Rabada ‘looking good’ to play for Proteas in Lord’s Test against England

Premier Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada is in contention to play in the first of three Tests against England at Lord’s from Wednesday.

On the eve of the hugely-anticipated match on Tuesday, SA captain Dean Elgar said the frontline seamer is "close" to being fully fit and taking his place in the bowling attack.

Rabada was ruled out of the T20 series against Ireland with an ankle injury, but according to Elgar the fast bowler has had a few good days of training to remain in contention to play in the first Test.

SA are without fast bowler Duanne Olivier who has been ruled out of the series with a grade 2 tear to his right hip flexor muscle, but there are other seamers in the squad such as Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortjé, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman and Lutho Sipamla who can step in.

“ We arel waiting to name the final 12. 'KG' [Rabada] has really done well over the pst few days,” Elgar said during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“I think he is very close to being fully fit for this Test match but that is subject to an announcement of the 11 or 12 players. He’s had a really good few days and its looking pretty good for us.”

With rain in London on Tuesday, Rabada did not have the opportunity to train outdoors but Elgar said he will work indoors.

“He’ll probably have a ball indoors if needs be but I am not the fitness trainer, physio or  doctor. If I was, he was in very bad hands but if he has to do something today [Tuesday] they will push him to do something.

“He has done his bit and he doesn’t have to do extra work and I am sure you’ll probably see his name in the final 11. It is unfortunate about the weather but it is what it is.”

Over the past few days, a lot has been said about England’s new high-octane style of play called "Bazball" under new coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, but Elgar didn’t want to talk about it.

“With all due respect, I am really not going to entertain that (Bazball) any longer. We have chatted about it long enough and I want to crack on with the cricket because the game deserves that respect.

“Mudslinging is not a thing for me and we are not going to go back and forth about that.”

Asked about the balance of the batting line-up without Temba Bavuma, Elgar said he is in favour of going for experience.

“Purely because we have lost the experienced factor in the middle order, we are more inclined on going with the experience  we have within our batter.

“We have had the option of Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton and Khaya Zondo. Its obviously up to the coach and selectors to finalise our top five but  from my side its more on the experience factor.”