Great to see the young guys take their opportunities,” said senior Proteas batsman, Dean Elgar, on Day 2 of the first Test match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at SuperSport Park, Centurion.
DAY 2 WRAP: FAF DU PLESSIS, TEMBA BAVUMA KEEP PROTEAS IN CONTROL
Elgar was effusive in his praise for Proteas debutant, Lutho Sipamla, who returned on Day 2 to finish with impressive figures of 4 for 76, after an inconsistent show with the ball yesterday. “Lutho’s character stands out,” Elgar said. After a tough day for Sipamla yesterday, Elgar was excited to see that “he isn’t going to just lie down.”
ALSO READ: SRI LANKA POST HIGHEST TOTAL IN SOUTH AFRICA, DESPITE LUTHO SIPAMLA FIGHTBACK
With Sri Lanka having scored 396 in their first innings, and South Africa currently at 317/4 at the end of Day 2, Elgar said the scores were not a “reflection of the wicket” and there is “quite a lot of assistance for the bowlers.” The high scores from both teams were more a result of poor bowling and good batting. Faf du Plessis (55*) and Temba Bavuma (41*) will look to carry on tomorrow and see off the new ball.
Reflecting on the bowling performances of both teams, Elgar said, “The margin for error is so small. If you miss your mark, you will go for runs.”
The run rates at which both teams were able to bat were testament to the inconsistent bowling performances of both teams. Ideally, Elgar continued, bowlers needed to aim for the 4th stump line. When Sipamla probed the 4th stump line, he was rewarded with wickets.
Elaborating on the “aggressive but smart” philosophy that Proteas Head Coach, Mark Boucher, has spoken about, Elgar emphasized the importance of “controlled aggression.” While the team has talked about the brand of cricket they aspire to play, Elgar reiterated, “we can’t just go hammer and tongs.” “You need to earn the right to play that way,” he said.
SESSION MOMENTS: SMART, AGGRESSIVE CRICKET BY DEAN ELGAR
After scoring a fluent 95, Elgar was “excited to be playing for the country again.” Satisfied with his performance, Elgar said, “I’m there to set up games.”
Although he missed out on another well-earned century, Elgar stated, “It’s never about me when I’m batting, it’s always about getting the team into a position of strength and if we are able to win the game, I will look at it as a very successful day out for me.”
Elgar was also pleased for his opening partner, Aiden Markram, for scoring his 7th Test half-century. Having put in a lot of hard work at the domestic level, Elgar said, “it was good to put it in play at the international level.”
The Sri Lankans have faced a significant setback, with two of their players having suffered serious injuries. Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka conceded, “It is really tough to lose two players. We have to come up with a plan tomorrow.”
Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
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