‘Team effort needed, but Rabada will lead Proteas attack at Champions Trophy’

On the expected flat, batting-friendly pitches in Pakistan, South African bowling coach Anton Roux believes it’s going to take a concerted team effort to restrict teams to low scores at the Champions Trophy tournament starting this week.

All the teams who have played warm-up matches in Pakistan in the last week have put up big totals, whether batting first or second, and Roux believes it will stay that way during the tournament.

South Africa open their campaign with a match against Afghanistan in Karachi on Friday. They also face Australia and England in their pool.

Rabada lifts team spirit

“The trend that’s been going at all the venues suggests we’re in for a good wicket (on Friday). I’ll be surprised if there’s anything different to what we’ve had so far,” said Roux.

He added: “It’s going to take a concerted team effort on these pitches, with bat and ball, and how we execute our skills.”

Roux said the arrival in the last few days of several of the team’s more experienced operators, who were still involved in the SA20 not too long ago, had boosted the Proteas team. He also said Kagiso Rabada, one of these players, would be a key player and the leader of the attack.

“The guys coming in all have lots of expertise and experience.

“From the first day that KG walked in, everyone was uplifted by his presence,” said the Proteas’ bowling coach.

“He is a huge player for us. He will be our spearhead, leading from the front, and the guys will get behind him.”

Well-balanced bowling unit

But Roux said out-and-out fast bowling wouldn’t be the only weapon in the Proteas’ arsenal.

“We have plans for every batter out there. It’s often asked, what is the best ball you can bowl in cricket?

“It’s where you want it to go, depending on what the plan is at that time, and that phase of the game.

“If you can execute where you want the ball to go then you’re moving in the right direction.”

Roux added the Proteas had a well-balanced bowling unit. “We’ve got the left-arm spin of Shamo (Tabraiz Shamsi), the off-spin of Aiden (Markram), the versatility of left-arm bowler Marco (Jansen) and other swingers, and the pace of Corbin Bosch.

“It’s how we combine those skills that will be important. It’s going to be about accuracy and where we want the ball to go, good planning and execution and being strategic.”