Ryan Rickelton will bat at seven for the Proteas against the West Indies. Picture: Jan Kruger-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
South Africa will back a batting-heavy lineup in the first Test against the West Indies when the match gets under way in Port-of-Spain, in Trinidad and Tobago, on Wednesday.
The Proteas will go into the Test at Queen’s Park Oval with six frontline batters, wicket-keeper Kyle Verrynne at seven in the order and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder at eight in the team.
Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram will open the batting, followed by Tristan Stubbs at three, captain Temba Bavuma at four, David Bedingham at five and Ryan Rickelton at six.
Keshav Maharaj, who is the lone regular spinner in the side, though Markram can turn his arm over, will bat at nine.
Only two quick bowlers make the Proteas team for this match, namely Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.
Bavuma said his side was “champing at the bit” to get going.
“There are a couple of new faces in our squad, the preparation has been good, and everyone has acclimatised well,” said Bavuma.
“We’re super excited to be running out in whites again, to be playing with the red ball, and now it’s about savouring every opportunity we get to play Test cricket. As the coach said, we’re champing at the bit to get going.”
Bavuma said he was confident his bowling lineup could take 20 wickets in the match.
“I’m confident in our bowling attack. There’s still a lot of experience there, even though we’ve lost Gerald (Coetzee) and Anrich (Nortje). What we maybe lack in pace we make up with in skill.”
Bavuma added it was important to play well in the two Tests in the Caribbean over the coming days.
“In our quest to be a top team in the world, playing away from home, and still winning, is important. That’s the biggest challenge that’s upon us … to be successful away from home, to be competitive in conditions outside of your own conditions.”
Coach Shukri Conrad added a tough Test lay ahead for his team.
“The West Indies have three tough Tests under the belt (against England away) and now they’re back at home, where they are a different beast. They play differently here at home.
“But both teams are in a similar boat in that we both don’t play much Test cricket nowadays. They’ll have the confidence of playing recently though, which we don’t, we’re coming in fresh.
“But the guys are champing at the bit to get going now.”
LINEUP: De Zorzi, Markram, Stubbs, Bavuma, Bedingham, Rickelton, Verrynne, Mulder, Maharaj, Rabada, Ngidi
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