6 things England need to do to beat South Africa
South Africa are just about the best team in the world right now. England are hopeful coming off the back of the Ashes success, and Australia have shown that South Africa can be vulnerable at home, but in reality they have got their work cut out. Here’s what they have to do to overcome the odds.
Give KP his head
Kevin Pietersen hasn’t played cricket for about three months, but actually this is about the best thing that could have happened for England’s long-term prospects. After the way he was treated by the ECB over the Moores saga, and having carried his injury around for too long, KP had lost his sparkle.
The enforced break has given him a chance to get away from the game and come back refreshed. Now England need to give him the freedom to go out and play like the KP of old. He will not lack for motivation – he now has a point to prove to both South Africa and England. This will be his first Test series in his country of birth, and England would do well to ensure that his preparation is geared to this and not the one-day series beforehand.
Convert starts into big hundreds
For KP to flourish, he will need support from his fellow batsmen to relieve the pressure. Too often in the last 2-3 years, England’s top order have squandered the initiative by giving away their wickets when set. Even when they do score hundreds, they rarely go on to score double hundreds – Pietersen himself was the last English batsman to do so, and that was almost 2 ½ years ago.
The continued form of Andrew Strauss will be crucial, as he has carried the batting lineup in recent times. There are also high hopes for Jonathan Trott, but the likes of Alistair Cook and Paul Collingwood will need to perform better than they did this summer.
Catch South Africa cold
When Australia won in South Africa early in 2009, they did so partly because they were quick out of the blocks, and South Africa were underprepared. Having overcome their bête noire by winning in Australia a couple of months previously, Graeme Smith’s team had not played any first class cricket in between, and it showed.
They will not make the same mistake this time, but it will be vital that England prepare better than they traditionally do, and they have the opportunity of getting up to speed during the T20s and ODIs that precede the Test series.
Be brave enough to drop the extra bowler
Five bowlers has been England’s law in recent years, and sometimes to their disadvantage. Often a fifth bowler proves to be redundant – the old saying “if four won’t do it, neither will five” has a ring of truth to it. Wickets in South Africa have tended to be spicier than the recent world standard, and England may need to consider bolstering their batting where conditions merit.
There is also the unknown of whether Stuart Broad is ready for the responsibility of batting at number 7. This is a position that should be considered as a bona fide part of the main batting, so breezy innings of 30 or 40 will no longer be seen as enough. Does Broad have what it takes to score serious runs yet? We might find out in South Africa.
Target Graeme Smith’s opening partner
The second opener’s berth is the one part of the opposition batting lineup that is not settled, and it is important that, whoever fills it, England target the early breakthrough. Imraan Khan made his debut in the third Test against Australia in March, but was outshone by Ashwell Prince who scored 150 in Smith’s absence. Prince’s position in the middle order has been usurped by JP Duminy, so South Africa may decide to shoehorn him into the side at no. 2.
An outside option would be Stephen Cook (son of Jimmy), who recently broke the South African domestic first class record with a score of 390.
Keep AB de Villiers quiet
After a quiet couple of years, AB de Villiers came good in 2008, as England found to their cost in their home Test defeat. More than pure numbers, de Villiers has a habit of playing match winning innings – notably against Australia in Perth when South Africa chased down 414 in the 4th innings.
Against England he currently averages a shade below 50, and in his last 5 Tests against them has scored two centuries, including 174 at Headingley in 2008, and two nineties. England will need to get the better of him if they are to be successful.
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