Temba Bavuma and his Proteas ready for England after having 'fun' watching Liverpool

THE life of an international cricketer often revolves solely around airports, buses, hotels, cricket stadiums and back again. 

That’s particularly evident on the subcontinent where players are viewed as demi-gods causing them not to venture out in the public domain - particularly not without state-like security in tow. 

It is for this reason that England tours are cherished, where cricketers revel in their obscurity by roaming the high streets, attending theatre productions and even get to go watch their favourite football teams, like Proteas captain Temba Bavuma and a couple of his teammates did on Sunday with a visit to Anfield.

“The boys enjoy a UK tour. And we’ll try to make it as fun as it can be,” Bavuma quipped, ahead of the first ODI against England at Headingley in Leeds today. 

“I'm a Liverpool fan, so thanks to Ashwell Prince (Proteas batting coach), he managed to organise some tickets for the Liverpool-Arsenal game. It was very nice. Good victory as well.”

Buoyed by the feel-good factor of watching the Reds overcome their fiercest Premiership rivals, Bavuma is now ready for the challenge of facing a high-quality England white-ball team. 

He’s confident that his ageing body will hold up to the strains of the three-match series after recently missing the middle game of the Australian series as a precaution. However, fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and in-form middle-order batter Matthew Breetzke will remain on the sidelines.

“I'd like to (play all three matches). Look, I'm still under the medical protocol,” Bavuma said.

“I feel confident in my body. I think the medical team, they're taking that responsibility, but I guess, we'll take it game by game, but I'm quite confident in physically where I am. 

“I guess in terms of the other guys who come back from injury, we’re kind of easing them into the games from a workload, injury point of view. Kagiso Rabada, Matthew Breetzke, they're still on that workload management.”

Breetzke’s hamstring strain allows Tony de Zorzi to stake another claim for a regular spot in the ODI line-up after failing to convert a couple of promising starts during the Australian series. 

Bavuma feels the England series will provide greater clarity on the progress of his team as they build towards the 2027 World Cup on home soil. 

“Yeah, I think that's the bigger picture. But I think probably as much as that's the bigger picture, this is what's important now. I think it's (the victorious Australian series) obviously showed that there are areas within our game that we still need to improve,” the skipper said.

“But let's say we're far from where we are. This series will give us another opportunity to improve on the other facets within our game. The younger guys coming into the team, giving them more opportunities to see the extent of the role that they can fulfil within the team.

“I think just make sure that we keep winning as a team while we're working towards where we'd like to be. So,yeah, good series, positives, but I think there's also opportunities for us to learn from our mistakes.”

PROTEAS TEAM TO FACE ENGLAND IN FIRST ODI

First XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Temba Bavuma (capt), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Wiaan Mulder, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi

Start: 2pm TV: SuperSport