Young Proteas side is moving in the right direction, says skipper
South Africa captain Hashim Amla speaks to the media\
South Africa captain Hashim Amla speaks to the media\
South Africa captain Hashim Amla is backing his side to win this week’s third Test against the West Indies in Cape Town and wrap up a series victory.
The World No 1 Test team could not build on their innings triumph in the first Test in Centurion as rain denied any hope of a result in the second Test at Port Elizabeth.
But Amla talked up his side’s chances of closing out the series, saying: "It feels like we are moving in the right direction, we have a lot of youngsters in the side.
"During a transition period you are going to go through ups and downs. Fortunately we have been going through more ups than downs, so it is to be patient with the guys who are here, who have been identified as the future of South African cricket.
The home side have bolstered their spin options by adding uncapped off-spinner Simon Harmer to a squad that already includes leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who returned 3-108 in the second Test.
Selection convener Andrew Hudson said "we would like to have the option of a second spinner" hinting that if Harmer does play, one of the seven specialist batsmen picked for the second Test could miss out.
West Indies are unlikely to ring many changes after an improved display in the second Test, where Kraigg Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels shared a third wicket partnership of 176, but their batting line-up remains brittle.
Nevertheless captain Denesh Ramdin said their most recent outing had raised hopes of his side being able to level the series.
"We bowled in the right areas and created some chances," Ramdin reflected. “Hopefully we can do something good in the next Test match. We have to look at our fielding and work on our catching."
The tourists dropped batsman Jermaine Blackwood and brought in Jason Holder following their first Test defeat but the all-rounder failed to make an impact, picking up just one wicket and scoring a single with a bat.
West Indian coach Stuart Williams admits his team is a "work in progress", adding: “We’re missing a couple of our senior players in terms of Chris Gayle and Darren Bravo so we’re still tinkering a little bit with our team. It might very well be six batters again or it may be the same combination.
“We have some young players here and it is a great opportunity for them, and the best opportunity you can give them is against the number one team in the World. It’s about giving guys a chance so we’ll see how it goes.”
South Africa (from): Hashim Amla (captain), Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers (wkt), Stiaan van Zyl, Temba Bavuma, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, Simon Harmer.
West Indies (from): Denesh Ramdin (captain, wkt), Kraigg Brathwaite, Devon Smith, Leon Johnson, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jermaine Blackwood, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel, Narsingh Deonarine, Kenroy Peters, Chadwick Walton (wkt).
Watch the third and final Test between South Africa and West Indies on Sky Sports 2 from 8.25am from Friday.
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