Ngidi seeks rhythm as concerns grow over Proteas fast bowling for Champions Trophy

First Anrich Nortjé got injured, then Gerald Coetzee — and with just one wicket in the SA20 for Lungi Ngidi, Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter must be sweating on the build-up of his fast bowlers for the Champions Trophy.

It is exactly one month until the Proteas start their campaign against Afghanistan in that competition and South Africa’s fast bowlers, of whom so much is expected, are either injured — like Nortje and Coetzee — or lacking form, like Ngidi. 

The official word from Cricket SA is that Coetzee, 24, will be given until the first week of February before a final decision about his selection for the Champions Trophy is made. Coetzee picked up a hamstring strain after playing just one match in the SA20 for Joburg Super Kings. 

Nortje was making progress after getting his toe fractured at training before the first T20 with Pakistan in December, but then picked up another back ailment that will prevent him playing in the Champions Trophy. 

The concern for Walter is that Coetzee had only just come back from a groin injury and has had a young career that has been beset by physical problems. As a result the focus will have to turn to what other options to consider. 

Among the fast bowlers who are still fit and playing in the SA20, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka are the front-runners to take Nortje’s spot should Coetzee not recover satisfactorily. 

Maphaka hasn’t lit up the SA20 with the ball in the same way his old school teammate Lhuan-dre Pretorius has with the bat. He’s had to bowl in tough periods — the power play and at the “death” — and is yet to assert himself. He’s taken only three wickets and his economy rate of 10.58 indicates how much he is struggling against attacking batters. 

Baartman, who bizarrely didn’t play against India in the T20s last November, is slowly regaining confidence and much like his team, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, seems to be coming into form at the right time in the competition.

He picked up two wickets in each of the Sunrisers’ last two victories, dismissing Quinton de Kock with a beautiful pitched-up delivery in Durban. Pakistan pitches would suit Baartman’s skiddy style and if he continues with the good form he’s shown in the last week, Walter should give him more serious consideration. 

Perhaps more concerning for the Proteas coach are the performances of Ngidi. While Walter trusts that the big seam bowler will come into form, in three games for the Paarl Royals he has battled with his rhythm.

Ngidi, who is in the Champions Trophy squad but has missed a big chunk of the season with a groin injury, has taken only one wicket in the SA20.

“He’s bowling well, with a lot of energy, and we are going to gradually build that up,” said Royals captain David Miller.

Ngidi has again attempted to bowl too many slower balls and when he does increase his pace, he’s not troubling batters sufficiently.

“He’s put in the hard graft, we back him. I find that we are building slowly — he’s played three games, he’s definitely going to come right at the right time in the tournament,” Miller added.

South Africa’s seam bowling stocks look thin, even within the current Champions Trophy squad.        

Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder are the only trio now fit and firing and with the second half of the SA20 commencing, not only is Walter going to hope they stay fit, but that their form doesn’t fluctuate. 

He may consider an alternative, like adding an extra spin bowling all-rounder and, given his form, George Linde is an option that merits attention, even if it is a change from what Walter originally planned.

Not only has he picked up five wickets, but Linde’s been effective as a “finisher” with the bat, scoring 82 runs for MI Cape Town at a strike rate of 124.24.