FAVOURITE FORMAT: Proteas seamer Lungi Ngidi
PROTEAS fast bowler Lungi Ngidi claimed three wickets for just eight runs in four overs with the new ball against a West Indies Invitational over the weekend in an ominous warning to their hosts ahead of this week’s first Test.
The two teams lock horns at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, with Ngidi one of a handful of fast bowlers still standing, with Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee (injured), Marco Jansen (resting) all unavailable for the series.
But the 18-cap 28-year-old Ngidi is ready to rumble, saying: “It is my favourite format and I’m always hungry to play Test cricket. I am excited and always happy to be the the Test team …
“When you enjoy the environment you are playing in, that’s where people see the best cricket coming out …”
Ngidi took 3/8 in the Windies Invitational’s second innings in the four-day warm-up match.
He was without success in the first innings, as Kagiso Rabada (3/47) and Dane Piedt (3/41) got the wickets, with the hosts 397 all out (Jeremy Solozano 111 and Shamar Springer 131).
The Proteas replied with 408/9 declared, with Aiden Markram (82), Temba Bavuma (51), David Bedingham (74), Ryan Rickelton (80) and Kyle Verreynne (65) all scoring runs before retiring.
That’s when Ngidi and his bowling pals got a few overs in which they had the hosts reeling at 46/4 at the end of the match.
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