Latest news with #KwenaMaphaka
Daily Maverick
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
SA look to Kwena Maphaka to turn aggression into wickets against Zimbabwe
South Africa's seam attack looks to remain unchanged as young Kwena Maphaka aims for his first wicket on tour. South Africa unloaded a barrage of inexperienced players at Zimbabwe in the first Test in Bulawayo this past week, and while most had matches to remember, young left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka did not. Corbin Bosch, in his second Test, scored a hundred and picked up a five-wicket haul. The debutant trio of Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who scored a big century, Dewald Brevis, who struck a half-century and picked up his maiden Test wicket, and Codi Yusuf — who cumulatively collected six wickets in total — all had outstanding maiden showings. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Only Maphaka, of the inexperienced bunch, had a match in which he didn't tick off a milestone. Maphaka bowled 22 overs across both innings, conceded 80 runs and picked up no wickets. The young left-arm quick was aggressive, knocking a few Zimbabwe batters on the head with the red cherry, including forcing opener Brian Bennett to be substituted after a rising bouncer struck him on the helmet. In that regard, he did the job he was asked to do, but the wickets column didn't reward his efforts, which were relentless but oftentimes wayward. 'Sometimes someone doesn't get wickets, it doesn't mean he didn't contribute,' Proteas bowling coach Piet Botha said. 'One of the messages was that he needs to be aggressive. I thought he was really aggressive. He did a good role in that respect.' Lack of red-ball experience The 19-year-old has only played five first-class matches, two of which have come in the form of Test matches for his country. Conversely, Maphaka has already played 50 professional white-ball matches — either 50- or 20-over matches. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads His lack of red-ball experience was evident in his ploy to take wickets, especially in the second innings: bouncers, yorkers and slower balls. While those are often supremely effective in limited-overs cricket, where batters are looking to score quickly, it's not as potent in Test cricket as batters are happy to just see those deliveries out. The rapid speed with which Maphaka is capable of delivering the ball, while intimidating for batters, can also be to his detriment when the bowling mechanics aren't aligned perfectly. His economy rate in the first innings was 4.33, more than any other South African bowler. 'Because he's got the pace and you're playing on good wickets generally in Test cricket, if you get it slightly wrong, the batters will be on top of you,' Botha said. 'We've spoken about it. We've worked out some training methods for him. It's basically just getting your body conditioned to bowling that disciplined line and length for long periods. 'You need to play a lot of cricket to get to that, and also from a practise point of view, we need to pay attention to small things like that when we practise. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'That's also been discussed with him and that's part of our progress plan for Kwena.' advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Gaining experience South Africa come up against Zimbabwe in the second Test that starts on Sunday, and Maphaka is set to feature again after senior bowler Lungi Ngidi — who was set to travel to Bulawayo for the second match — was released from the squad and remained in South Africa. According to Botha, Maphaka needs to gain red-ball experience to improve. South Africa's next Test match is only in November, against India, and the domestic season also only starts in the summer. There are 15 international white-ball matches scheduled before then. When Maphaka will hone his red-ball skills with the influx of limited-overs matches is uncertain. Apart from Ngidi, there is also the matter of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen returning to the side, which will make regular game time for the youngster difficult to find. 'As a coach, you can do a lot in terms of talking to a person, working with him technically — but he needs to pick up experience,' Botha said. 