“There’s no turning back now. I don’t have anything to lose — whether I fail or not it’s still coming to an end.” – Dean Elgar
Telford Vice / Centurion
IN many parts of this strange and beloved South Africa, it would be assumed at first sight that Dean Elgar is a closed-minded conservative who disapproves of anyone who doesn’t look like him. And, because racism remains rampantly real in our country, concluded with neither proof nor doubt that Tony de Zorzi is a weed-smoking lost cause always on the prowl for something to steal.
They would be seen as people who couldn’t possibly have anything in common and thus had no reason to share a conversation. And so, if they weren’t acquainted and they found themselves in the same room, they would likely — or even should — steer clear of each other.
Elgar is white and De Zorzi black, already grounds for putting social distance between them. Elgar wears his hair close cropped. De Zorzi’s is an array of dreads. Elgar is sturdy, De Zorzi elongated. Elgar’s smile is a curl of something slyly known. De Zorzi beams his as if from the top of a lighthouse. Elgar is 36 and playing in his last Test series. De Zorzi is 10 years younger and playing in his third Test.
About all they would seem to have in common is that they bat left-handed. Even that isn’t a perfect fit. Elgar is a compact package of tight technique; not always elegant but enduring and effective more than often enough. De Zorzi is a loose-knit collection of long levers; a player blessed with range, rapier-like reactions and the discipline to make it count.
Yet there they were in the middle in Centurion on Wednesday, sharing the same 22 yards and 93 runs in 11 minutes short of two hours together. Many conversations were had, invariably punctuated by smiles and fist bumps. There was a sense — or maybe it was a hope — that the most experienced of South Africa’s players was handing over the job of opening the innings to his probable replacement. There was the unmistakable camaraderie between teammates not only advancing the cause together but enjoying each other’s company. They were a not at all odd couple, Tweedle Dean and Tweedle De Zorzi, Dean and Deaner, and — for the ice-skating fans among us — Tony and Dean.
Until they weren’t, after lunch when Jasprit Bumrah finally produced a delivery marginally less unplayable than his other peerless pearlers. It moved towards De Zorzi through the air and away from him off the pitch, then took the edge and flew to third slip. He faced 62 balls for his 28, which was worth more than that.
“The ball was going around — Bumrah was swinging it both ways — and Tony did bloody well to get through it,” Elgar said. I know he only got 20-odd, but getting that newish ball old, to allow David [Bedingham] to come in and play his natural game, was something that won’t be spoken about. But I’ll mention it.”
After Keegan Petersen’s ragged seven-ball innings, Bedingham walked to the wicket on the 249th day of his 30th year and for the 137th time in a first-class match. But, in a Test, for the first time. Bedingham’s path to this point took him through Durham, where he played 44 first-class games as an England aspirant. As he walked the latest steps of his journey he might have felt like he had done so before. The skies were gunmetal grey, the breeze edged with chill, the threat of rain not far, the pitch keen to help the quicks. It was, in short, a Durham dazzler of a day.
With Bedingham came another study in contrasts. While most of Elgar’s strokes are played from a low crouch, Bedingham needs no second invitation to rise to punch and thrust forward to drive. Whatever. Elgar had another project on his hands. When Bedingham took guard South Africa were 132 behind. India, then, were in control. They weren’t by the time Bedingham picked the wrong line to an unexceptional delivery from Mohammed Siraj and was bowled for 56.
“You would think Beders is a youngster coming into Test cricket, but he’s got a lot of experience in the first-class game and has done well in South Africa and in county conditions,” Elgar said. “It’s not the easiest [county] club he played for; the pitch is not conducive to free-scoring players. But you can see he came in with a lot of confidence. He played like he had 20 Tests under his belt.”
What advice did Elgar have for his two major partners? “It was a straightforward message — I’m pretty straightforward out there — but it was also about making them aware that if we get through these two [Bumrah and Siraj], they’ve got two more [seam] bowlers [Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna] and we can try and capitalise.
The Elgar-Bedingham partnership of 131 took South Africa to within one run of parity. Siraj had signalled the changing of the advantage at the end of his previous over, when he collected his pullover from Paul Reiffel and draped it over his upturned face in tired frustration as he trooped into the outfield.
When bad light forced the close — an hour and 22 minutes later than it did on Tuesday — South Africa had nudged their lead to 11. Elgar was still there, more than five hours into what may be, at most, his last but three innings in Test cricket. He greeted the grand occasion of reaching his century, with a pulled four through midwicket off Thakur, by taking a young buck’s leap into the bleak sky, balling his fists, and opening his throat to release a roar that was about more than making a hundred.
It was, perhaps, about pride. That he had been able to deliver for his team, again. That, having been given back — by Temba Bavuma’s hamstring injury — the captaincy that had been taken from him in February, he was leading from the front. That, with the end of his career looming, he was still of immense value to his team.
It was also about place, his home ground: “I didn’t have a Test hundred at Centurion. That’s the one that’s got away through my career. We spoke about it the other day in the Titans changeroom. They were like, ‘Jeez, we thought you’ve got a few here.’ I said, ‘No, I don’t. I’ve been rubbish here … well, maybe not too rubbish. But I don’t have a Test hundred.’
More than that, it was about people: “My family’s here and my friends were here watching, and knowing that this is my last international fixture here. I’m now on the honours board at all the Test venues in South Africa [at which he has played].”
Maybe it was about the perfection of the moment’s timing: “There’s no turning back now. I don’t have anything to lose — whether I fail or not it’s still coming to an end.”
Elgar’s undefeated 140 transformed a match that was in India’s grip when they resumed on 208/8. Much depended on KL Rahul, the only Indian to come to terms with the conditions and the bowling long enough to make a difference. Unlike his teammates, Rahul seemed to understand that imperious batting doesn’t often get you far in this country. Runs come not on a platter but to those who work for them. Rahul showed a singular determination, among India’s players, to do so.
As for the rest, Elgar could teach them a lesson: “You don’t just rock up here and say 350 is going to happen. It’s a ruthless format and you’ve got to go out and work your arse off for it.”
Elgar had sat down behind the microphones with a message for his team’s media manager: “I’ve taken my shoes off …” Indeed, he had. He left the room issuing another message, this time to the gathered press ahead of what will be his last visit to them, at Newlands: “I’m going out with a bang in Cape Town. I’m bringing beers.”
All present nodded and smiled, and didn’t doubt him. They know Dean Elgar keeps his promises.
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Bulletproof Truth 