Proteas opener Aiden Markram is bowled by Sri Lanka's Lahiru Kumara during the first day of the second Test cricket at St George's Park in Gqeberha.
Image: Marco Longari / AFP
At the end of the previous Test in Durban Proteas coach Shukri Conrad was asked if there is any room for improvement despite the thumping win over Sri Lanka.
Not surprisingly, the seldom satisfied Conrad had recognised an area where he felt the Proteas were still letting themselves down. It's not really something new, but something that has plagued the team even before he took over as head coach in January 2023.
Conrad felt the top-order could show a bit more graft in difficult conditions, referencing the first day's play at Kingsmead where they found themselves 80/4 at lunch on a seaming pitch and overcast conditions.
The Proteas showed plenty of character to fight back with the ball - in a big way after bowling out Sri Lanka for 42 to seal a Test 233-run win. However, they could have easily lost the match on that first day.
"When the conditions are tough, we need to be better," Conrad said. "We can't just roll over and fold like a pack of cards, like we've had the habit of doing.
"While we're quite a relaxed unit and a lekker bunch of guys, we still want to do tough as well. So, for me, the growth comes when the conditions are tough and we eliminate whatever potential risks there are and sum up the conditions better and do the tough graft better.
"I'm going to excuse the guys because they are an inexperienced group, bar one or two. But we need to learn quickly and we need to learn on the job."
Conrad would have been quite annoyed on the first morning of the second Test against Sri Lanka at St George's Park when the top order again flattered to deceive. But this time the mitigating circumstances weren't as many as they were in Durban.
The Proteas went into the lunch break at 82/3 after losing both openers - Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram - as well as No 4 batsman Tristan Stubbs. All three players would be disappointed with their dismissals on a pitch that looks like it could have some runs in it, as the Proteas chose to bat with the "runs wind" blowing in the Bay.
Especially so after captain Temba Bavuma came in and looked quite comfortable at the crease along with No 3 Ryan Rickelton, who also looked largely unbothered by the Sri Lankan bowlers.
De Zorzi (0) was trapped LBW by Asitha Fernando with the very first ball he faced, falling over to the offside, while trying to punch a low full toss on the leg-side through mid-wicket.
Markram (20 off 35 balls, 4x4), who has been a man short of runs over the last calendar year, again looked very good, hitting a couple of smashing drives through extra-cover off both the front and back foot. However, he was clean bowled by Sri Lankan Lahiru Kumara, while trying to play an expansive straight drive to a ball that nipped in off the seam.
Stubbs (4), fresh off a second innings century in Durban, played at a wide ball outside off the stump to give Kumara his second wicket.
However, Rickelton and Bavuma showed that this pitch really has no demons, which haunted the batters in the first innings in Durban. Bavuma was especially positive, stroking a 27 not out off 35 balls, even hitting a six out of the ground in the last over before lunch.
Rickelton will also bat after lunch on 29 from 74 balls. A big score here, in the absence of the injured Wiaan Mulder, will do his aspirations for a regular spot in the team no harm, especially with Markram struggling to find his mojo.
@JohnGoliath82