Home Sport Cricket Proteas may have to re-think De Kock’s spot in batting order

Proteas may have to re-think De Kock’s spot in batting order

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There is no doubt that Quinton de Kock is struggling for confidence with the bat, and playing him at No 5 is not having the effect the Proteas coach Mark Boucher had hoped for.

In four Test innings this season, Quinton de Kock has scored a total of 45 runs, with a highest score of 18 in the first innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka. Picture: PCB

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa were bowled out for 245 on Friday morning leaving Pakistan to make 88 to win the first Test in Karachi.

At lunch, taken later than on the other days of the Test because of Friday prayers, Pakistan were 22/0 with Abid Ali on 10 and Imran Butt on 12.

As was the case in the first innings the Proteas suffered another catastrophic collapse in their second innings. From 175/1 on Thursday afternoon, they lost nine wickets for 70 runs in 33 overs.

The first innings collapse saw them lose eight wickets for 112 runs in 50 overs. Test matches cannot be won in those circumstances.

With the exception of a gritty and technically efficient innings from Temba Bavuma, who was the last man out for 40, the rest of the South African batsmen struggled on the fourth morning.

Nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj, was bowled off the first ball of the day by Hasan Ali, while Quinton de Kock struggled again, and was dismissed for two, caught at short leg off Yasir Shah, the ball bouncing more than the batsmen anticipated.

There is no doubt however, that De Kock is struggling for confidence with the bat, and playing him at No 5 is not having the effect the Proteas head coach Mark Boucher had hoped for.

In four Test innings this season, De Kock has scored a total of 45 runs, with a highest score of 18 in the first innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka last month.

There was a brief flicker of hope for the Proteas when Bavuma and George Linde added 42 runs for the seventh wicket, but the introduction of left-arm spinner Nauman Ali, led to a quick end to the South African innings.

Proteas batsman Temba Bavuma had batted very well against the spinners and the quick bowlers. Picture: PCB

Linde was caught at leg slip, inside edging a drive, with the ball deflecting between his legs and Imran Butt, taking a smart catch.

Bavuma had batted very well against the spinners and the quicks – his thinking was clear and he played Yasir very well off the back foot.

However there was no help from his teammates. The ball before his dismissal, Kagiso Rabada was dropped by Hasan Ali on the midwicket boundary off Nauman. Bizarrely neither Rabada nor Bavuma thought it would be a good idea to take a run – or even two which was on given how high and far the ball had travelled.

Rabada then injudiciously tried to drive the ball out of the rough and was bowled.

Anrich Nortjé slogged Nauman to point, and Bavuma, who hit three fours in an innings in which he faced 93 balls, was trapped lbw, to give the 34 year old debutant, a ‘five-for.’ Nauman finished with 5/35 in 25.3 overs

His leg spinning teammate Yasir picked up 4/79.

@shockerhess

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