Disappointing debutants? Bavuma sees value in fielding Proteas newbies | Sport

The Proteas lining up against the West Indies.

In East London

• Proteas ODI captain Temba Bavuma wasn’t disappointed with how the four ODI debutants faired against the West Indies on Saturday.
• Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi and Gerald Coetzee all made their ODI debuts in the 48-run defeat to the West Indies.
• Only Coetzee made a solid impact, while De Zorzi and Rickelton made starts that they didn’t convert.

Proteas ODI skipper Temba Bavuma may have broadly shouldered the responsibility of being his team’s lone batting ranger against the West Indies on Saturday, but he took immense enjoyment in sharing the crease with all four debutants.

Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee all batted with Bavuma during the 48-run loss at Buffalo Park, but Bavuma was far more chuffed with the gains made in the absence of experienced combatants.

The Proteas had room to experiment in the less pressurised environment of a series that is being played outside of the ICC World Cup Super League.

Bavuma agreed that the absence of a finisher like David Miller was missed in taking the game home for the hosts, but the skipper, who made 144, saw the longer-terms gains.

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“I enjoyed batting with guys like Tony, Stubbs and Rickelton,” Bavuma said.

“You get a better sense of the character when they’re put in a stressful situation, so from a captain’s perspective of understanding a player a bit better, that was very valuable.

“Having a guy like Miller, in the form that he’s in and the situation, the result would have been different.

“I don’t believe that we’ve lost anything as a team, and we’ve gained valuable insights in terms of taking the team forward.”

That four debutants were given a run was a surprise that shocked many an observer, even though Bavuma and Proteas batting coach JP Duminy hinted to at least two new caps before the match.

A change that was enforced on them was Reeza Hendricks’ finger injury that probably paved the way for Rickelton to make his ODI debut at number three.

Coetzee and De Zorzi are experiencing their season of being blooded, while Stubbs, like Rickelton, enjoyed the reward of a sterling One-Day Cup campaign.

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Bavuma understood that the growing pains won’t be easy, but it’s a path he is more than happy to take with the newbies.

“It’s rare that you have four debutants getting a run at the same time,” Bavuma said.

“However, our hand was forced by injury and illness, but it was a valuable experience for the young guys who came in.

“I thought Gerald bowled well and with good aggression on a wicket that didn’t offer him the usual pace and bounce.

“Tony came in at a tricky time as the pressure and the expectation was on him to play at the expected run-rate and I think he did that quite well.

“A guy like Stubbsy has already got a taste of international cricket and he can only grow, and I think it’s the same with a guy like Rickelton as well.

“It’s a matter of taking whatever learnings and to grow, but it’s quite exciting.”

That the quartet was thrown into the deep end wasn’t a concern for Bavuma, who said they had earned their spots in the national team.

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It’s now a case of them making the most of their chances and batting with intent when the opportunity unveils itself.

“The guys who came into the team put in the performances. They may not have done it at international level, but they’ve done it at domestic level,” Bavuma said.

“It’s about believing that you can transfer those performances that have got you to this point and do it at this level.

“It’s still batting, so you have to walk in, assess the conditions and formulate game plans accordingly.

“What I saw from the young guys is that they definitely tried to do that, even though they didn’t do it for long enough.

“The intent we speak about as a team was definitely there.”