Proteas captain Dean Elgar and head coach Mark Boucher feels that South Africa’s 1-2 Test series loss to England was significantly impacted by the lack of experience.
“I think lack of experience and lack of exposure to Test cricket (played a part),” Elgar said afterwards.
“The lack of exposure to UK conditions with the ball swinging and nipping. We were also exposed to the type of batting conditions in this Test especially where the ball was nipping quite a lot.
“It was up there with some of the toughest conditions I’ve faced and I have a relatively decent amount of experience. So I can only imagine how a guy who only has one or two Test under his belt must feel. It was tough all around.”
“We always knew we would be under pressure if the conditions went around a bit,” he explained.
“I think in South Africa the conditions are not the same. The ball doesn’t swing, the contact points are a little bit different. I know there’s talk of experience and that. But these batters that are here have consistently been the best batters in our country.
“If you have a look at the last top seven batters that came to England and won the last series. I think between them there were 470 odd Test matches, that’s between the top seven. In this series, 10 of the batters used to bat in the top seven, they’re on 170.
“So there is a big difference and the only way you get experience is by going out there and playing. We’ve got guys to play in quite a few Test matches, in conditions where the ball went around a bit. But they haven’t come off and that’s unfortunate.”
The Proteas are now in second place in the ICC World Test Championship now they will face Australia for 3 Tests in Next Year.
