Proteas’ World Test Championship (WTC) winning skipper Temba Bavuma suffered his first defeat after a run of 12 Tests unbeaten when South Africa failed to chase down a gigantic total of 421 runs at Durban. Former South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs revealed the changes he would make for the second home Test against Australia in Gqeberha, with Kagiso Rabada coming in and Ryan Rickelton shifting down the order and keeping wickets. Not only did Matt Renshaw tire out the Proteas bowlers with his stubborn determination and ability at the crease, but Proteas batting stood exposed in front of the Aussie pace trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Also, SA felt the absence of Rabada, who continues to strive towards full fitness and recovery from the hamstring injury which ruled him out of competitive cricket after the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Since then, he has managed just 220 runs in 13 innings, averaging just 20. In first-class cricket, Marques has made 5,986 runs in 85 matches at an average of 48.66, including 16 centuries and 31 fifties in 134 innings, with best score of 256. Rickelton has also not managed a score of fifty-plus since his 71 against Pakistan in Lahore in October last year. His knocks of 259 against Pakistan at Cape Town and this 71-run knock at Lahore have done the heavy lifting for Rickelton being the only fifty-plus scores for him as an opener across 12 Tests.
Verreynne is facing a tough run in Test cricket, having not slammed a fifty-plus score in his eight Tests after a century against Pakistan in Cape Town way back in January last year.
