All-rounder Prenelan Subrayen and batter Lesego Sonokwane will make their Test debuts in the second match against Zimbabwe.
The South African cricket team are hoping to create as much depth as the national rugby squad, according to stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder, as the Proteas prepare to give two more players debuts in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo starting on Sunday.
With the Proteas having crushed their hosts by 328 runs with three debutants in their team (Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis and Codi Yusuf) in the first game of the two-match series, batter Lesego Sonokwane and all-rounder Prenelan Subrayen were set to play their maiden Test matches in the series decider, Mulder confirmed on Saturday.
Senokwane was set to replace opener Matthew Breetzke and Subrayen was confirmed as a replacement for 19-year-old fast bowler Kwena Maphaka who struggled in the first Test.
Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy, who has played four Tests, has also been included in the team as a replacement for Keshav Maharaj, who captained the side in the first Test (replacing regular skipper Temba Bavuma) but has been sidelined from the second match with a groin strain.
New players ‘not filling spots’
With the Springboks having created so much depth they could field two world-class teams in separate matches on the same day, Mulder said they were hoping to build a similarly powerful cricket squad to handle regular rotations within the unit.
“The vision is to have a lot of depth and a lot of guys who can replace others when they need a rest, or whatever the case may be,” said Mulder, who was set to captain the SA Test team for the first time.
“I think the most important thing is that the guys who are coming in are not just filling spots, they’re actually good enough to be here, and they’re going to make it really difficult for Zim to beat us, so I’m super excited to see the guys get a go.”
Preparing for battle
Mulder insisted the under-strength Proteas team (missing various senior players who were being rested) were not underestimating minnows Zimbabwe as they went in search of a 2-0 series victory.
With a number of new players in the squad hoping to make a statement and earn more permanent places in the team, he was confident they would be ready to hit their straps.
“Nobody is taking it lightly or thinking now that we’re 1-0 up we’re just going to walk through them in the second game,” Mulder said.
“We know how tough Zimbabwe can be to beat, especially on that wicket. If you lose a cluster of wickets, anyone can win the game, so the important thing is that we stay switched on and the guys coming in really put their hands up.”
The second Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe in Bulawayo starts at 10am (SA time) on Sunday.
