South Africa 'can be a formidable side' after West Indies victory, Bavuma insists

By Sports Desk August 18, 2024

Temba Bavuma believes his inexperienced South Africa "can be a formidable side" following their Test series win over West Indies.

The Proteas clinched the two-match series - and Sir Vivian Richards Trophy - with a comfortable 40-run victory in the second Test in Guyana.

Resuming day three at 223-5, South Africa could only add another 21 runs as they were bowled out for 246.

However, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj then took centre stage in the field with both taking three wickets apiece - the latter becoming his nation's most prolific spinner in the process by taking his Test tally to 171 - to prevent the Windies from building any momentum.

Although the partnership of Gudakesh Motie and Joshua Da Silva kept the hosts in contention, they were eventually all out for 144.

And skipper Bavuma hopes the victory is a sign of things to come for South Africa.

"The emotions were a little bit up and down," he said. "[We are] glad the weather held up. Both teams were in the game. We had to keep working hard. The game went our way, fortunately.

"We leant on to the bowlers to deliver for us. Rabada led the pacers and the spin department was led by Keshav.

"We just need to keep building. We are an inexperienced team. The more the guys play, the more confident they will become. We can be a formidable side."

Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite added: "Our first innings total was bad [144]. We did well with the ball on the first day. The mindset was to have intent.

"We didn't get the partnerships. There were some rash shots in the first innings. There was some fight from Motie and the lower order. 

"The bowlers did a fantastic job after losing the toss. We fought and fought back."

Related items

  • Dottin among nominees for ICC Women’s Player of the Month for October Dottin among nominees for ICC Women’s Player of the Month for October

    West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin has been named among the three nominees for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for the month of October.

    Dottin made her comeback for the national side at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and was a driving force as the islanders reached their first semi-final at the event since 2018.

    She was instrumental in victories over Scotland and Bangladesh, but saved her most valuable contributions for the latter stages, where she shone with the bat, ball and in the field in their group stage win over England, before producing a memorable individual display with 33 runs and four wickets in the thrilling semi-final defeat to eventual champions New Zealand.

    Dottin will be going up against New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt for the award.

    The nominees for the Men’s award are New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, Pakistan’s Noman Ali and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada.

  • Kevin Sinclair replaced by Junior Sinclair in Harpy Eagles Super50 squad after internal report to GCB Kevin Sinclair replaced by Junior Sinclair in Harpy Eagles Super50 squad after internal report to GCB

    All-rounder Kevin Sinclair will take no further part in the Guyana Harpy Eagles CG United Super50 Cup campaign in Trinidad and Tobago. The decision made by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) followed the submission of an internal report by the Harpy Eagles' management team that it was necessary to replace the player.

    The GCB, in making the revelation, also announced that Kevin Sinclair will be replaced by Junior Sinclair in the squad at the tournament.

    Though the GCB’s statement did not clarify if sub-standard performance is the reason behind Kevin Sinclair’s ejection from the squad, it pointed out that it was a “necessary squad adjustment.”

    “Following an internal report from the Guyana Harpy Eagles management, it has been decided that Kevin Sinclair will no longer be participating in this year’s competition,” the statement read.

    In the three matches played in the Super50 Cup, Kevin Sinclair tallied 14 runs and snared three wickets.

    He made 14 from 16 balls against Windward Volcanoes and took 2-66 from 10 overs in the same match.

    However, he did not bat in the rained-out contest against Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners and was dismissed without a score against Barbados Pride and only took 1-26 from 10 overs in that same match.

    The Guyana Harpy Eagles are winless after three matches.

    A similar situation arose last year during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament when organisers announced Kevin left the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad for “personal reasons.”

    Kevin Sinclair’s departure opens the door for Junior Sinclair to take up a spot in the Harpy Eagles squad ahead of Tuesday’s contest against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

    Guyana Harpy Eagles Squad: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Matthew Nandu, Tevin Imlach (captain), Kevlon Anderson, Kemol Savory, Junior Sinclair, Keemo Paul (vice-captain), Ronaldo Aimohamed, Veerasammy Permaul, Isai Thorne, Ashmead Nedd, Nial Smith, Sylus Tyndall, Rampertab Ramnauth.

     

  • Salt confirmed as England wicketkeeper despite Buttler return for West Indies T20Is Salt confirmed as England wicketkeeper despite Buttler return for West Indies T20Is

    Phil Salt will be wicketkeeper in England’s upcoming T20I series against West Indies as white-ball captain Jos Buttler looks to improve his captaincy.

    Buttler has been ruled out with a calf strain but will return to England's squad for the five-match T20I series that begins on Saturday.

    Until now, Salt has kept in just 13 of his 59 England appearances across all formats but has taken up the mantle for the ongoing ODI series against West Indies.

    Buttler, on the other hand, has donned the gloves in 106 of his 108 T20Is.

    Salt, though, is enjoying his new role.

    "It's not something I've done a lot for England recently, but I enjoy keeping. I feel like that's where I offer most to the side," Salt said, as reported by ESPN.

    "We've not had a chat about anything going forward. I'm just glad to be doing it at the moment."

    While Salt is not guaranteed the gloves after this series, he will find comfort in Buttler's intent to optimise his captaincy by experimenting with a role in the field.

    "I was going to give up the gloves and commit to being at mid-off and see how that felt. If it will help me with my captaincy it is something I am open to," Buttler told Sky Sports in September after being ruled out of the T20 series against Australia.

    England are tied 1-1 in their ODI series against the West Indies with the decider to be played on Wednesday.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.