‘We’ll find a way’ — Temba Bavuma backs Proteas ’despite worsening hamstring epidemic

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is not allowing the current hamstring epidemic to bring down the spirits of his team ahead of the much-anticipated Test series against Australia, starting next week in Durban.

Top-order batter Tony de Zorzi joined the wounded on Wednesday evening after sustaining a left hamstring strain while fielding during Australia’s innings. The 29-year-old left the field to be replaced by all-rounder Duan Jansen and was not able to bat during the Proteas’ run-chase.

De Zorzi also missed the T20 World Cup earlier this year due to a slow-healing right hamstring tear.

The Proteas are already without fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman, and Kwena Maphaka, who have all suffered hamstring strains over the past month.

Bavuma was unable to confirm whether De Zorzi would miss the upcoming Test series. Although the chances are high, he believes the Proteas will “find a way” to deal with the situation, as they have always done in the past.

“Yeah, unfortunately, Tony, he's gone down,” Bavuma said after the Proteas went down by 45 runs in the rain-affected third ODI in Potchefstroom on Wednesday night.

“The doctors will do their thing and carry through their assessments and all of that. But look, as a team, we just have to do what we need to do, right?

“Yeah, it's a blow, obviously, within our plans. Tony fulfils a certain role. But there's an opportunity for someone else to come in and do the business when they need it.

“To be honest, there's no point in getting more frustrated at the situation. That's not going to help any bit.

“We've had a conversation with the medical team. They're doing the best that they can, I guess, considering everything that is amongst them.

“For us as a team, when we get together on Friday, the Test team, we'll just have to make sure we lock in. And like I said, in true South African fashion, try and find a way.”

Bavuma was part of five players rested for the dead rubber at the North West Oval, and despite the Proteas stumbling in the last match in his absence, he believes the team can take plenty of confidence into the Test series, having sealed another 2-1 series victory.

“Yeah, very happy. Look, the first objective obviously was to win the series. We've managed to do that,” he said.

“I think part of that as well is to give opportunities for guys to kind of dust off whatever cobwebs there may have been from not having played cricket for a while. Certain batters spent time on the crease, bowlers as well, got overs under their belt.

“So I think there's confidence and momentum that we can take from this ODI series. So yeah, happy about how we've progressed over the last week or so.”

The Proteas will now head off to Durban, where they will assemble on Friday in preparation for the first Test, starting on October 9 at Kingsmead.