Proteas' Test top six could look VERY different soon

News24 Sport chief writer

It is potentially last chance saloon for several customers in South Africa’s lamentably fragile Test batting line-up at Sydney Cricket Ground from 4 January.

“Shape up or ship out” will be the demand of many observers – the national selectors ought to be increasingly primed for widespread change, too – as the Proteas attempt to stave off a series whitewash by Australia in the dead-rubber third clash.

Following completion of the latest wide-margin defeat at Melbourne, the country’s fourth Test surrender in a row if you add the two decisive ones on the earlier England tour, it is probably not too dramatic to say that only the developing Kyle Verreynne and stalwart Temba Bavuma would firmly enough warrant retention at this point if the team wasn’t campaigning abroad (so curtailed to selections from within the chosen travelling party).

The 25-year-old Verreynne has shown a pleasing combination of chutzpah and resolve in the series so far, with three significant innings from four opportunities in the ever-uncompromising Aussie climes: 64 on the Brisbane green-top and then 52 and 33 at the MCG.

Vice-captain Bavuma’s renowned scrapping qualities finally came back to the fore in the second innings at Melbourne, where his 65 was top score as the Proteas belatedly limped just beyond the 200-mark for the first time in eight full innings.

For all the criticism he has endured – though most of it related to his white-ball game -- the calendar year ends with Bavuma the lone SA player to hit the time-honoured barometer of true decency in the format: an average of 40 or more.

He ends 2022 having compiled 561 runs from eight Tests in it at 40.07 … it is better than his career average of 34.31, which also tells you that