'That's the most important for all of us who've played cricket. You learn as you play. For him, it's just about getting a lot more four-day cricket and five-day cricket under the belt, and then he'll improve. 'As he's in the environment, as he goes through his experiences, he'll also work things out for himself. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'We can talk through things… but it's all about that exposure and making sure that he learns as he goes and he picks up his confidence as he goes.' DM advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads The second Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe gets under way from Sunday at 10am.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
World Test champs South Africa unleash next generation tempests, Kwena Maphaka and Cody Yusuf on Zimbabwe
Far from the more glamour Tests underway in England, South African express pacer Kwena Maphaka is ushering in the new batch of Proteas quicks, and at the receiving end are Zimbabwe. On the second day of the first Test in Bulwayo, with most of the WTC winning Proteas fighters still resting up, and a brand new squad under Keshav Maharaj taking the field, two quick bowlers have left Zimbabwe dizzy. Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett was struck on his helmet first, and ended up returning to a concussion, and later 38-year-old Sean Williams, batting calmly was jolted with another struke onbhis helmet crest. Both times it was the new Proteas pace sensation – Kwena Maphaka, who though still wicketless is raising speed temperatures. It was the finest way to ring in Dale Steyn's birthday. But the searing pacer is tipped by coach Shukri Conrad to realise his full potential only in 'three to four years time.' Wiaan Mulder (4/50), a WTC winner, told Cape Argus that the 19-year-old carried an X factor that was hard to overlook. 'I think Kwena is learning quite quickly as he's going,' Mulder was quoted as sayinv by Cape Argus. 'I think international cricket is super difficult, so if you're not going to be able to land it in an area that hits the top of the stumps more often than not, no matter how much the ball is moving, guys are going to score, especially good players like Sean Williams. 'They're going to keep scoring all the time, and I think that's the only challenge for Kwena is how can he take that X factor and the balls in between, keep going at maybe one run or a couple of dots in between. 'We all know he's going to be a superstar, to be honest with you, and I saw a stat yesterday that he's 19 years and 81 days or something. He's honestly still way behind the years in many ways. I'm 27 now, so I can say that, but I think he's going to be an exceptional bowler. There's just something special about him. When you face him in the nets, there's just something. The ball's always moving, it's super fast.' Maphaka debuted in December 2024 and his first Test wicket in a 4-fer against Pakistan was Babar Azam. While Zimbabwe aren't the toughest of opponents in Tests, there's always curiosity over the Proteas pace pack, and also coming through in the first Test is Lions' Cody Yusuf, reminiscent of Morne Morkel and his accuracy. 'I've played with Cody at my domestic team at home, and, I mean, he's been an inspiration for us. He literally bowls like that every single week,' Mulder was quoted. 'He's exceptional. He's got the biggest heart. He doesn't ever give up. And I think what you saw of him is just a glimpse of what we've seen at the Lions at home. 'I think he's going to be an exceptional bowler going forward, and I'm super happy for him because he's one of those guys that the way he approaches the game is not with all shouting and abusing people and, you know, ultimate aggression and, you know, all the fluff, I'd say. 'He does it week in, week out, just with his heart, and he just bowls with everything he has.' Yusuf, 27, is an old-school cricketer described by as, 'Yusuf is no express tearaway but he hits that awkward length with consistency and offers just enough movement to keep batters second-guessing. He is especially dangerous with the older ball, using subtle variations and bounce off the deck.' Zimbabwe are chasing 505 to win after SA scored 418 and 359, and the hosts got 251 and 32/1 heading into Day 4.
