AUS vs SA: First Test Gabba pitch rated as “below ordinary”
Gabba pitch received a 'below average' rating from the ICC. The pitch...
Khaya Zondo: ‘Better application and focus needed by South Africa batters’
Proteas will improve in the upcoming game in the three-game series in Melbourne, according to South Africa batsman Khaya Zondo, who acknowledges that the conditions may not have been favourable for batting in the Proteas’ opening Test loss to Australia.
At The Gabba, where they lost to the hosts by six wickets in under two days, South Africa held their final practise session before leaving Brisbane. With the Boxing Day Test at the MCG beginning on December 26, where they will attempt to tie the series, they depart for Melbourne on Thursday with the intention of putting on a significantly stronger performance.
“Simply put, we must put in the effort, concentrate intensely, and maintain constant presence at the crease. Considering that many of the players are new to Test cricket, there are undoubtedly new strategies to learn, as well as a different intensity that they are still getting used to. As a result, we must concentrate entirely on the ball, giving it our best effort.” “I would offer those things to men. Each individual must find a method to overcome their own obstacles because they all face them “To journalists, he stated.
The majority of his teammates, including Zondo, are inexperienced at the highest level; he only participated in his third Test at Brisbane. South Africa was always going to go through a transitional period with all the retirements in the last several years, and the demanding schedule, in his opinion, hasn’t helped.
“I did believe that the upcoming season of international cricket would be challenging for everybody who would be playing for their country. It’s a fantastic test to determine if you can handle Test cricket as a player, regardless of whether you’re a batsman or a bowler, since the first series was played in New Zealand, followed by Bangladesh, England, and now Australia.”
“I do believe that the majority of the pitches the men were given were fairly challenging. In England, being a batsman is difficult. It was going to be a difficult challenge because for the majority of the English guys, this was their first experience with the national squad. With the initial pitch we received, this side is similar. As a result, I would simply say that everyone is being tested, especially the batters because the pitches haven’t exactly been kind to them.”
The 32-year-old Zondo has played in more over 6000 first-class innings and has excelled recently in domestic competitions. He was also one of the select few players that finished that first Test with some success after leading the team in scoring in the second innings.
When asked about the transition from domestic to international cricket, he stated, “I would say that the intensity is different and that there is a noticeable change in how the skills are executed. At this level, they don’t give you many opportunities to score as a batsman. Additionally, you simply cannot remain on one end and assume that you will survive because the bowlers will find a way to take you out.”
“In contrast to franchise level, you also constantly face quality bowlers. There are also good spinners, and players in general are really merciless in how they put their skills into practise, and their fundamentals are clear. In terms of the lines and guarding your stumps, you must also bat very carefully.”
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