The bowling coach of Australia, David Saker believes South African pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander is the best in the world currently.
Meanwhile, the pair has brought enough worries for the visitors in the ongoing series.
However, cricket is back again at the centre after a tumultuous last week. Television footages showed Australia’s Cameron Bancroft using some sandpaper to change the shape of the ball. Cricket Australia sanctioned the disgraced Australian trio with severe bans. Further, much to the surprise, Australian coach Darren Lehmann also resigned from his role.
Meanwhile, the hosts are on course to win the series taking the upper hand in the series.
They are currently leading by 401 runs at the end of day three with Dean Elgar steering the Proteas innings.
The young Kagiso Rabada who appealed his ban to get back in the series is the leading wicket-taker in the series. He has 21 scalps to his name already in this series. Also, the right-arm pacer is currently the top-ranked Test bowlers on ICC list.
Vernon Philander, meanwhile, picked up three wickets on Saturday and he needs just two more to become the seventh South African in history to take 200 Test wickets.
However, Saker feels South Africa looks to be in a good space with the ball.
“I think they’ve been extremely accurate which is a big factor in being a good bowling attack,” Saker said in Johannesburg. “They’ve got Vernon Philander, who is as accurate a bowler as there is in the world. He also moves the ball, which is a challenge. And they’ve got probably the best strike bowler in the world in Rabada,” he added.
Skaer also feels the bowlers complemented each other very well and lauded the Proteas spinner.
“They complement each other very well and their spinner is bowling extremely well as well, but we haven’t combatted it well enough with the bat,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Keshav Maharaj is the brightest prospect South Africa has had in recent times. He has great control over the line and can pick big wickets at times.
Another South African pacer Morne Morkel announced his retirement as the start of this series. However, he is looking as strong as ever, although, he suffered a side strain.
Morkel, meanwhile, picked up nine wickets at Newlands, where he became the fifth South African to reach 300.