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Mulder scores 147 as South Africa set Zimbabwe 537 for victory
Wiaan Mulder struck a career-best 147 as South Africa set hosts Zimbabwe a massive victory target of 537 on day three of the first Test in Bulawayo, with the home side 32 for one at the close of play at the Queens Sports Club on Monday. Takudzwanashe Kaitano was the only wicket to fall with what proved the final delivery of the day as he edged seamer Corbin Bosch to Lhuan-dre Pretorius as second slip having made 12. Fellow opener Prince Masvaure (5 not out), in the side as a concussion replacement for Brian Bennett, survived a testing spell in the fading light to reach the close with Zimbabwe still needing 505 runs for victory and two days remaining. Masvaure had two close leg before wicket appeals from South Africa's teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, but with no third umpire in operation in this series, the latter was unable to challenge the decisions. South Africa resumed their second innings on 49-1 in the morning and upped the tempo with the bat before being bowled out for 369 in 82.5 overs. Mulder was the glue that held the innings together as he scored a second Test century in his new number three position in the batting order, with his 147 coming from 206 deliveries. He played shots all around the ground before being caught on the boundary attempting a six, topping his previous best Test score of 105 not out against Bangladesh last October. Stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj added a quick-fire 51 on a wicket that has started to turn. Left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza was the pick of the home bowlers with figures of 4-98, while leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa took 2-117. A much-changed South Africa are fielding only four of the players who did duty in the World Test Championship final victory over Australia at Lord's earlier this month. The second and final Test in this series will be played at the same venue and starts on Sunday.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
South Africa set Zimbabwe 537 to win after Mulder's 147
Wiaan Mulder struck a career-best 147 as South Africa set hosts Zimbabwe a massive victory target of 537 on day three of the first Test in Bulawayo, with the home side 1-32 at the close of play at the Queens Sports Club. Takudzwanashe Kaitano was the only wicket to fall with what proved the final delivery of the day on Monday as he edged seamer Corbin Bosch to Lhuan-dre Pretorius as second slip having made 12. Fellow opener Prince Masvaure (5 no), in the side as a concussion replacement for Brian Bennett, survived a testing spell in the fading light to reach the close with Zimbabwe still needing 505 runs for victory and two days remaining. Masvaure had two close leg before wicket appeals from South Africa's teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, but with no third umpire in operation in this series, the latter was unable to challenge the decisions. South Africa resumed their second innings on 1-49 in the morning and upped the tempo with the bat before being bowled out for 369 in 82.5 overs. Mulder was the glue that held the innings together as he scored a second test century in his new number three position in the batting order, with his 147 coming from 206 deliveries. He played shots all around the ground before being caught on the boundary attempting a six, topping his previous best test score of 105 not out against Bangladesh last October. Stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj added a quick-fire 51 on a wicket that has started to turn. Left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza was the pick of the home bowlers with figures of 4-98, while leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa took 2-117. A much-changed South Africa are fielding only four of the players who did duty in the World Test Championship final victory over Australia at Lord's earlier this month. The second and final Test in this series will be played at the same venue and starts on Sunday.
CNA
6 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Zimbabwe's Williams bags century but South Africa lead by 216 in Bulawayo
Zimbabwe's Sean Williams struck a fluent 137 from 164 balls on day two of the first test against South Africa in Bulawayo on Sunday, but the visitors were in command with a 216-run lead and nine second-innings wickets remaining. A South African side missing several regulars will resume on 49 for one on the third morning after Zimbabwe made 251 in reply to the tourists' first-innings score of 418 for nine declared. Opener Tony de Zorzi is 22 not out and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has 25 as South Africa look to build a formidable total for their hosts to chase. Matthew Breetzke was the only wicket to fall in their second innings after he was caught by Wessly Madhevere in the gully off the bowling of Tanaka Chivanga for one. The 38-year-old Williams held his side's first innings together with a sixth century in 21 tests, despite taking a nasty blow to the helmet from teenage South African speedster Kwena Maphaka. Maphaka had earlier ended opener Brian Bennett's game when he too was struck on the helmet and was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the fixture with concussion. Bennett's place was taken by concussion replacement Prince Masvaure, who managed only seven before he became one of four wickets for Mulder (4-50). Debutant seamer Codi Yusuf finished with figures of 3-42 and stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj took 3-70, including the wicket of Williams, who was stumped by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne. South Africa are fielding only four of the players who did duty in the World Test Championship victory over Australia at Lord's earlier this month. One of their three debutants is Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who at 19 years and 93 days on Saturday became the youngest player to score 150 in men's test cricket when the left-hander struck 153 in 160 balls in South Africa's first innings. It was also the second fastest score of 150 by a debutant in tests, taking 157 deliveries, behind India's Shikhar Dhawan, who managed 150 in 131 balls against Australia in 2013.
