Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Dean Elgar made his Test debut in Perth in 2012, but found the fiery Mitchell Johnson too hot to handle.

The South African top-order batsman made his debut in Perth in 2012, but found the fiery Mitchell Johnson too hot to handle. He was first caught behind and then trapped in front, making for a forgetful debut despite South Africa’s 309-run win. He left all that behind soon enough, scoring centuries against New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies in the 14 Tests he has played since. He has a healthy average of 37.65 and is in the process of finding a slot in a quality South African outfit.

Chamara Silva Bagging a pair wasn’t the way to go

He made his ODI debut as a 19 year old in 1999, but it was in 2006 that he made his Test debut, against New Zealand in Christchurch, after convincing the selectors with strong performances in the domestic circuit. Bagging a pair wasn’t the way to go – Franklin and Shane Bond dismissing him before he could get off the mark – but he was given leeway and in the second Test he scored a 61 and an unbeaten 152. In 11 Tests, the last of which was in 2008, he scored 537 runs at an average of 33.56.