SA, where are the runs?

South Africa are a flawed batting team and comments by captain Dean Elgar regarding a dangerous Gabba pitch and lack of matches against tough opponents tend to act as camouflageNo teammdashno matter how good their attackmdashcan overcome a string of mediocre Test totals poorly compiled No amount of games against tough opponents are going to help a batting team that is technically deficient and limited in their shotmaking abilityHowever whilst the bowling attack possesses real ability their wickettaking capability could be drastically improved Therersquos no doubt taking wickets currently compared with the 1970rsquos is different mainly because of the great improvement in batsNevertheless the current South African attack is handicapped by their own poor batting A team that are regularly provided with low scores and have to be constantly back bowling after yet another failure by their batting side finds its strength sapping as well as they become demoralisedUnaware of how itrsquos doneThe speedster Anrich Nortje aside the rest of the attack could have performed better in Australia with improved leadership Elgar like many of his fellow international leaders is not well versed in captaincy on Australian pitchesThe bowlers must first understand that producing the odd really good ball interspersed with some dispatchable deliveries wonrsquot win much in Australia Bowlers have to keep producing good deliveries to talented batsmen and their demeanour has to alert opponents to their wickettaking desireIrsquove often said about great Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee ldquoFirst you had to overcome his great ability and then you had to deal with his iron willrdquoThat is how good bowlers operate but there were times when I felt the South Africans lacked that required iron willAlso ReadFresh from doubleton Warner extra motivated to do well in IndiaItrsquos also worth remembering the practical words of talented Australian batsman Mark Waugh ldquoHit the top of off with the occasional bouncer used to workrdquo That ageold cricket proverb still appliesThen there are field placings for the current bowlers when considering the improvement and extra thickness of bats It always pays to start with a packed slip cordon as edges off the new ball continue to be a highpercentage way to rid yourself of good toporder playersItrsquos when those players survive the early period and start to punish the bowling that a captain has to be agile in his thinking Dispensing slip fielders to places like point and squareleg is more likely to result in a catch than giving good batsmen easy singles by moving men prematurely into the deepCaptaincy crucialThere comes a time when a batsman is well set and deep fielders have to be considered but the fielding team are already in trouble by the time that happensIf the captaincy relates to the cricket being played itrsquos generally good If however it doesnrsquot relate to the actual play then you are right to assume itrsquos poorOn the subject of starting why isnrsquot Nortje taking the new ball along with Kagiso RabadaThe best chance of taking wickets is at the start of a playersrsquo innings The most likely wickettakers if they are good are the faster bowlers and itrsquos imperative they get the new ball Nortje is a far better bowling proposition than an out of form and much slower Lungi NgidiKeshav Maharaj has potential as a spinner but if hersquos used as a containing bowler then itrsquos a mistake Most of the time a captain has to seek wickets at both ends Bowlers are wickettakers otherwise they shouldnrsquot be in the Test side Having a player operate as a holding bowler means his ability is diminishedTaking 20 wickets to win a Test is the hardest thing in the game but itrsquos also among the most rewarding The job of batsmen is to score runs quickly enough to allow their bowlers the time to collect those 20 wicketsThe South African batsmen arenrsquot anywhere near doing their job However the better South African bowlers could be improved if they were provided with more inspiring leadership and competitive field placings