Cape Town - Fielding at short-leg Tony de Zorzi has the best seat in the house. Being so close to the heat of battle, he can almost feel the sense of fear setting into the opposition batters when Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are charging in.
De Zorzi, and the Proteas, won’t have that pleasure this week at the Wanderers with Nortje being ruled out of the second Test against the West Indies with a “mild groin discomfort”.
However, the Centurion debutant will certainly not forget in a hurry the adrenaline rush that burst through his veins after his first Test cricket experience.
“It was exciting, obviously it was much better because we ended up winning,” the stylish Western Province top-order batter said.
“I was telling friends afterwards, to be that close to see KG take the game by the scruff of the neck was basically just being so close to greatness, it was really exciting and I was really happy I could be a part of it.”
De Zorzi will go again at the Wanderers - just a 10 minute drive from where he was schooled at the prestigious King Edward High school - and look to help solve the Proteas’ Test batting woes that seems to stay with the team regardless of a leadership change.
The dreadlocked left-hander is the latest to audition for the crucial No 3 position, and certainly looked the part for 97 minutes and 28 runs in his first Test innings at Centurion, until a brain fade saw him gift his wicket away by attempting a suicidal third run.
De Zorzi quickly discovered that Test cricket demands acute concentration because the next innings may not be as simple with Kemar Roach dismissing the 25-year-old with a ripper of a first ball that pitched on a length, angled in, before straightening to kiss the outside edge second time around.
It would be entirely justifiable for any young player trying to make his mark at the highest level to question his ability after being dismissed for a duck in his first Test, but fortunately De Zorzi does have the self-assurance that he is currently in the best form of his entire career.
He has been prolific in all formats for Western Province down at Newlands, particularly in the red-ball format, where he amassed 507 runs at an average of 101.40, which earned him the phone call from coach Shukri Conrad.
It is due to this solid footing that De Zorzi can trust his gameplan, and hopefully through some extra work with Conrad and batting coach Neil McKenzie this week, will he be able to help solidify the Proteas top-order.
“Our batting performance in the second innings wasn’t ideal. They did bowl quite well which isn’t an excuse, and we will have a few hard sessions with Shuks and Neil Mac.
“We will get together, have meetings and discuss how we are going to put longer partnerships together, take care of the new ball better, similar to what Dean and Aiden did in the first innings.
“Personally, you know it’s a level up, the intensity increases, you are going to face better bowlers. But if you have scored runs, you can’t trust that what you have in your locker is going to be good enough.
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“Maybe the doubts don’t creep in so quickly, and hopefully you can bring that form into the next game.”
Nortje’s absence leaves the Proteas sans a genuine strike-bowler, although it seems the brainstrust have factored in playing a fast bowler less anyway this week in Johannesburg with no replacement called upon.
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This is arguably due to Wanderers having taken plenty of spin this season, which could precipitate the return of Keshav Maharaj, and even possibly Simon Harmer, too.
Senuran Muthusamy played as the lone spinning all-rounder at Centurion, but due to Nortje’s absence the path could be opened for Wiaan Mulder’s medium-pace to play at his home ground.
IOL Sport