South Africa plan to show why they are the top team in last Test against Bangladesh

South Africa have plans to show Bangladesh why they are the No. 1 Test team in the last match in Dhaka after they failed to play their natural game in the drawn first Test.

Sports Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 28 July 2015, 06:52 PM
Updated : 28 July 2015, 06:56 PM

“It’s time for us now to step it up a bit and show why we are the No. 1 team in the world,” said fast bowler Morne Morkel at a press conference on Tuesday.
 
The Chittagong Test was called off after rain washed out the last two days of the match.
 
But the hosts had kept the Proteas under pressure in the first three days.
 
South Africa were restricted to just 248 in the first innings and then the Tigers took a 78-run lead scoring 326.
 
Bangladesh still had a 17-run lead when the match was called a draw.
 
The second Test is set to begin at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday.
 
After Tuesday’s training, Morkel told reporters they would be bringing some changes to their bowling strategies.
 

“We just need to get 20 wickets, whether (it is) a stumping down the leg side or a yorker. We have had a look at their batting line-up again and we are going to go with different plans.
“Hopefully, that will work for us in the second Test,” said the paceman who has 217 wickets in 63 matches in his Test career.
He said they were happy with the weather change on Tuesday as the South Africans trained under a scorching sun at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
After drawing the curtain on the first Test, rain had kept the players inside the hotel for the past four days.
Both the Proteas and the Tigers had to practice indoor.
“(We’re) very, very happy. I think we have got a bit of cabin fever sitting in the hotel. Really excited to go and get this Test match underway and there are eleven hungry Proteas in the change room,” said Morkel.
A ‘thank you’ to Bangladeshis
The lanky pacer thanked the Bangladeshi people for their hospitality, but expressed frustration at gridlocks on the city streets.
“Yeah, fantastic. Coming to Bangladesh is always special. People go out of their way to make us feel at home.
“It’s just one thing, the traffic sometimes is not fun,” he said when asked about his experience in the host country.
This is the fourth time Morne Morkel has travelled to Bangladesh. He came in 2008 for the first time to play in a bilateral series; the second time was in 2011 during the World Cup and the third last year to play in the World Twenty20.
Speaking at the media call, he said, “Coming here and playing here is always tough. There is a great tough competition.”
“But I must say (that) people go out of the way to make us comfortable. Thank you for that,” he said with a smile.
Respect to Steyn
South African fast bowler Dale Steyn will begin the last match in the series with the chance of taking his record 400th Test wicket.
Morkel on Tuesday took the opportunity to show his respect and support to the current No. 1 Test bowler before he reaches the milestone.
“Dale’s been unbelievable. He has led this attack for years now and he has been the number one Test bowler for many years. I am happy for him.”
Steyn, who will play his 80th Test match on Thursday, had taken three wickets for 78 runs in the first innings in the first Test to take his tally to 399.
Until now, Shaun Pollock is the only Proteas seamer to have achieved the feat of 400 wickets in the Tests.
Morkel and Steyn have spearheaded the Proteas pace attack in 59 Tests so far in the past nine years.
Morkel said, “He is a guy who really works hard and is always looking to improve, always looking to shape the ball from different angles.
“He (Steyn) is like a good red wine, he is going to get better with age. I think it’s going to be special when he gets his 400th one but I think there is plenty more in the tank for him,” added the fast bowler.