“They’re fierce competitors, just like South Africans. We’re there to win. So are they. They’re a world class cricket team and they’re going to come out with all guns blazing. So are we.” – Dean Elgar
Telford Vice | Cape Town
DEAN Elgar may want to swing past the curator’s shed on his way to the middle for the toss before the first of two Tests at Hagley Oval starts next Thursday. Not to find out what the pitch might do, but to borrow a lawnmower.
When Elgar appeared at an online press conference hours before he and his squad left for New Zealand last Wednesday, he was recognisable as South Africa’s captain. Eight days on at another presser, this one beamed from his hotel room in Christchurch, he looked like someone else. The bottom half of his face had become a bonsai baobab.
Even in New Zealand, where extravagant public displays of male facial hair are as common as chewing gum is not on the streets of Singapore, Elgar and his beard would stick out. If only he was allowed to stick out.
Except for training and scheduled gym visits, the South Africans are confined to their rooms as per strict Covid-19 quarantine regulations. That could explain Elgar’s hurrying hirsuteness: “It’s a combination of boredom and maybe frustration. And maybe I’m a bit lazy to shave it off. But I’ll see how long I go with it.”
The squad’s 10 days of quarantine end on Monday, negative tests permitting. After they make good their escape, and unlike cricket teams in other countries, including South Africa, they won’t be restricted to a bio-bubble. Maybe then Elgar and his wondrous whiskers will take to Colombo Street, Christchurch’s main drag.
His burgeoning beard has certainly been noticed within the touring party, and at least one member has suggested it should go before the first Test starts. By then, and judging by its galloping growth, it could be somewhere past Elgar’s elbows and as wide as his shoulders. Hence the possible need to borrow a lawnmower from the Hagley Oval curator.
Certainly, Elgar will hope there is less grass on New Zealand’s fastest, bounciest pitch than there is currently hair on his chin. That’s as an opening batter. As the leader of a team primed with quality quicks, he won’t want too much of it shaved off. Grass, that is. But he is also mindful of a Kiwi attack that harbours three of the top 10 ranked bowlers in the world: Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner. South Africa’s only top-tenner is Kagiso Rabada. As the No. 2 fast bowler in the game — Pat Cummins is No. 1 — he is higher on the list than any of the New Zealanders. Tom Latham is the only player on either side in the top 10 batting rankings, which would seem to tilt the balance in the bowlers’ favour.
Despite his team having blunted India’s much vaunted pace pack to win a Test series in South Africa in December and January, Elgar knew his batters were in for a stern challenge: “I say this with a lot of respect, but the New Zealand attack are a little down on pace compared to the Indian attack. In saying that, they execute their skills perfectly in their conditions.”
The home side should have a significantly better idea of those conditions than the visitors. South Africa had two 2015 World Cup warm-up matches at Hagley Oval, but their only official game there was an ODI in February 2017. None of the XI in that match are in the current squad.
South Africa last played a Test in New Zealand in Hamilton in March 2017. Elgar, Temba Bavuma and Rabada are the survivors from that XI. The South Africans have played 37 Tests — 13 away in England, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and West Indies — since their last encounter with New Zealand in the format. New Zealand have played 31, 13 of which have been in Australia, England, India, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.
The sides last met at Edgbaston during the 2019 World Cup. Since then South Africa have played 72 games in all formats in eight different countries and regions. New Zealand have played 75 in seven.
“It’s disappointing we don’t get to play against New Zealand a lot, because I’ve loved the series I’ve been part of,” Elgar, who has played in three rubbers against the Kiwis, said. “They’re fierce competitors, just like South Africans. We’re there to win. So are they. They’re a world class cricket team and they’re going to come out with all guns blazing. So are we.”
New Zealand have never prevailed in a Test series between the teams. Three have been drawn and South Africa have won the other 12. But the home side are the inaugural world champions and will start as favourites even though they are without captain and batting kingpin Kane Williamson, who is out with an elbow injury. South Africa’s batting has also taken a hit, with No. 3 Keegan Petersen removed because of Covid.
Almost half of South Africa’s squad of 17 have put their names in the hat for the IPL mega auction in Bangalore this weekend. So, whatever happens in all the bidding and buying, Rabada, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen and Zubayr Hamza will all have their attention returned to the task at hand by next Thursday.
Elgar, who has played only 81 T20s in a career focused on the red-ball game, was happy not to be among the anxious eight: “I’m definitely not in that auction because I can’t stand another year of disappointment and not getting the satisfaction of retiring in a few years’ time because of a million-dollar contract. I’m a lot more optimistic than that.”
But he understood the importance of the moment for those looking to land a big deal: “Some guys might have the auction go their way, and I’ll be the first guy to congratulate them because I’ll know the beers are on them. It’s an opportunity for someone to have their life changed because they’ve played extremely good cricket throughout their international careers. If a player does pick up a big deal we’re going to still pull him into line because he’s got to play for us. Playing Test cricket for your country is the ultimate.”
Perhaps. But not for much longer. And nevermind the beers: could one of those freshly minted millionaires buy Elgar a barbershop shave?
First published by Cricbuzz.
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