Anrich Nortje (Getty Images)
- The Proteas are back in action on Monday at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) against Australia in the second of three Test matches.
- South Africa suffered a six wicket defeat in the first Test and will look to bounce back when the two teams take to the field on Boxing Day.
- Anrich Nortje wants his team-mates to remain focus on the task at hand and not get distracted by the previous result.
Fast bowler Anrich Nortje believes there is nothing surprising about the MCG wicket ahead of the Proteas’ highly anticipated second Test against Australia in Melbourne.
Australia defeated South Africa with much ease by six wickets in the first of three Tests in Brisbane at the Gabba, where the pitch was in the spotlight.
For the second bout, set to start on Monday, the 29-year-old Nortje is not concerned about the surface.
However, he wants his team-mates to focus on the job at hand when South Africa take to the field on Boxing Day at 01:30 (SA time).
“We’ll have to wait and see,” said Nortje when queried about the wicket.
“You can’t really go into history too much, but it seems like a good wicket in terms of pace and bounce.
“I don’t think there will be as much side movement as there was in Brisbane so hopefully we’ll just be able to stick to the basics.
“I know it’s simple to say but that’s what we’ll be hoping to do and use our bouncers as a bowling unit.
“As a bowling unit I don’t think there are going to be massive demons in the wicket. I’ve never played here, so I can’t speak from experience, but we think it will be a good contest.”
Proteas Test squad against Australia:
Dean Elgar (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Temba Bavuma (DP World Lions), Gerald Coetzee (ITEC Knights), Theunis de Bruyn (Momentum Multiply Titans), Sarel Erwee (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Simon Harmer (Momentum Multiply Titans), Marco Jansen (Dafabet Warriors), Heinrich Klaasen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Dafabet Warriors), Kagiso Rabada (DP World Lions), Rassie van der Dussen (DP World Lions), Kyle Verreynne (wicketkeeper, Six Gun Grill Western Province), Lizaad Williams (Momentum Multiply Titans), Khaya Zondo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins).
Nortje says that the first Test could have gone in South Africa’s favour but they are not fretting over the result as they prepare to go head-to-head against Australia again at the MCG.
“When we look back at the last game, it was just a matter of probably half a session, not even a session, and the game could have been different and we could have been in a winning position…that’s how quick things were happening,” the paceman told the media at the MCG on Saturday.
“So you can’t look at losing by six wickets and say it’s a big margin on that wicket, it might have been a very small margin.
“So it’s hard to say we’re not really focused on the last game, we’re focused on what’s going to come up now, trying to prepare again.
“Everyone’s in a really good space mentally and physically, so we’re just looking forward to getting on and starting the game now.”
South Africa Test Tour to Australia Itinerary
Four-day Tour Match
09 – 12 December: Cricket Australia XI drew with South Africa – The Allan Border Field, Brisbane
Tests
17 – 21 December: Australia beat South Africa by six wickets – The Gabba, Brisbane
26 – 30 December: Australia vs South Africa – MCG, Melbourne
04 – 08 January: Australia vs South Africa – SCG, Sydney
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