Andrew Hudson has returned to form just in time to counter the powerful batting line-up of the English tourists
Cricket: Jon Swift
IT SHOULD be cause for much rejoicing that two of this South Africa’s most talented cricketers have been given a foretaste of success at Test level before this country joins in battle with the English.
And equally heartening that they come from such seemingly opposite poles of the cricket spectrum.
Allan Donald’s 8/71 in the second innings of the crushing seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe, and Andrew Hudson’s 135 in the first dig are vindication of all the continued confidence this country’s selectors and coaches have had in both of them.
Hudson remains the classiest of our batsmen and has hopefully recovered from the slide in technique and collapse of confidence which, at the end of last season, made him such a sad and uncertain figure.
There was a danger that, when he was dropped from the national team against New Zealand but kept in the squad while in such an insecure frame of mind, he would have dropped the drinks if he was made 12th man.
Thank the gods, sporting and otherwise, that Hudson has regained some of his form. It is certainly a sign that he does carry a straighter bat into the coming series against the Poms.
An in-form Hudson also has the effect — much needed in our top order — of nullifying anything Mike Atherton’s prowess with the bat can build for the England side he leads. It is as much a psychological edge as anything likely to show in the statistics.
It is an extra something that could count heavily as the five-test series progresses. For Atherton apart, the South African bowling has to get past any number of variations in the order offered by batsmen of the ability of Alec Stewart, Graeme Hick, Robin Smith, Graham Thorpe and Mark Ramprakash.
Atherton has proved more than once that he is one of the world’s better batsmen and both willing and able to take pace as it comes to him. He led from the front in the recent series against the West Indians in England … and his team had to come from behind more than once to do so.
Stewart, now back from injury, is another not to be taken lightly. He is a hardened professional who has seen it all and will more than likely make many runs this South African summer. His pedigree dictates this to be so.
Of Hick, despite his huge talents, we remain to be convinced. The legend would have it that the Zimbabwean-born batsman does not have a great liking for true pace. The truth of this remains to be seen on the type of wickets Hick grew up on, but one suspects that the continued harping on the major chink in Hick’s armour is not mere talk. We shall see.
So, too, will be the interest in whether the grounding Smith had as a young batsman in Natal is still intact after all the years in the south of England. This, one suspects, is not really a case for debate, and Smith will trouble more than one tiring attack on tour.
Thorpe has proven his worth to England and in Ramprakash, there is a talent which has yet to mature into Test runs. In South Africa he could finally develop into the batsman England expects.
In short, they need every run the South African order – – and hopefully this does not rapidly become to depend yet again on Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson — can put on the scoreboard.
Yes, Hudson in form is a priceless asset. For a feeling of solidity at the top end — and the runs on the board the gentlemanly Natalian is so capable of in full and elegant flow — are meaningful against the English.
Just so in the case of Donald, who has got over his inconsistency of purpose, lack of rhythm, niggling injuries and has made short shrift of any suggestion that his form in English county cricket this season past would not carry through to the series.
Donald at full cry is one of those sights which stay forever engrained on the memory. As fully memorable as the first sight of West Indian Wes Hall at Lord’s so many years ago. And, like Hall, a sight likely to cause the jitters to increase each time he turns on that long, lolloping run-in.
One hopes that more than one Englishman will carry this image etched on the unconscious come the turn of the year.
There is also the fact that Donald is again operating in tandem with the new ball opposite the unfettered spirit of Brett Schultz. There is no secret that the selectors bank heavily on the fire and aggression of the blond lefthander as a perfect foil to Donald’s pace.
And well they should. The pair have more than enough between them to rattle even as solid a top order as that England at present claim ownership to. And bear in mind that Fanie de Villiers has yet to find fitness from injury.
We don’t lack seam bowling, for there are still Craig Matthews, McMillan, Steven jack, the enigmatic Richard Snell and even Eric Simons and Meyrick Pringle to call on, all of them with international experience.
But it would perhaps be well not to become totally blinded by the pace available … or to forget that it was Devon Malcolm’s superb 9/57 which truly destroyed South Africa at the Oval last year.
The Poms do not lack batting or pace. The series, which got on track when England arrived on Thursday, promises much. Let all of us hope that the five-test rubber delivers.