’t bat in the first innings of the tour game against a Cricket Australia XI at Allan Border Field but captain Dean Elgar said he was hopeful the 32-year-old would recover in time for the second innings.
The injury is a concern for the Proteas as Bavuma sat out the recent Test tour of England with the same elbow issue.
Elgar, who made 109 in South Africa’s 7-335 on day one of the tour game, said everything was being done behind the scenes to make sure Bavuma was fit and able to get some time in the middle before the first Test.
“This is an elbow injury he’s had before and came right, and I think he’s just jarred it a little bit,” Elgar said.
“I am not too concerned just yet. Hopefully he can come out and bat in the second innings here.
“We just need to give him the best opportunity to get some time in the middle and hopefully make himself available for the first Test. We need him fit.”
Elgar said it was “easy to jump to conclusions” about South Africa’s lack of runs in the recent series in England where he said they were “out-skilled in really tough batting conditions”.
He has no doubt that scoring enough runs for his fast bowling quartet to defend will be vital in Australia.
“In Australia you need runs on the board,” he said.
“We need to give our bowlers the best chance to take twenty wickets and we need to score runs to buy them time in the game…to give us the best chance of winning.
“Runs are vitally important in Test cricket and while we haven’t been up to scratch of late.
“I haven’t shied away from those conversations. I’ve been open and honest with our batters in the changeroom.
“It is good to see guys respond like they did today.”
The unbeaten and aggressive 76 by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne against Cricket Australia was one of those responses that Elgar was looking for.
The 25-year-old made his maiden Test century, an unbeaten 136, against New Zealand in Christchurch earlier this year.
“I think it is innings like this to get his confidence going with regards to the international scene,” Elgar said.
“It was good for him to play that way and I think he always plays his best cricket when he is looking to score and be positive which is a promising sign for us going forward into the series.”
AAP
