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A look at records of seven players in SA squad who've played a Test at Newlands in the past

Dean Elgar during the SA cricket team training session at Newlands on January 10, 2022 in Cape Town.
Dean Elgar during the SA cricket team training session at Newlands on January 10, 2022 in Cape Town.
Image: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images

Seven of SA’s expected line-up for the decisive third Test against India starting on Tuesday have played a match in the game’s longest format at Newlands, but it has largely been a happy hunting ground for those who have featured before.

The batters who have played previously in Cape Town have all averaged more at Newlands than over their Test career as a whole, with skipper Dean Elgar in particular fond of playing at the coastal venue.

It has been a less successful ground for the bowlers, though the likes of Lungi Ngidi has yet to feature at Newlands in a Test despite a five-day career stretching over four years.

The only venues he has played at in SA are SuperSport Park, The Wanderers and St George’s Park.

But if injury free, he is almost certain to debut at the venue along with Keegan Petersen, local boy Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen and possibly all-rounder Wiaan Mulder.

TimesLIVE looks at the records of the seven players in the SA squad who have played a Test at Newlands in the past.

DEAN ELGAR

Career batting average: 40.25

Average at Newlands: 50.57

100s/50s at Newlands: 2/3 — Elgar has stated that his favourite ground is Newlands and it is easy to see why with an excellent record in Cape Town. He scored 129 against Sri Lanka in 2017 and followed that up with 141 not out in the infamous "Sandpapergate" Test against Australia the next year. He scored 88 in his last Test there against England in 2020. 

AIDEN MARKRAM

Career batting average: 37.52

Average at Newlands: 40.20

100s/50s at Newlands: 0/2 — Markram has been short on runs in the series against India but has two half-centuries in his previous two Tests in Cape Town. He scored 81 against Australia in 2018 and 78 against Pakistan the year after. His scores in his other Test at Newlands, which was against India in 2018, were five and 34.

RASSIE VAN DER DUSSEN

Career batting average: 33.25

Average at Newlands: 42.50

100s/50s at Newlands: 0/1 — Van der Dussen’s only previous Test at Newlands was against England last year when he scored 68 and 17.

The first innings score was particularly impressive against the swing of the tourists’ excellent pace attack.

 TEMBA BAVUMA

Career batting average: 33.70

Average at Newlands: 34.66

100s/50s at Newlands: 1/1 — Bavuma’s only century of his Test career came at Newlands when he scored an unbeaten 102 against England in 2016. He managed a first innings 75 against Pakistan in 2019, but his other five innings have not seen him pass 15. Still, it is a ground where he has happy memories.

KAGISO RABADA

Career bowling average: 22.57

Average at Newlands: 21.54

Wickets at Newlands: 35

Best bowling (innings): 6-55 — Rabada has played six Tests at Newlands and always been among the wickets. He had match figures of 10-92 against Sri Lanka in 2017, and 6-96 against Pakistan in 2019, so enjoys taking on subcontinent sides on this wicket. He has played against India in Cape Town and took 5-75 in 2018 as SA won by 72 runs. 

DUANNE OLIVIER

Career bowling average: 19.98

Average at Newlands: 26.40

Wickets at Newlands: 5

Best bowling (innings): 4-48 — Olivier’s only previous Test at Newlands was against Pakistan in 2019 when he took 4-48 in the tourists’ first innings to help bowl them out for 177 and set up a comfortable win. He was less effective in the second innings, taking 1-84 and going at 5.25 runs to the over as Pakistan looked to take the attack to him.    

 KESHAV MAHARAJ

Career bowling average: 32.86

Average at Newlands: 52.87

Wickets at Newlands: 8

Best bowling (innings): 2-32 — Spinner Maharaj has not enjoyed Newlands in the past and managed just eight wickets in four Tests, each costing the team over 50 runs. He did OK up until the visit of England in 2020, when he conceded 228 runs in the Test and collected only three wickets. To be fair, Newlands has traditionally been a seamers wicket.

Maharaj only bowled 10 overs in the Test when India last visited in 2018, conceding 32 runs without a wicket.

TimesLIVE 


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