Tabraiz Shamsi and Hashim Amla were the outstanding performers in the Proteas’ 50-over pink-ball contest against Victoria XI on Saturday.
Victoria won the match by 53 runs, but victory was very much the last thing on the Proteas’ minds, as the top order looked to get in some pink-ball match practice ahead of the third Test in Adelaide next week.
In what was originally supposed to be a two-day match but reduced to a one-day, 50-over clash to give the bowlers some rest, Victoria posted 258 all out, before the Proteas strolled along to 205-4 by the time their allotted overs were up. They’ll be pretty satisfied with the way the day went, with a few of the players putting in good shifts.
Shamsi was expensive for his 4-72 off 12 overs, but with their opponents looking to take the attack to the South Africans, has put himself in contention for a Test debut, with incumbent spinner Keshav Maharaj going for 1-40 from his six overs. Morné Morkel will be another name thrown in the mix, who looks to be getting his match fitness back to where it should be, bowling more overs than Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott.
Vernon Philander was rested for this match, with Rabada taking three wickets up front. Evan Gulbis, Matthew Short and Seb Gotch all scored fifties for the hosts.
This would have been an ideal time for Stephen Cook to find some form with the bat, but unfortunately he only scored 11 before he was trapped lbw by Jackson Coleman. It was a job well done from Dean Elgar, who scored 40 before retiring. JP Duminy (17) and skipper Faf du Plessis (12) [pictured above], currently in the midst of ball-tampering allegations against him, didn’t hang around long.
Hashim Amla took full advantage of his extended time at the crease, scoring 81 not out at a decent pace, which included six fours and two sixes in his 114 balls. Temba Bavuma continues to do very little wrong, scoring a comfortable 33 not out before the overs were up.
Photo: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
