Proteas bowling coach Charl Langeveldt said the Proteas would need to show adaptability in their game as they continue to prepare for the opening Test against world champions New Zealand on Thursday.
Coming off the back of a successful home series win against India, Langeveldt said that despite the quick turnaround between series, everyone was up for the challenge as they concluded their first training session at the venue for the opening encounter.
The team, who exited their 10-day managed isolation and quarantine facility in Christchurch, will take on the number one Test side in world cricket over two Tests starting on Thursday and on March 1 at Hagley Oval.
Describing the 10-day isolation period as one of the “hardest lockdowns he has ever been in”, Langeveldt said conditions in New Zealand could be tricky in that it often played better than it looked.
“It can be misleading, it actually played a lot better than we thought and that is what NZ pitches are like, it looks green when you first get there, probably with the new ball it does swing a bit, it will seam as well.
“It gets easier once the ball gets older, so we just keep telling the batters to stay in, take it deep [into the innings] and I think it is the same for the bowlers.
“We need to make them play with the new ball, bowling a bit of a fuller length and as the ball gets older, you go back to your six to eight metre lengths,” Langeveldt said.
The former Proteas right-arm swing bowler said much of the extra time on their hands went into discussions around getting used to conditions and how to use it to their advantage.
“The discussions were basically to get used to the overcast conditions. When the sun is out, it is usually a bit easier; the ball doesn’t swing or nip to much, the grass colour does change.
“We focus on bowling a bit fuller, we are normally six to eight metres, with the new ball we will look to go about five and a half to six metres.
“I always say to the guys that it is being able to adapt, so we practised on different surfaces, the guys were a bit short to start off and then we got fuller.
“Normally you will bowl back of a length in SA, which is your natural length, sometimes it is a bit hard to get that fuller length going more consistently,” he said.
Asked for an assessment of his bowling attack, Langeveldt said everyone looked sharp.
“KG [Rabada], Lungi [Ngidi], Duanne [Olivier], we also have Marco [Jansen], everyone is bowling at a fuller length, even the guys on the fringe, Lutho [Sipamla] and Glenton [Stuurman], they have all had a bowl.”
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Bowlers need to adapt quickly for NZ Test, Langeveldt says
Sports reporter
Image: BACKPAGEPIX/ CHRISTIAAN KOTZE
Proteas bowling coach Charl Langeveldt said the Proteas would need to show adaptability in their game as they continue to prepare for the opening Test against world champions New Zealand on Thursday.
Coming off the back of a successful home series win against India, Langeveldt said that despite the quick turnaround between series, everyone was up for the challenge as they concluded their first training session at the venue for the opening encounter.
The team, who exited their 10-day managed isolation and quarantine facility in Christchurch, will take on the number one Test side in world cricket over two Tests starting on Thursday and on March 1 at Hagley Oval.
Describing the 10-day isolation period as one of the “hardest lockdowns he has ever been in”, Langeveldt said conditions in New Zealand could be tricky in that it often played better than it looked.
“It can be misleading, it actually played a lot better than we thought and that is what NZ pitches are like, it looks green when you first get there, probably with the new ball it does swing a bit, it will seam as well.
“It gets easier once the ball gets older, so we just keep telling the batters to stay in, take it deep [into the innings] and I think it is the same for the bowlers.
“We need to make them play with the new ball, bowling a bit of a fuller length and as the ball gets older, you go back to your six to eight metre lengths,” Langeveldt said.
The former Proteas right-arm swing bowler said much of the extra time on their hands went into discussions around getting used to conditions and how to use it to their advantage.
“The discussions were basically to get used to the overcast conditions. When the sun is out, it is usually a bit easier; the ball doesn’t swing or nip to much, the grass colour does change.
“We focus on bowling a bit fuller, we are normally six to eight metres, with the new ball we will look to go about five and a half to six metres.
“I always say to the guys that it is being able to adapt, so we practised on different surfaces, the guys were a bit short to start off and then we got fuller.
“Normally you will bowl back of a length in SA, which is your natural length, sometimes it is a bit hard to get that fuller length going more consistently,” he said.
Asked for an assessment of his bowling attack, Langeveldt said everyone looked sharp.
“KG [Rabada], Lungi [Ngidi], Duanne [Olivier], we also have Marco [Jansen], everyone is bowling at a fuller length, even the guys on the fringe, Lutho [Sipamla] and Glenton [Stuurman], they have all had a bowl.”
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