South Africa’s Amla wants a good start in the ‘must-win’ Mirpur Test

South Africa have not been able to assert their authority in the Chittagong Test as the top-ranked Test team but their captain Hashim Amla is keen to show their true colours in the Mirpur Test.

Sports Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 29 July 2015, 06:05 PM
Updated : 29 July 2015, 06:05 PM

Amla thinks it is a must-win game for either team. 
 
Bangladesh’s triumph in the ODI series against the Proteas did not surprise the cricket world much as the hosts’ status in the 50-over format has been gradually rising.
 
But the Tigers' stunning performance in the drawn first Test gave them the mental edge.
 
The South Africans were clearly dominated by ninth-ranked Bangladesh in the rain-marred contest that allowed only 221 overs.
 
Both teams will square off in the last Test that kicks off at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
 
“Yeah, it’s a must-win game, there’s no knockout in Test cricket. Certainly we are here to win,” Amla said in a press conference on Wednesday
 
"We started well in the last Test and kind of drifted a bit in the latter sessions. Hopefully if we start well then we can be in a position to win.”
 
South Africa’s new opening pair in Dean Elgar and Stiaan van Zyl have the big boots of Graeme Smith and Alviro Peterson to fill.
 
They paired for 57 in the first innings and an unbroken 61 in the second in Chittagong. Amla thinks they are off to good start.
 
"Stiaan and Dean have done exceptionally well in the two innings they have had. They have started positively. 
 
"You know Alviro Peterson retired last year… not long before that we lost Graeme. So, to find a combination up front is one of our objectives and there’s still plenty of Tests going this year."
 
Seamers can extract more help from the Mirpur track compared to Chittagong’s - a fact that Amla is delighted with.
 
South Africa have a superb fast bowling attack that contains Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander.
 
All three are ranked among the top ten bowlers in Tests while Steyn is just a wicket shy of the 400-wicket milestone.
 
The Mirpur wicket had been covered all through the incessant rain. So bowlers can expect some moisture on it.
 
"If that’s the case then traditionally it should assist our seamers. We have a good record in the
subcontinent and even on wickets that don’t bounce as much, we have managed to do quite well.
 
"So if the wicket does offer a little bit to our seamers, then great."
 
Amla, however, is aware that playing in the subcontinent conditions is a great challenge.
 
"If (the pitch) doesn’t (help), playing Test cricket in the subcontinent is a lot of hard work, especially with the weather being very hot.
 
"One of our players said earlier that if it was easy, then it would have been called easy cricket. Test cricket is not for the faint hearted and certainly we are very keen to get going."