Proteas banking on dynamic Dolphins duo to stabilise shaky batting order

Keshav Maharaj has seen his Dolphins team-mate Sarel Erwee play many stellar innings at domestic level, but it's clear that one particular knock stands out for him.

It came in last season's 4-Day Series, when the elegant left-hander stroked 25 fours in a sumptuous 199 against the Highveld Lions that saw the Durbanites clinch what, at times, seemed an unlikely victory at Kingsmead.

To ask Erwee to replicate such a feat in the pinnacle form of the game, in Thursday's first Test against Bangladesh at the same ground, would seem like asking a bit too much.

Then again, this is the man that set up South Africa's brilliant comeback in last month's series in New Zealand with a skilful 108 after the horrors of the opening Test, the national side's second worst defeat in history.

"Two years ago, he scored a massive century here for the Dolphins to take us over the line and I’m sure he'd want to replicate that," was Maharaj's throwaway line.

More importantly, the Proteas' front-line tweaker merely hopes Erwee's intimate knowledge of local conditions comes in handy.

"Sarel’s been around the camp for a while and has waited for his opportunity," said Maharaj.

"He’s always been a great guy in the dressing room and an asset to our squad. Fingers crossed with his knowledge of conditions here that he'll be motivated to perform well here."

While a solid start from Erwee would go a long way towards calming the nerves of a batting order that's still prone to underperforming, the Proteas at least have a proverbial insurance policy in another Kingsmead favourite.

After agonisingly missing out on a trip to New Zealand due to Covid-19, the compact Keegan Petersen is back and surely burning with desire to prove his Man of the Series haul of 276 runs in