Could Steyn-less Proteas still steal a win?

Paul Radley wonders if Graeme Smith’s touring side have firepower to tame sport’s ‘final frontier’ and seal final Test starting in Dubai on Wednesday.

Pakistan are preparing to face Dale Steyn even if the fast bowler’s fitness is in question. Satish Kumar / The National

Is the world’s best batsman replaceable?

Hashim Amla was finally ruled out of the Test on Tuesday, because of the impending birth of his second child in Durban.

South Africa think they will find a way to replace the firepower. In terms of personnel, Dean Elgar was the spare batsman left out of the opening Test.

The left-hander with a Test best of 103 not out could be brought in to the line-up.

However, South Africa already had plenty of batsmen in their side, with Faf du Plessis batting at seven, anyway. As such, they could bring in another bowling option in the form of Imran Tahir, the leg-spinner, without upsetting the balance of the side overly.

Is the world’s best bowler replaceable?

Test cricket’s top-ranked side could conceivably start on Wednesday without their leading batsman or bowler.

While Amla is absent, Dale Steyn, the fast bowler, is due to have a fitness test on a tight hamstring this morning.

“To lose guys like Hashim and Dale is a loss and we need to be honest about that,” Graeme Smith said.

“We will get right behind the guys who get the opportunity and hopefully they will provide the performance to win the Test match.”

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s captain, says his side have prepared as if they are going to face Amla and Steyn anyway, just in case.

“We don’t want to be complacent and think the top batsman and top bowler are not playing,” Misbah said. “Even if they are not playing, they are still the top side in the world and still dangerous.”

Is the UAE cricket’s new final frontier?

When Steve Waugh was in charge of the great Australia side of the late 1990s, he took to calling India their “final frontier”.

Meaning, the last place they needed to conquer before they completed the set. It was never easy. Waugh never managed it in his time as captain.

In many ways, beating Pakistan in the UAE has since come to represent the same pinnacle of achievement.

England were blown away here last year. Now Pakistan are dormie with one to play against South Africa in Dubai.

“History shows this team performs really well in these conditions,” Misbah said.

“The confidence of the team is really high when we play in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – especially Dubai which suits us even more.”

Can South Africa take 20 wickets?

Seems an odd question to ask of a side containing the sport’s best pace attack.

However, they could well be without their lead strike bowler, and have otherwise had all the cutting edge of wet tissue paper for much of their tour to the UAE so far.

They could argue they struck a psychological blow with the ball when they had Pakistan’s top order reeling at seven for three in the second innings of the opening Test.

Russell Domingo, the Proteas coach, says he is confident they can take the wickets required to force a win, citing that short passage of play in the capital as reason for cheer.

“I think we did sew some seeds of doubt and show what we are capable of with the new ball,” Domingo said. “A lot of positives can be taken out of that short little innings.”

Have Pakistan found the answer at the top of the order?

One of Pakistan’s greatest triumphs in Abu Dhabi – other than the result itself – was the success of the unproven opening pairing of Khurram Manzoor and Shan Masood.

Dav Whatmore, the coach, reckons the selectors deserve credit for picking the right combination.

He wants to see consistent performances from both, but believes each has the capability for an extended run of productivity.

“The objective with anyone, whether you are young or not so young, is to get performance,” Whatmore said.

“I’ve always said if we are serious about winning Test matches, we need to improve our ability to negotiate the new ball.

“We were reasonably successful in that in Abu Dhabi and that is one of the reasons we have done well.”