It was only a matter of time before the bowling group could no longer carry the Proteas Test side to yet another safe position. Keshav Maharaj alluded to fatigue as they leaked 475 inside two days. | ✍️ Ongama Gcwabe.

At the start of the second Day in Sydney, it was apparent that the bowling group was trying hard to get the energy up again. As world cricket has seen time and time again, they gel into an unstoppable well oiled machine once they get their energies up regardless of conditions. 

In the 12 minutes of play of the first session on Day 2, before rain intervened, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje took the responsibility of creating something special once again in order to lift the team’s energies just the way they have done on numerous occasions in this WTC campaign. 

Instead, KG looked to be searching for rhythm that he never found and Ana just couldn’t quite nail his lines and lengths as Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith hung on and saw out those three overs. 

“I don’t think I’ve changed too much. I’ve been working very hard. It’s not about preparation or lack of work. Maybe the body is a bit tired, I could only tell you that if I was a machine and you could plug me in to see how low my batteries are,” Keshav Maharaj alluded to his lack of impact with the ball in the series thus far. 

Maharaj might have been speaking about his own contributions but it’s not rocket science to know that he speaks of the bowling group as a whole. Or at least his words can be used to describe the bowling group in the first two days of this Test match. 

There’s only so much that these players can do to carry this Test side. Rabada taking 47 wickets in 13 innings last year is a testament to just how good this bowling group has been.

One bad innings doesn’t define them at all, but perhaps parallels can be drawn in their sudden dip in energies or somewhat rolling over to the Aussies’ onslaught.

The Proteas flower is known for its resilience and the South African Cricket team has modelled itself around this trait of this SA endemic plant. The five Proteas Test bowlers have been the only ones to embody this trait for the longest of times.

Even when the Proteas beat India 2-1 at home and fought back to salvage a one-all series draw in New Zealand in 2022, it was the bowlers led by Rabada that were mostly responsible. 

But even the Proteas flower will suffocate in the presence of the thorny invasive alien plants that are our batting group. 

“The position we’re in, the more time that’s taken out the game is probably better in our favour to be fair but also it puts Australia in a position where they have to make a play from there on in,” said Maharaj chuckling in laughter, a chuckle of defeat in the context of the innings. 

As frank as what Maharaj has pointed out, it is also the first time we have heard a member of the bowling group publicly take an easy way out. The batters on the other hand have come out on many occasions and blamed conditions & the lack of experience for their dismal form. 

Again, even the Proteas flower will suffocate in the presence of the selfish and thorny invasive alien plants.  

“Probably not been at my most consistent if I’m being honest with myself and it’s something that I really need to address going forward. Maybe it’s probably less bowling and keeping my mind fresh more than anything else,” Maharaj continued. 

One thing’s for sure, the bowlers have carried this Proteas team for so long and when you see Rabada bowl an over in which not even one delivery is above 129 KPH, it’s clear that it’s on to the batters to do the business. 

There’s still a chance to do the bowlers justice by winning this Test, no matter how small that chance is. 

“It has been a really tough tour, to say the least. Within the time on the field, we spoke about the batters taking a leaf from Usman and Steve Smith in terms of leaving well and accessing the scoring areas,” said Maharaj. 

Australia might declare first thing tomorrow morning after giving Khawaja a chance to get to his double ton. From there on in, it will be up to Dean Elgar & Temba Bavuma to lead from the front and get the entire team, even the bowlers, pumped up to go again at the later stages of this Test match.