Temba Bavuma: Extra batter Ryan Rickelton gives Proteas chance to get as many runs on the board

When the Proteas scaled Test cricket’s summit at Lord’s all the way back in 2012 and returned with the golden mace firmly in the baggage, there was a proclivity to field seven specialist batters, followed by the seam-bowling all-rounder in the starting XI.

Although circumstances almost pushed it that way due to wicket-keeper Mark Boucher’s forced retirement on the eve of the England series, it allowed JP Duminy to slot into the No 7 position, with Vernon Philander in next.

The value of this combination was limitless, with Duminy’s half-century allowing him to construct golden partnerships of 58 with Jacques Rudolph and 72 with Philander to push the Proteas to a competitive 309, which paved the way for a 51-run victory.

With the Proteas’ Class of 2024 now seeking to head back to the ‘Home of Cricket’ next year, to once again have the chance to be the premier Test side in the world, Shukri Conrad’s team have gone back to the previously successful seven-batter strategy for today’s second Test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park in Gqeberha (10am start).

Despite plenty of speculation that all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy would be a like-for-like replacement for the injured Wiaan Mulder, Conrad has instead opted for dynamic left-hander Ryan Rickelton at No 7.

“We’re quite happy from a bowling point of view, the resources that we have, so we’d like to go again with those three front-line seamers. We’ve obviously got Kesh (Maharaj) from the spin point of view – we’ve got Aiden (Markram) as well,” captain Temba Bavuma said yesterday.

“I think he can do a job there, and then, looking at the way we’ve made up our team, we’ve always wanted to have as many runs as we can on the board.

“So, Rickelton coming in, I guess that extra batter that gives us that opportunity – (it) also encourages us to keep playing in the manner that we’ve been speaking about.”

Veteran seamer Dane Paterson has also been drafted into the starting XI for the injured Gerald Coetzee, with teenager Kwena Maphaka missing out.

“Patto, if you look at all our bowlers – take away Mulder – he’s probably the one guy that can hit the stumps more consistently I guess, being shorter in stature,” Bavuma said.

“St George’s is one of those wickets where the lbw, bowled – well, even the nick-off as well – become a lot more predominant in terms of wicket-taking options.

“So, I guess he (Paterson) adds that variety to us as a team, where we have a guy who can target the stumps more.

“Also from a skill point of view, there’s not many guys who are better than Patto in terms of getting the ball up there, swinging, nipping it around.”

Paterson’s selection is in line with the Proteas’ mindset that they are preparing for a battle of attrition over the next five days – unlike at Kingsmead last week, where Marco Jansen decimated the Sri Lankan top-order to bundle out the tourists for a record-low 42.

“The way that we stacked up our line-up is that we believe that with the runs on the board, that gives you enough time to get 20 wickets,” Bavuma said.

“It might take us a bit longer. It may not play like Durban. There is a bit more grass on the wicket. So, you know, I think there will be something in there for our seamers.

“But if it doesn’t favour our seamers, we do have the spin in Kesh to be effective.

“We believe that whether it’s the spin (or pace), we can still be successful in these conditions.”

Proteas Team

Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson.