Proteas captain Temba Bavuma backing Wiaan Mulder 'to play his own game' at Lord's in WTC final

LONDON: Allrounder Wiaan Mulder will hold down the crucial No 3 spot in the Proteas batting line-up against Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s on Wednesday.

Mulder has only walked to the crease at first drop in two of his previous 29 Test innings. His only Test century has also come at No 7 on the tour to Bangladesh last year.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma has come out in full support of the 27-year-old to handle the pressure of facing up to a high-quality Australian attack.

“I think Mulder is quite young obviously in that position, but I think having played with Mulder, having seen him, the way he's kind of grown in the last two years within the red-ball family.

"It's about giving him a lot more confidence, keep backing him, and just allowing him to do what he does best,” Bavuma told the media at Lord’s on Tuesday.

“So, I mean, I think, yes, he has an opportunity in a pressure situation, but I think he can take comfort from the fact that the guys are backing him. We just want him to go out and play his game.”

Bavuma also confirmed that fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has been included in the starting XI. Ngidi has only played two Test matches during this two-year WTC cycle - against West Indies in August last year and India at Newlands six months earlier. 

The 29-year-old replaces teenager Kwena Maphaka, who debuted in the New Year Test against Pakistan, but was not included in the WTC final squad altogether. 

Bavuma admitted though that it was “one of the tougher decisions” to omit veteran seamer Dane Paterson, especially as the 36-year-old has played his county cricket for Middlesex at Lord’s in preparation for the WTC final.

“Yeah, I think, I mean, probably one of the tougher decisions that have been made,” he said. 

“We've seen what Patto did for us towards the end of last season.

“But I think it was more from a tactical point of view, probably a little bit more pace from Lungi. I guess he's taller as well. 

“I think Lungs also has a good record, you know, not taking away anything from Patto.

“He has the experience he's paid here before, not that Patto hasn't. But I think he will complement that bowling attack.

“I guess, a little bit more. We have a guy like Mulder as well, who kind of gives you something similar to what Patto can do.”

PROTEAS TEAM FOR LORD’S WTC FINAL

Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (captain), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.