The sun-baked pitches of the West Indies offer scope for the Proteas to get some butterflies-settling, sound starts at the crease. Aiden Markram begins the series fuelled by his Rawalpindi ton, while skipper Dean Elgar may thrive on the new responsibility he has. If they can recapture their early-days effectiveness as a combo, the pair could edge closer to “Smith-Gibbs” fame. Elgar is currently averaging a touch beneath the benchmark figure of 40 (39.81) and Markram a whisker or two above it (40.93). Also landing in the West Indies on the back of three half-centuries in four home Twenty20 international matches against the Pakistanis, he should at least set off in the St Lucia combat in sound mental fettle.

Source: News 24 June 03, 2021 08:15 UTC