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Temba Bavuma has acknowledged that walking after playing and failing 71 in the Boxing Day test “was not the smartest of things” and hopes to complete “unfinished business” in the second test against Sri Lanka, which begins on Sunday.
Bavuma, who has a Test Hundred to his name, scored five years ago, was well established at SuperSport Park when he shone on a wide delivery from Dasun Shanaka, tucked the bat under his arm and left the field without being handed over. Replays showed no contact between bat and ball, and if Bavuma had waited for the umpire or even sought a review if the decision was against him, he probably could have continued his innings and could have reached triple figures.
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Although Bavuma seemed to regret the way his entries ended, in an always measured way, he was not too discouraged. “I would have liked to score a lot more runs and the opportunity was there,” he said. “I guess walking prematurely before the referee made the decision wasn’t the smartest of things, but it just happened on the spur of the moment.”
Instead, he sees an opportunity to fix things in the next match, which takes place at his home and is also the place where he came closest to adding a second hundred to his name. Three years ago, against Australia, Bavuma was stranded at 95 * when Morne Morkel holed out. He has played two Tests there since then, against Pakistan in 2019 and England last year, when he was called aside after being eliminated. His returns in those games amounted to just 64 runs, but several years of playing national cricket and captain of the Lions franchise in Johannesburg mean the place remains a happy hunting ground for him.
“The Wanderers is where it all started for me – playing first-class cricket for the Lions. I have good memories at the Lions and I think I’d like to create more memories,” Bavuma said. “There is a sense of unfinished business per se and the opportunity is there to go in and get some races. I’d like to do it and make it worthwhile.”
That said, scoring runs is unlikely to be easy. The Johannesburg field is often hostile to hitters, even more so when a subcontinental team is on the road and South Africa is looking to build on its advantage. But Bavuma believes the home team is prepared for the fight.
“There is rhythm, there is rebound on the wicket and lateral movement,” he said. “Our bowlers love those kinds of conditions and so do the hitters. We are used to hitting on grounds that are faster and that rebound. Our techniques adapt to it and also mentally; we are quite brave in these kinds of conditions. . “
But South Africa’s batting before the Boxing Day test cannot be described that way. In the year prior to the posting of 621, their highest score on an entry in any format was 291, and their highest score on Test 284. After being outclassed in India, they were fragile at home against England and struggled to put together. significant individual contributions or partnerships. .
An exhausted Sri Lankan attack gave South Africa a gap to correct that and now their task is to replicate their performance at SuperSport Park.
“There hasn’t been a lot of consistency or confidence in our hitting,” Bavuma said. “So I guess the pressure was on the hitters, especially considering they’re the older guys on the team, to step up and lead the way. Fortunately, the guys were able to do it.
“It’s not every day that you can score more than 600 points. The challenge for most of the team will be trying to match that effort. The most important thing about hitting is that the guys that came in, the guys converted, they took their chance – more specifically Faf. [du Plessis] – so the challenge will be for the hitters, for those who come in, to make sure they go ahead and get a big score to put the team in a good position. “
And the more the races come, the more those who score them (apart from du Plessis) make their cases for the permanent test captaincy. From the looks of it, Bavuma is interested, after Quinton de Kock asked him for advice several times on the spot in the first test.
“Quinny and I play a lot of time together from province, age group and we understand each other in terms of our strengths and in terms of where we can help each other,” Bavuma said. “He has identified when someone can help him on the field with all the soft little issues. I will take any kind of responsibility, I enjoy the leadership that is coming.”
De Kock has been put in charge of the South African test team in a temporary capacity for this summer, as the selectors look for a long-term solution. Following this series, de Kock will lead the team on a tour of Pakistan, which begins in late January, and in the Tests against Australia at home, scheduled for February-March. That means South Africa will go through at least two more biosecure environments over the next three months, something that Bavuma explained could take its toll.
“I didn’t enjoy it at first, with the England series (white ball). I heard it from the guys, but experiencing it was something else. I felt it was difficult mentally: being restricted, not being able to do the normal things that I would do, to see the people you might normally see, “Bavuma said.
“Now it’s a little easier in the sense that I understand and know what to expect. The place here where they hosted us has also been very good. The hotel staff have been amazing in making us feel really good The guys too. Ha There has been a lot of interaction between the boys.The boys will do an activity they are not used to, like fishing.
“The guys who don’t play golf are playing it on a simulator. The conversations between the guys are much more family oriented, which makes the guys feel a little more comfortable. The life of the bubble is the life of the bubble. He’ll be with us for quite a while and I guess we’ll have to find ways to get more used to it. “
Firdose Moonda is a correspondent for ESPNcricinfo in South Africa
