South Africa see off Aussies, await Bangladesh in WTC quest

Cricketminded Australians won’t care about this, but that doesn’t make it any less true: their team have disappointed South Africans. To be clear, Australia — the cricket team — have let South African supporters down.

They wanted more from them in the Newlands Test. Instead they got less. Here’s a flavour, courtesy of a social media post: “What a Test. Fantastic except for the last day. I found it a bit strange how the Aussies folded. I guess it was the pressure, but I didn’t expect it of them.”

That’s as close as South Africans are going to get to feeling sorry for Aussies, but it’s in the ballpark. How’s that for a nadir: pity from people who have been conditioned to detest you.

Australian teams aren’t, in the South African imagination, supposed to lose eight wickets for 62 runs on their way to being bowled out for 111 in search of 288. They’re supposed to fight to the end, to bat like people called Border, Waugh and Khawaja. Instead they batted like nine, 10 and jack.

That South Africa bowled like daggers in spikes isn’t part of this conversation. Kagiso Rabada ripping through the top three inside seven overs? Simon Harmer wheeling away in his shades like a blond Darth Vader to take 6/16? Yeah, we know they can bowl. But how poor were the Aussies? Shame.

In South African English, shame isn’t what you should feel for doing something terrible. It’s the word we use to convey empathy for someone who has stumbled into the thorny weeds of life.

Not that South Africa’s team feel that way. They can’t afford to. Because, on November 15, they’ll be at the Wanderers facing up to their next challenge in their quest to defend the WTC title they won last year by beating … who were they again?

Shukri Conrad got a grip on the relentless reality of it all even as the afterglow of the 176-run win over Australia and the 2-1 series triumph it sealed hung in Newlands’ sweet air on Saturday.

“Every Test series becomes the biggest Test series,” Conrad told reporters. “And the next Test series is the biggest Test series of the summer. Bangladesh are going to come here with quicks who can be very effective on the surfaces of the Highveld. Let’s not forget that not so long ago they beat Australia.”

In Darwin in August, in fact. Hasan Mahmud took 6/55, Tanzid Hasan scored 101 and Mehidy Hasan claimed 5/66 in a nine-wicket victory. Earlier on Saturday, Bangladesh took a backward step in Mirpur, where West Indies dismissed them for 142 and won by eight wickets. Conrad didn’t want to look too deeply into that result.

“Yes they got rolled today. But they’ll come here with a lot of confidence. They’ve got a South African coach in the changeroom now.”

Malibongwe Maketa, formerly South Africa’s assistant coach, took up the same role with Bangladesh last month and, Conrad said, “will be sharing a lot of info” on the locals with his new charges. And maybe reminding them that India and South Africa are the only teams they have yet to beat in a Test.

The South Africans are focused on retaining the momentum they earned by beating Australia, Conrad said: “It’s critical for us that we take the good from this series, look for where we can get better, and make sure we hit the ground running against Bangladesh.”

To that end South Africa have axed David Bedingham, who scored 50 in the first innings in Cape Town but got out in ways that make coaches cringe too many times against the Aussies. Kyle Verreynne, who was dropped for the second Test against Pat Cummins’ team at St George’s Park, has also made way. That’s what happens when your replacement behind the stumps, Ryan Rickelton, makes a vital 101 in the second innings at Newlands.

Into the squad come Tony de Zorzi, who hasn’t played since September, when he became a victim of South Africa’s hamdemic, and Zubayr Hamza, who won the most recent of his eight Test caps against New Zealand in Hamilton in February 2024.

De Zorzi has passed 50 twice in his previous 16 Test innings. Of his seven trips to Highveld creases his most successful was the 85 he scored against West Indies at the Wanderers in March 2023. Considered a better player on slower surfaces, he wouldn’t mind changing that view in Johannesburg and in Centurion, where the second and last Test starts on November 23.

Hamza’s first-class summer started with a bang: he was trapped in front first ball by Matt Fisher in a match between South Africa A and New Zealand A in Potchefstroom in September. But he made 126 in the second dig and has since scored another century and seven half-centuries — among them an effort of 98 — in 20 innings. Five of his 50s have come against the A teams of India, England and Bangladesh.

Cricketminded South Africans won’t care about this, but Australia start a four-Test series against New Zealand in Perth on December 9. Or maybe they will care. South Africa and New Zealand are at the top of the WTC standings. See you at the final at The Oval in June? Doubtless the question is being asked mutually.