David Bedingham believes South Africa’s batters need to find a way to spend longer periods at the crease against Australia’s relentless bowling attack if the Proteas are to bounce back in the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha.
The Proteas head into the contest trailing 1-0 following their 214-run defeat in Durban, where several South African batters made starts but failed to turn them into substantial innings.
For Bedingham, who was promoted to No.3 in the opening Test, the challenge is not necessarily about changing techniques or adopting a completely different batting approach.
Instead, he believes South Africa must find a way to withstand Australia’s sustained pressure for longer periods, particularly against an attack featuring Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.
‘You get through Cummins and then it’s Starc’
Bedingham admitted that facing Australia’s bowling attack presents a different challenge to what batters typically experience in domestic first-class cricket.
The difficulty, he explained, is that there is very little opportunity to relieve the pressure.
“Well I was actually speaking to my friends about it and it’s like in first class cricket it’s like you face like a decent bowler and then there’s maybe another decent one and then maybe you can cash in later with the third or fourth one.
“But I was just saying like you get through six balls of Cummins and then you look it’s like oh it’s Starc and then you get through their spell and it’s like oh flip it’s Hazlewood and Lyon so yeah it’s tough.
“But I think we’ve faced them before so hopefully we can just do it for longer periods of time.”
South Africa’s inability to turn promising starts into significant contributions was one of the major differences between the two sides in Durban.
Bedingham believes the Proteas showed that they could compete with Australia’s bowlers, but not for long enough.
“I think all of our batters it’s, it will always be tough against them but it’s just about how can we do it for longer because I think especially in that first innings I think five of our batters got to maybe 30 to 50.”
The comparison with Australia’s batting performance was particularly revealing.
Matt Renshaw produced a match-defining first-innings century, helping Australia recover from a difficult position and eventually take control of the Test.
For Bedingham, the lesson is straightforward: South Africa’s batters need to turn their starts into innings that have a greater influence on the match.
“If we can just do it for a bit longer, I think we’ll be fine.”
Taking Australia’s bowlers deep into an innings
Bedingham believes one way South Africa can counter Australia’s attack is by forcing their bowlers to spend considerably more time in the field.
He pointed to the latter stages of South Africa’s first innings in Durban, when Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer were batting, as an example of how conditions can become easier once the ball gets older.
“I think we saw it firsthand.
“I think when Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer were batting it’s maybe around the 68th over in the first innings.
“I’m not saying they were tiring but the ball is a lot softer and it looked a lot easier.”
The problem was that South Africa had already lost too many wickets by that stage.
Bedingham believes the contest could have looked considerably different had the Proteas reached that point with more recognised batters still at the crease.
“If we could have maybe been four, five down there then maybe the game would look a bit from like a different angle.”
That is why he wants South Africa to make Australia’s bowlers work for longer periods.
“It’s just about trying to take them to 80 overs, 100 overs, 120 overs and then I mean I know they’re machines but everyone gets tired eventually, well hopefully.”
Adjusting to the No.3 position
Bedingham’s promotion to No.3 was another significant development in South Africa’s batting lineup during the opening Test.
Although he has spent much of his international career batting lower down the order, the Western Province batter does not believe the move requires major technical adjustments.
He had already gained some experience in the position during domestic cricket.
“Well I did it for two games for Western Province which helped out a bit but yeah in terms of technically I don’t think I changed much.
“I just try go out there and play obviously I think I need to do it for a bit longer but yeah I really enjoyed the Test obviously against a really good attack but yeah I enjoyed it.”
Bedingham believes there are differences between batting at No.3 and No.5, particularly in the field settings a batter is likely to encounter.
However, he does not intend to overcomplicate his approach.
“Well I think personally I’d go about it the same.
“I think if you bat three there’s usually three slips and a gully so there’s more chance to score.
“Five’s a bit different there might be two and one and a cover in so I don’t change much.
“I don’t think about it too much but yeah it’s obviously a different challenge but one that I’m up for.”
Bedingham wants to play with freedom again
Beyond the technical challenges of facing Australia, Bedingham also opened up about the mental pressure he has experienced during his Test career.
He admitted that his approach to batting changed after initially enjoying success at international level.
When he first broke into the Proteas side, he viewed the opportunity as something of a bonus.
“Well I think firstly I think when I first started playing Test cricket I basically thought it was a bonus because I didn’t really think it would happen.
