Du Plessis: We never ask for ridiculous pitches

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Proteas captain Faf du Plessis insists his team don’t ask for “ridiculous” pitches at home but only want surfaces that will play to their strengths, which is the pace bowlers.

Du Plessis was speaking after the Proteas completed a 9-wicket victory over Pakistan at Newlands on Sunday that saw them take unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Both pitches in the series so far, Centurion and in Cape Town, have come under scrutiny for assisting the fast bowlers to much with both games not reaching the end of the fourth day.

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur was particularly critical saying the surfaces in both matches have been sub-standard.

ALSO READ: Arthur slams state of Test pitches in South Africa

However, the home skipper hit back when he said that batsmen can still score runs if they work hard and are prepared to tough it out.

Du Plessis said after the victory at Newlands: “We never ask for ridiculous pitches. We just ask for pace and bounce.

“You have to adapt your game and Temba (Bavuma) was a great example.

“In two Test matches in a row now on tough pitches he has scored runs and it shows you that it is possible if you apply yourself mentally and you have a technique.”

When asked why most Test matches tend not to go the full five days any longer, especially in South Africa, Du Plessis sighted the impact that T20 cricket has had on the game.

Du Plessis fought hard at Newlands to scored his ninth Test hundred, a century his coach Ottis Gibson said was one of the best he had seen in the longest format.

Faf went on: “Cricket is not the same as it used to be four to five years ago when 400 or 500 totals were scored all the time.

‘You look right around the world, possibly for the first time in Australia, it happened because the ball wasn’t swinging it was going straight.

“Because the pitch was flat and they were scoring runs.

“In South Africa, the ball does move. [We have] seamer friendly pitches. The pace of the game has moved a lot quicker.

“Batsmen are not just going at 2.2 runs an over. Test matches are going a lot quicker and as a player, you have to move with it.”

The third and final Test against Pakistan starts on 11 January against Pakistan.

Faf du Plessis Pakistan tour to South Africa Proteas

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