Let’s get this out of the way: of all the things CSA has to worry about, Anrich Nortje signing a deal with Kolpak is not one of them.
We mention him both because of the best course of his career and because it is that time of year and against this opposition when South Africa’s most promising rapids have historically left surprises about the direction of their races. Kyle Abbott signed at Newlands during the New Years Test against Sri Lanka four years ago and Duanne Olivier’s last appearance was in February two years later, after a completely different Sri Lankan team became the first Asian team to win. a series of tests in South Africa. But Nortje is staying, or at least not going to the UK.
Britain’s now finalized divorce from the European Union has ended the Kolpak era and in effect makes Abbott and Olivier eligible to play again for the country of birth, but unless Major League Baseball in the United States They can attract Nortje, it’s all from South Africa and thank goodness for that.
Nortje is everything South Africa wants from a fast headline bowler. You get the speedometer crawling towards 150km / h and occasionally beyond, you have a bad gorilla and have shown an ability to adjust your lengths for bowling when needed. All of that would be fearsome on its own, but it’s even more effective when it can operate within an attack that provides contrast. That’s what South Africa showed on opening day at the Wanderers.
Despite their inexperience, Wiaan Mulder and Lutho Sipamla have quickly adapted to their roles and it was with their support that Nortje enjoyed most of its rewards. Mulder, specifically, described himself as a bowler in the first Test, which gives Nortje the freedom to “spread” it a bit, as Shaun Pollock put it, and invite hitters to attack even more. “It’s very important to slow down your running speed and throw point balls because that generally creates windows,” Nortje said.
Mulder’s greed brought rewards for him first, with a 3-for-1 pre-lunch break in three overs, and for Nortje later. After lunch, with Mulder at one end, Nortje took 2-for-11 in four overs, throwing a little fuller and having both Niroshan Dickwella and Dasun Shanaka play away from their bodies without moving their feet. He came back for two more to finish Sri Lanka’s innings with Sipamla working his winger with offline deliveries, one of which found the advantage of Wanindu Hasaranga.
Ultimately, South Africa did nothing exceptional, which Nortje acknowledged. “We try to keep things as simple as possible. We don’t try to work miracles when we go out bowling,” he said.
And that, coupled with the way the opposition batted, makes it difficult to praise this effort, even though it produces the best numbers of Nortje’s career.
Sri Lanka came into this match ready to be fooled. They don’t have seven first-choice players, opting to hit first on a surface that has a reputation for being cruel to rebounding wary hitters, and while it wasn’t as green as it could have been, in their previous two games. Visitors here have failed to cross 200.
Their approach quickly made it clear that they could fall short again. While there’s a lot to admire about attacking intent, and Kusal Perera proved it can work, the Wanderers are a surface that demands hitters be able to come out right. The wide ball, half volley and those that are deflected down the leg, such as those that Lungi Ngidi threw, can be punished, but anything thrown upwards, on the third, fourth and fifth stump should be treated with care, and Sri Lanka it did not. Do that.
Aside from Dimuth Karunaratne, made by a lifter, and Dushmantha Chameera, who was bounced, the others threw their bats in installments that could have been left alone. If they had trusted their defenses, they might have been more cautious and willing to spend time in the fold. Instead, they opted for the same run-before-out strategy that they employed on Centurion. There, he brought them their highest total in South Africa against an attack that was still finding its feet. They weren’t so lucky here.
“At Centurion, we were sometimes too wide and rolled on both sides of the gate,” Nortje said. “Here, we wanted to keep it tight and get in the channel. That also created some opportunities. We want to have some bowling partnerships and try to get as many points as possible and then they will have to look to score runs.”
South Africa bowlers still have a lot of work to do, particularly Ngidi, who hasn’t looked his best in this series, but they have found depth in their reserves and a balance in the XI that allows them to play four rapids, which are all terrains. -takers. If Mulder and Sipamla stay injury free, Ngidi finds a way, Kagiso Rabada returns, Glenton Stuurman and Migael Pretorius get opportunities and Nortje continues to have a license to get excited, South Africa will not only free itself from Kolpak but won’t even need to call. on the returnees from Kolpak.
Abbott, Olivier and Simon Harmer are the trio that immediately springs to mind, but all of them have been signed as foreign players for their counties, which would limit their availability for South Africa. And that’s just the practicality of it. His departures left a bitter taste in the mouths of the administrators here and everyone would need to find their way back to a team that has advanced and also has transformation goals to adhere to. When they left, everyone mentioned safety, both in a financial and cricket sense, as one of the main reasons they left. With an IPL deal that can only grow and a fast-growing reputation as South Africa’s bad man, it’s Nortje who has those things now.
Firdose Moonda is a correspondent for ESPNcricinfo in South Africa
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