New Zealand v South Africa – 3rd Test – South African batsmen to watch out for
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754, scheduled for March 23rd at the
Basin Reserve in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wellington-c864.
Following up on their successful home Test series against Sri Lanka, which they won 2-1, the Proteas went into their tour of New Zealand with high spirits. After securing the T20 series 2-1, they went on to sweep the ODIs 3-0.
The visitors continued to dominate the extended overs series - drawing the first Test in unfortunate circumstances before claiming a convincing 9-wicket victory in the second game. In addition to their ruthless bowling attack, the batting line-up has also
posed a formidable challenge to the Kiwis, and with the final, deciding match looming on the horizon, the Proteas will be eying another dominating performance and make it 2-0.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GC-Smith-c1473
The South African Test skipper has been instrumental in his team’s success in the series so far. His scores in the previous two Tests include 53, 115, 13, and an unbeaten 55. The opening batsman remains the highest run getter in the longer version leg so
far, with 236 runs to his name. His 115 is also the highest total registered by an individual batsman during the ongoing series.
Smith’s 98-run stand with Hashim Amla in the second innings of the second Test was the highest partnership of the match, and propelled his side to the victory target. As the most vital cog in the Proteas batting order, the burly 31-year-old is likely to
pose a formidable threat to the opponents, who will be looking to get him early in his innings.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jacques-Rudolph-c1619
Jacques Rudolph, despite an impressive debut with an unbeaten 222 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 in 2003 (which earned him the Player of the Match award), and a career that spans 42 Test matches with 2396 runs, had been unable to find a permanent place in the squad.
He was dropped from the team after an unsuccessful series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in 2006 before a successful English county stint helped him to work on his weak areas and get back in the reckoning late last year. After having a mediocre time upfront,
he was dropped down in the batting order– at number 6. The Test series against the Kiwis has marked a comeback of sorts for the 30-year-old, with scores such as 52, and a spectacular unbeaten 105. In addition he is also placed at number 3 on the series records
for most runs, with 158 runs at an average of 79.00.
With things going his way, the left-hander will be looking to continue and cement a permanent place for himself on the squad.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HM-Amla-c1557
Veteran batsman Hashim Amla’s experience and reliability has been instrumental in South Africa’s successes during their current tour. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hamisi-Abdallah-c61368 contributed with totals such as 92 and 76 in the ODIs, and continued in a similar vein during the Test series, anchoring
the innings with scores like 62 and an unbeaten 46.
The 28-year-old is currently at number 5 on the series list for most runs, with 126 at a 42.00 average. If his match-winning 98-run partnership in the second innings of the last match with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Smith-c90598 is anything to go by, the right-hander is likely to prove a
difficult target for the Kiwi bowlers in the final Test.
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