Du Plessis credits groundsman for nullifying Sri Lanka's threat

Du Plessis credits groundsman for nullifying Sri Lanka's threat

Faf du Plessis, the South African Test captain, has credited the groundsman in Port Elizabeth for nullifying Sri Lanka's spin threat in the first Test in Port Elizabeth by preparing a wicket as per the team management's request, which ultimately aided in the home side's 206-run win. Du Plessis admitted on Friday (September 30) that South Africa had asked Adrian Carter, the St George Park's groundsman, to ensure the pitch doesn't take turn on the final two days to ensure the visitors do not get any advantage.

"The groundsman got it spot on," du Plessis said. "We asked him for a wicket that didn't spin right through the innings, that moved around on the first innings and didn't spin on day four and five. So it's great wicket that he prepared."

The South African skipper acknowledged that Rangana Herath was Sri Lanka's biggest weapon considering his recent form and in order to counter him, they had to ensure that he didn't get any assistance from the surface. Keshav Maharaj still found some help by the end of the fourth day but there was no vicious turn and bounce from the surface. The seamers enjoyed bowling on the wicket on the first two days as both teams failed to go past the 300-run mark but South Africa came back stronger in their second innings to post more than 400 on the board.

"You can either choose a green wicket or one that's good for batting and then it will spin later but against a team like this it's important that you nullify their strengths, which is spin bowling," he said. "As a batting unit, we are not scared of batting on a green top, so we will choose going on something that looked a bit greener than something that look a bit more brown."

Sri Lanka did make a promising start in pursuit of 488 and at one stage looked like shifting the pressure on South Africa but a needless run out and a few soft dismissals ended their resistance by the end of the fourth day. "They had a few soft wickets and if they didn't do that and batters had put their hands up, they could have chased this score down," du Plessis said.

"But Vernon, Kyle and KG (Kkagiso Rabada) are doing an amazing job. For Kyle to step into Dale's shoes and do as well as Dale has done for this team is amazing. Every time he plays a game he is incredibly consistent. Even though KG wasn't as quick as he would like, you are not going to always be on song, Vernon put his hand up as he always does on a green top."

With Rabada stepping up in crucial situations, du Plessis played down fears that he could need some rest with the second Test beginning in just three days time. "Mentally and physically, he is fine," the skipper pointed out. "If he played all the domestic T20 games I would have maybe had a different answer but I think he has had his rest and he is ready to go."

Du Plessis had already spoken before the first Test about asking his batsmen to take on more responsibility and be consistent in posting big scores. He emphasised it again despite the comfortable win. "I spoke about it before the Test," he noted. "I feel we are batting really well as a unit but it comes in individual greatness and I feel we can do a little bit more as a unit. It's about lifting that bar a little higher and not being happy with getting to 300 and winning the game but actually pushing it to 400. In the first innings, we had fifty runs as a batting unit, left in the tank. It's about not settling."