It is safe to say that South Africa ticked their boxes on Day Two at the Arundel Castle Cricket Ground on Wednesday, with captain Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs showing promising signs ahead of next week’s World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s.
Having lost the opening day of the warm-up match against Zimbabwe to rain on Tuesday, South Africa won the toss on Wednesday and sent Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton in to open the batting.
Batting first was always in the plans of coach Shukri Conrad, who emphasised after the rained-out opening day that the priority was to give the batters time in the middle while allowing the bowlers to rest.
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Markram lasted only 5.3 overs, facing 15 deliveries before he was undone by Alex Falao (1/76). Wiaan Mulder (26) was next in and shared a 65-run partnership, with Rickelton before falling to Tanaka Chivanga (1/54).
Captain Bavuma then came in at No 4, and the runs started to flow. The 35-year-old joined Rickelton in the middle, and the pair continued their excellent home summer form, in which both scored two centuries. Rickelton reached a composed half-century before retiring not out on 62, while Bavuma matched the milestone and also retired on 58. Between them, they struck 22 fours.
Tristan Stubbs, who also enjoyed a prolific domestic season with two centuries, played a more measured knock. His 58 came off 120 balls and included only four fours and a six.
David Bedingham (23* retired), Tony de Zorzi (28* retired) and Kyle Verreynne (9*) all spent time in the middle as South Africa declared their first innings on 312/3.
With just under an hour left in the day, Bavuma gave the Duke ball to his frontline bowlers, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. The new-ball pair took time to find rhythm, but Rabada eventually struck, removing Brian Bennett — a wicket that likely brought relief to the fast bowler, who remains under scrutiny following a recent drug ban.
Though only a warm-up, attention was on Rabada’s ability to hit his stride early, as he has done throughout his Test career. He bowled four overs, finishing with 1/18, while Jansen ended on 0/13. Lungi Ngidi (0/4) and Keshav Maharaj (0/4) followed, conceding just eight runs between them.
At stumps, South Africa led Zimbabwe by 279 runs.
