CARRYING CONFIDENCE: Proteas show early hand, riding the winning momentum into Newlands decider

Much like their Springbok counterparts, the Proteas are in the habit of confirming their team sheets earlier than regulations require to send a clear message to the opposition.

And the message is simple: “Pick whoever you want, this is the team we’re sending out to beat you.” It has a ring of Viv Richards and Chris Cowdrey about it.

If you don’t know the story, the great West Indian batter delivered the ultimate put-down to England captain Chris Cowdrey at the toss for a Test in 1988.

Cowdrey arrived in his whites and blazer, Richards in a Bob Marley T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops.

As tradition dictated, Cowdrey started to read out the names of his team to the opposing captain, before Richards stopped him about four names in: “Play who you want, man. It ain’t gonna make any difference.” Viv was right.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma does not quite have the swagger of the great Richards, few do, and will certainly attend the toss at Newlands in his whites and blazer. But his team lineup is no secret.

Bavuma confirmed that fast bowler Gerald Coetzee would be let off the leash where he has been frothing for two weeks, for a go at the Aussies.

Coetzee has played four Tests, but none since 2024, and now has a chance to stake a longer-term claim to one of the fast-bowling slots.

“He is probably the closest guy in terms of like-for-like to Anna (Nortje), in terms of the role Anna plays in the bowling attack as the enforcer,” said Bavuma.

“Gerald does have a bit of extra pace. I think, yes, we did consider that he hasn’t played for a while, but he’s been with the team, getting his workloads in.

“He’s a guy who has the ability to make a big play for the team. Nothing against the other guys, Corbin [Bosch], Patto [Dane Paterson]; Gerald is just closer to like-for-like.”

Otherwise, the side remains unchanged from the unit that produced one of the finest Test displays in South African history to win by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha last week.

Bavuma led from the front with an exquisite 179 when his side were in desperate trouble, coming in at 12 for two.

On the back of that batting performance, and fine bowling and catching, the Proteas levelled the series at 1-1 and now come to Cape Town hoping to beat the Aussies on home soil in back-to-back series for the first time since 1970.

Admittedly, there has been a six-year break since the Aussies were last on a Test tour to South Africa, but it’s still a statistical piece of history worth noting.

Finely balanced

Just as South Africa showed when turning a 214-run first Test loss in Durban into an emphatic win at St George’s, so too will Australia believe they can come back in Cape Town.

Unlike the first two Tests, though, the Aussies are likely to encounter a healthy crowd, despite the odd decision to start the Test on a Tuesday. They will certainly be reminded of “sandpapergate”, as Newlands was the scene of the crime. Or at least where the Aussies were caught.

The tourists have batting issues at the top of the order. Nic Maddinson, the opener who failed in both Tests so far, including a 33-ball duck in the first Test, has been sent home.

Star batter Steve Smith is still under an injury cloud due to a cricked neck. He hasn’t been cleared to play yet, while the form of Marnus Labuschagne remains a concern.

Labuschagne hasn’t scored a Test century since 2023 and in this series has found ways to get out with scores of 14, 39, 37 and 37. Given the Smith situation and the promising signs Marnus has shown in the series, albeit without a big score, he is likely to play again.

“He’s [Smith] got a bit of a neck issue going at the moment. You guys would have seen that play out in the nets. I think he had about 20 odd minutes in the nets, give or take. Today he’ll progress that,” coach Andrew McDonald said on Sunday.

“He didn’t have his helmet on yesterday as well, so that’ll take part and hopefully progress. We feel like it’s going to be a pretty steep progression in terms of [when] he should be available. You’ll see that play out in terms of what happens. But we’re confident that he will be available.”

Batters Cameron Green and Josh Inglis are likely to both play, meaning that all-rounder Beau Webster would lose his place.

The Aussies also have some thinking to do around the inclusion of a spinner. Nathan Lyon was omitted from the second Test, and not having a world-class tweaker left their bowling thin.

Including Lyon would require dropping a seamer. Scott Boland is the most likely candidate, which seems harsh considering he was Australia’s best player in the second Test.

Batting support

While the Proteas carry winning momentum into the decider, the top order, Bavuma aside, needs to contribute more runs.

All-rounder Marco Jansen is South Africa’s second-highest run scorer in the series with 146 at an average of 48.66. Those runs will always be welcome, but it’s the top six that must produce the bulk of the scoring.

Opener Aiden Markram has scored a respectable 123 runs in the series at an average of 41. Ryan Rickleton has only managed 33 runs, while No 3 batter David Bedingham has scored 95.

Wiaan Mulder, who holds the record for the highest individual Test score by a South African of 367 not out, has contributed 72 runs at 24, but he has taken some crucial wickets.

It’s not a crisis, and one or two of the top order are due a good score, but it is something that needs to happen to take some of the pressure off the bowling unit.

Australia have at least seen centuries from Matt Renshaw (190 in the first Test) and Travis Head (121 in the second Test). Renshaw has scored 295 runs in the series.  

Like South Africa, if Australia could have a few more significant contributions from others in the top order, it would go a long way to pressurising the hosts.

“You want to be consistent, right? We haven’t had that luxury. And I think while we’re still trying to find that consistency and stability there [with the batting], we’ve still been able to get the right type of results,” said Bavuma.

“I said it a couple of weeks [ago], sometimes certain batters are going to have to do the heavy lifting for the team. And we’re very much comfortable with that as a batting group.” DM