Amid a storm over social morality, the Proteas take on Afghanistan in the first of three ODIs in United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, desperate to make performances on the field the more central narrative.
Cricket South Africa revealed late on Tuesday captain Temba Bavuma will miss the first ODI due to illness. Aiden Markram will lead the team in the match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
CSA is traversing a difficult landscape. On the one hand it has grown the women’s programme locally and done so while raising awareness about gender-based violence, which continues to be a sickening indictment on the country.
But there’s also CSA’s status on the global cricket stage, which took a severe hit because of its chaotic administration five years ago. CSA is in the process of restoring relationships damaged in that time, making it harder for the organisation to take a definitive stance condemning Afghanistan’s Cricket Board.
The International Cricket Council hasn’t banned Afghanistan, like it did with SA, even though there are more than sufficient reasons to do so. In the case of SA, it was isolated because of racial discrimination, but it would appear gender discrimination won’t be taken as seriously.
Afghanistan play in World Cups and with only Cricket Australia — on the advice of its government — choosing not to face Afghanistan, bilateral tours continue to occur. New Zealand were due to play a Test last week, which was rained off and Bangladesh is in the final stages of arranging a series against them. Last week, the Asian Cricket Council, of which Afghanistan is a member, listened to proposals for Afghanistan to host regional events.
Bavuma and Rob Walter are right in stating it is for higher administrative powers to make decisions regarding Afghanistan’s status. Those higher powers haven’t done so, placing Bavuma and his team in a tricky spot.
Best for them, as both stated, to focus on the cricket, which for the Proteas involves more experimenting with personnel. With a Champions Trophy on the horizon there are some important spots that need filling before February.
Bavuma wants someone to secure the opening berth alongside him, which was vacated by Quinton de Kock’s retirement from the ODI format. For this tour, there’s also the wicketkeeper’s position up for grabs, while the search for a seam bowling all-rounder also continues.
Wiaan Mulder and Andile Phehlukwayo are both back, chasing the position.
Across the three formats Mulder has played 38 matches for the Proteas since making his debut in an ODI against Sri Lanka seven years ago. Phehlukwayo, 28, has 124 international caps to his name in a Proteas career that started in 2016. That neither, despite their obvious talent, has cemented a spot speaks to confused selection policies and their own inability to make themselves indispensable in the chances provided for them. This series is another opportunity.
In the absence of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, Bjorn Fortuin and Nqaba Peter have key roles in what is assumed will be slow, spin-friendly conditions in Sharjah.
As intriguing as the balance of the top order will be — with Tony de Zorzi an option to open, and Reeza Hendricks at No 3, thus shifting Aiden Markram to No 4 and strengthening the middle order -it is the chance for Tristan Stubbs to stake a claim in the No 5 spot, that is the most mouthwatering prospect for the Proteas in the series.
In Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller’s absence, Stubbs is the big hitter in the middle order and, like Klaasen, he is proficient against spin, which is Afghanistan’s strength.
The Afghans, specially in conditions that will suit their spinners in Sharjah, shouldn’t be underestimated. Their run to the semifinals of this year’s T20 World Cup showed their development, while last year they garnered attention with some excellent performances in India in the ODI World Cup.
Bavuma understandably wants to restore a winning rhythm to the Proteas, who have tended to place a stronger emphasis on rest and rotation in the past 18 months.
At least in doing so, Bavuma will carry out his intended aims — to focus on matters on the field, and let the larger, more pressing moral issues be dealt with, hopefully by people who should care more.
SQUADS
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (capt), Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Nqaba Peter, Andile Simelane, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams.
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik.
