A strong performance followed by time outside the XI has been a recurrent theme in Kyle Abbott’s Test career so far. And it looks unlikely to change in the near future
Firdose Moonda in Delhi05-Dec-20151:38
‘They want to drag it out’ – Abbott
Hurry up, Kyle.It’s February 2013 and Jacques Kallis has tweaked a calf muscle in the nets is probably not going to be able to play the third Test against Pakistan. You might have to debut but don’t be overwhelmed. Just listen to your coach Lance Klusener and keep it tight please.Oh, you’ve taken seven wickets on debut. That’s great.Now wait.
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Hurry up, Kyle.Longer India bat, happier we are – Abbott
The only people who do not seem in any real hurry are the Indian batsmen, who are are content to bat time out of the game and themselves into form. They may even bat so much that South Africa could entertain thoughts of a draw.
“The longer they bat, the happier we are because it’s more overs out of the game. I thought they would have had a crack at us tonight actually,” Kyle Abbott said. “But obviously not, they want to drag it out.”
South Africa were on the verge of hitting the fast-forward button themselves with two wickets in two balls this morning but then Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane took any thoughts of unlikely win away.
“Even though we had them four down, they still had a lead of 260. If we’d maybe had rattled one or two more… maybe 350 was in our mind. We threw everything at them but it probably wasn’t reversing as much today as it was before,” Abbott said.
“The pitch has got a bit slower and there maybe a bit of fatigue setting in; we’ve been in the field for quite a long time so maybe we haven’t been as tight as we would like to have be. They only had a strike rate of about 40. When there is not much happening and they are not taking too many risks, it gets harder. They played within themselves and quite sheltered. They made it harder for us. Even when we did tempt them, they either left it or that patted it back but its Test cricket and we are testing our skills and our patience.”
It’s March 2014 and Wayne Parnell has suffered a groin injury midway through the second Test against Australia in Port Elizabeth. South Africa managed to draw level anyway and now want to fling as much firepower as they can at the opposition to try and win the series. You’ve just taken 12 for 125 in a domestic match so you’re the fireball.Oh, you’ve kept it tighter than any other seamer. That’s great.Now wait.
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Hurry up, Kyle.It’s December 2014 and time to wipe the floor with probably the weakest line-up in the modern game, West Indies. Don’t be upset if Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander leave just the one wicket for you. Just keep it tight, remember?Oh, you ended with another decent performance. That’s great.Now wait.
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Hurry up, Kyle.It’s November 2015, Philander has tumbled in training and his ankle does not look good. Forget brushing your teeth, just get on the next flight to Johannesburg, and the next one to Dubai and the next one to Bangalore. Whatever you leave behind, make sure it’s not your bowling boots.Sleep if you must, shine those pearly whites somewhere along the way and make sure you’re ready to bowl even if you step off the plane ten minutes before the first ball. You will play. You have to because Steyn will also miss the match with a groin strain.Oh, the rain is spoiling everything. That’s not great.Now wait.
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Hurry up, Kyle.It’s December 2015 and the series against India is gone. Steyn is still injured, the spinners have suffocated South Africa’s run-scorers and stubbed out much of their spirit but there is something to salvage. Conditions are not going to be as skewed in their favour and off the abrasive surface or in the smoggy atmosphere, you may find some movement.You found it to beat M Vijay’s bat. The first time he didn’t touch it, the second time he did, but then you overstepped, the third time the ball went just over the stumps and the fourth time he inside-edged onto his pads. You showed him that on a strip with variable bounce, he needed to be more sure of his footwork. It turned out Cheteshwar Pujara wasn’t looking. You managed to get the ball to sneak through the bat-pad gap and take out his off stump.Then you found some reverse swing. You managed to move the ball in to the right-hand batsmen and forced them to play. The first time Rohit Sharma blocked, the second time he blocked, the third time he let it go, the fourth time it found the edge but Hashim Amla dropped it. In the end, Wriddhiman Saha was the victim, when a ball moved into him just a touch and he played on.You frustrated India with a consistent line and you asked questions of them with your lengths. You kept it full, you bent your back, you had another catch dropped and two more taken. You ended the Indian innings.Oh, and you became just the second seam bowler since 1987 to take five wickets at this venue. What did such a performance mean to you?”I think I will take a lot of confidence from this. There was a perception that maybe I can only bowl in South Africa where there is a bit of nip but I have shown that if the ball is reversing, I have ability to take wickets. So I will use is as motivation.”That’s great.Now wait.But, not too long.
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Hurry up, Kyle.It’s the same match and South Africa’s batsmen are making the bowlers work much harder by ensuring they are back on the field less than 24 hours after they left it. You will have to try and do it all again, even though the ball is not moving and the batsmen are more assured. You will be tired. You may not have the success.Oh and the Indian captain wants to keep you out there to make his point that it is entirely possible to get runs in this series. That’s great but it means before you and your team-mates can go home…You have to wait.
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Hurry up, Kyle.It’s still December 2015, and Philander has probably not recovered from his injury. Irrespective of whether Steyn has, the strangle by spin in India will mean South Africa want nothing more than the green, green grass of home. Your home, Kyle.Kingsmead will host the first Test against England, and South Africa could be tempted to go in with four pacers. If Philander is unavailable, both you and Kagiso Rabada could play.Oh, but they can’t go in with four pacers in every match. And when Philander recovers, he slots back in. And they don’t seem too keen to do without Rabada, who has leapfrogged all the competition.That’s great. For him. But where does that leave you, Kyle?”Your career is never a guarantee. It’s always something you are fighting for, constantly. Not just me but every other player. It’s a fight the whole time.”So all you can do is wait.
