South Africa looked short on form and confidence last time out but if they had to choose a venue to provide home comfort, it would be Newlands.
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England will take a massive morale boost into the rest of the four-Test series with the second test starting in Cape Town on Saturday.
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NOTWITHSTANDING the outcome of the Boxing Day Test, which was unknown prior to the writing of these ramblings, the England cricket team come into 2016 looking for greater consistency.
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South Africa, still the top-ranked Test team in the world, has not won a match since last year’s New Year fixture against the West Indies in Durban, where they have suffered a crushing 241-run defeat against England.
They looked mentally fragile and devoid of the fighting spirit that characterised their rise to the top of the test rankings. “We know we have the quality and all it takes is just one or two players finding form and they’ll be back in the groove again”, he told reporters.
Alastair Cook’s men were expecting a hard slog at Kingsmead with the imposing figure of AB De Villiers still at the crease. I’m disappointed with the way we’ve gone about it. In both innings we got to 110/2 and were 214 and 170 all out. Steyn is set to set out the Cape Town Test will be replaced by Kagiso Rabada, who had a economical and rather impressive India series.
Set to make 416 to win, South Africa were 136 for four at the close of play, facing a long struggle to bat out the final day to earn a draw and prevent England from going ahead in the four-match series.
“We’ve got to be mentally and physically prepared for what is going to be a very tough battle in the New Year Test match”. The failure of the three senior batsmen has added more pressure on AB de Villiers, who also had to shoulder wicketkeeping duties in the first Test.
England, on the other hand, will be high on confidence after its big win in Durban.
Last year England followed victory with defeat four times and Cook says he is yet to get to the bottom of why his side have been so inconsistent.
But he also remains mindful of his bowler having sent down just five competitive overs on tour and the damaging effect on the team should the problem flare up again mid-Test match.
Elgar, who made an unbeaten century in the first innings, was caught in the slips edging a full delivery from Finn for 40.
Titans fast bowler Chris Morris has been added to the squad as cover for Steyn, as has Lions fast bowler Hardus Viljoen after Kyle Abbott experienced tightness in his left hamstring after the match.
Dale Steyn hurt his shoulder in the first Test and could bowl only 22 balls in the second innings.
“You put the work in on turning pitches, having come from the UAE I’ve done a lot, so I’m disappointed to have missed that opportunity”, he said. “If he’s fit and he’s ready and he’s confident he’ll be opening the bowling but we’ve got to make sure he’s right”.
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“They’ve got their issues, South Africa, and I think they’re ripe for the taking here”.
