Comment by Ongama Gcwabe
THE Proteas Test team flew to the Caribbean last night for the two-match series scheduled to get under way on August 7, and coach Shukri Conrad found himself having to scramble for a replacement fast bowler at the last minute.
Cricket South Africa’s medical team announced that 24-year-old quick Gerald Coetzee is not fit for the trip to the Caribbean due to a side strain that he suffered during the Major League Cricket tournament in the US earlier this month.
Conrad opted for uncapped bowling all-rounder Migael Pretorius as Coetzee’s replacement. This is Pretorius’ second Test experience, having received his maiden call-up in December 2020 when South Africa hosted Sri Lanka.
Despite being uncapped in the Test arena, Pretorius is 64 first-class games deep into his red-ball career, and is currently Somerset’s leading wicket taker with 33 wickets – albeit at an average of 39.
However, the 29-year-old still leaves South Africa a genuine fast bowler short.
At best, Pretorius’ speeds hover around the mid-130km/h, which is nowhere near the 150km/h that Coetzee brings to the table.
With Anrich Nortjé also not available for Test cricket this season, this means coach Conrad will look only to Kagiso Rabada and Nandré Burger to generate express pace in the Caribbean.
This might not sound alarming to some, but a quick glance at the ongoing England-West Indies Test series in the UK reveals that express pace tends to trouble the Caribbean batters the most in the longest format of the game.
England fast bowler Gus Atkinson blew the Windies batters away with 16 wickets in two Tests despite being in his debut series.
So, how will Coetzee’s injury affect the Proteas during this series?
Proteas Men’s fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has been ruled out of next month’s two-match Test series against West Indies due to a left side strain.
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) July 25, 2024
The 23-year-old sustained the injury while playing for Texas Super Kings in the Major League Cricket earlier this month. He then… pic.twitter.com/tLM96f4gAB
If anything, Coetzee being ruled out of the Windies series only brings Lungi Ngidi into the picture.
Remember, Ngidi was benched for the Boxing Day Test against India last summer, with Coetzee, Rabada, Burger and Jansen getting the nod ahead of him.
Only when Coetzee picked up an injury during that Boxing Day Test did Ngidi get game time in Tests last summer.
Disappointingly, Ngidi has lost a lot of pace over the years too, which means Conrad will have to do with what he has available to him during the tour of the West Indies.
Proteas Test Squad
Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Nandré Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne, Migael Pretorius.