“And then after my first five Tests I did pretty well and then I put myself under loads of pressure because it was like loads of fun obviously and last year I think I had a down year.”
That pressure eventually affected the way he approached his batting.
Bedingham explained that he began focusing too heavily on his technique and what others were saying about his performances.
“It’s tough obviously but I think I’ve been through like two periods of Test cricket.
“I mean I’ve only played I think 15 Tests so it’s not long but the first five Tests I felt free and wasn’t thinking about my technique much at all and you could just see ball hit ball.
“And then like last year maybe I think the last 10 Tests I’ve been thinking about my technique thinking about what you guys say and probably struggled big time.”
His recent county season with Durham provided an opportunity to work on his game and rebuild his confidence.
But the biggest adjustment appears to have been in his mindset.
“Going into this county season with Durham I worked on loads of things and just mentally again I’m just happy to be playing for my country again.
“So whatever happens happens and I think that’s personally when I play my best.”
Rather than placing himself under constant pressure to score runs, Bedingham wants to rediscover the freedom he experienced earlier in his Test career.
“Hopefully just like a free spirit and enjoy it rather than I need a score I need a score because whatever’s meant to be will be.”
He also offered a broader perspective on the pressure professional cricketers place on themselves.
“Like I said I had a good summer at Durham maybe a bit more confident than I was last year but at the end of the day it’s just cricket.
“I know it’s our jobs but there’s a lot bigger issues in SA and the world so hopefully you just enjoy it.”
No excuses for Durban defeat
Despite South Africa’s limited recent Test cricket, Bedingham refused to use a lack of match practice as an explanation for the defeat.
He believes the preparation leading into the series was sufficient and acknowledged that Australia simply performed better in Durban.
“I don’t think we like to blame it on not playing stuff like that because we had a good middle session against our own guys which was high intensity so there’s no excuses.
“I just think on that day or that game they played a lot better than us and hopefully we can rectify this Test.”
The message within the Proteas camp has been about responding positively rather than dwelling on the result.
Bedingham was also asked about images from training that appeared to show an intense Kagiso Rabada.
While he acknowledged the fast bowler’s competitive nature, he explained that the conversations within the group had been focused on bouncing back.
“Well I saw the picture actually and it does look like Kagiso Rabada is quite intense but in terms of around the group he’s actually a very chill guy.
“But basically the main thing is just about bouncing back showing good attitude those type of things no shouting and that type of stuff.
“But it was more just let’s bounce back it’s a huge challenge but if we bounce back perfect.”
Rabada’s potential return could provide a boost
Bedingham is hopeful that Rabada will be available for the second Test after missing the opening match through injury.
Although he could not confirm the fast bowler’s fitness, he was encouraged by what he had seen.
“Yeah I think he’s massive for us especially I don’t know if he’s, I mean it looks like he’s ready but I’m not a physio or a doctor so I’m not sure.
“But the way it looks is like he’s quick again he’s sharp so hopefully come the next Test he’s ready to cause havoc.”
Bedingham pointed to Rabada’s performance in the World Test Championship final as an example of the impact he can have against Australia.
“Yeah I think even if you look back last year in the World Test Championship final I think he took nine wickets.
“So I think against any team he plays against he’s ready so hopefully come this next Test he’s sharp and takes nine or ten wickets that would be quite nice.”
Proteas hoping to turn the series around in Gqeberha
South Africa now head to St George’s Park needing a victory to level the series before the final Test at Newlands.
Bedingham admitted that he has limited personal experience of the Gqeberha surface but has heard that conditions can be challenging for batters.
“Personally I haven’t played too much but from speaking to everyone it’s usually quite slow and low.
“But also in first class cricket I reckon for the last three or four years it’s been the toughest place to play apparently.
“So I don’t know what the pitch guy will do but hopefully it’s a good pitch and hopefully there’s a Proteas win just on hopefully day four or five.”
For Bedingham, the challenge against Australia is as much mental as it is technical.
The Proteas know the quality of the bowling attack they are facing, and they have experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to sustain scoring opportunities against Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon.
But Bedingham believes the solution is not necessarily to reinvent their batting.
It is to trust their preparation, spend longer periods at the crease and make Australia’s bowlers work harder for their wickets.
On a personal level, he is also determined to approach the contest with greater freedom, rather than allowing the pressure of expectation to dictate how he plays.
If South Africa can combine that mindset with greater patience and substantial partnerships, Bedingham believes they can give themselves a better opportunity to compete in Gqeberha.
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