Conrad to Choose Between Bosch and Maphaka for the Upcoming Test

Kwena Maphaka, an 18-year-old rising star from South Africa, is one of many young talents full of promise. Off the field, he’s a typical confident, energetic teenager. Still, on the field, he’s part of a dwindling group of available bowlers for the national team. Following the news that Ottneil Baartman is out for the third ODI against Pakistan, seven South African bowlers are unavailable due to injuries. The list includes players like Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi, Wiaan Mulder, Nandre Burger, Lizard Williams, Anrich Nortje, and Keshav Maharaj.

Despite the injury setbacks, South Africa still has options to choose from. The country has introduced 10 new bowlers across all formats this summer. While Mulder and Maharaj are in the Test squad as they recover from injuries, the team also has a strong lineup with Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, and Dane Paterson, along with Maphaka.

Maphaka, named Player of the Tournament at the Under-19 World Cup for his 21 wickets, is already making waves in the senior team. He made his T20I debut in August, becoming South Africa’s youngest male senior international at just 18 years old. Recently, he made his ODI debut against Pakistan, taking 4/72. However, his economy rate of 7.32 showed room for improvement. Despite the team’s injury woes, Maphaka’s rise offers hope for South Africa’s bowling attack moving forward.

But cricket cuts special slack for teenagers who touch or breach 150 kilometers an hour.

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Rob Walter Highlights Kwena Maphaka’s Growth and Promise as a Future Matchwinner

“He thrives in big moments, and he’ll keep getting better and better,” Rob Walter told a press conference after Thursday’s match. “To see the kind of skills he showed at the end of the innings – the back-of-the-hand slower ball that he hadn’t bowled in the game to that point, and to figure out that that’s the option and to back himself to go for it – is very exciting.

“We want to keep allowing him the space to grow and to flourish. There’s an understanding that his performances may be inconsistent. Still, his growth is more important in the long-term picture of him being a matchwinner for South Africa.”

While South Africa’s loss to Pakistan on Thursday, where they were bowled out for 248, chasing Pakistan’s 329, didn’t end in victory for Kwena Maphaka, the young bowler was a standout performer. His debut ODI was full of highlights, including an early breakthrough in his fifth over. He claimed his first wicket with a sharp short ball that caught Pakistan’s Sayim Ayub at deep third. Two balls later, Maphaka’s bouncer had Mohammad Rizwan ducking, but the ball crashed into his helmet.

Maphaka’s spell saw both highs and lows. He ended his first five-over spell with respectable figures of 1/19. Still, he was hit for boundaries by Rizwan in the following over. Despite this, Maphaka delivered a memorable moment when he caught Rizwan’s off-drive off his own bowling after an acrobatic effort. The young bowler continued to battle, with another expensive over yielding three more boundaries. Yet, he struck back in his final over, dismissing Kamran Ghulam with a slower ball. He took two more wickets with his slower deliveries, including a stunning catch off Haris Rauf’s shot.

In the match’s final stages, Maphaka showed his sharp fielding skills, combining with Heinrich Klaasen to run out Abrar Ahmed to complete the innings. Although the game ended with South Africa’s defeat, Maphaka’s performance was a thrilling display of his talent. Despite being in contention for a Test spot, he still appears to be behind uncapped Corbin Bosch in the race for the XI in the upcoming Centurion Test.

Shukri Conrad Praises Corbin Bosch’s Form and Role in South Africa’s Pace Attack

“Corbin Bosch adds so much to our attack,” Shukri Conrad, who picked the squad and will decide on the XI, told a press conference on Monday. “On the Highveld, we need pace in our attack, and Corbin provides that.

“[Centurion is] his home ground, and he’s in top form – he had an excellent outing against the English Lions last week that I managed to catch a glimpse of.

“From when I last saw him, when he was at the academy with me a couple of years ago, he’s matured nicely and turned into an outstanding cricketer, someone who, on the back of his domestic performances, will be a great addition to our squad.”

Corbin Bosch, who featured in a South African Invitation XI match against England Lions at the Wally Wilson Oval in Cape Town last week, showed strong form despite the low-key nature of the fixture. Bosch was part of a 13-player local team facing 16 England Lions players, and after a first-ball duck on the first day, he bounced back with 3/20 on day two. He contributed with the bat, scoring 33 runs off 45 balls in the second innings, and took 1/21 in his final spell. In his three first-class matches this season, Bosch has scored 209 runs at an average of 69.66 and taken 10 wickets at 22.20.

At 30 years old and in his eighth season of first-class cricket, Bosch’s career statistics—averaging 40.46 with the bat and 36.75 with the ball—are solid but not sensational. However, his consistency and work ethic have earned him recognition, especially from the South African coach Conrad. Since taking over in January last year, Conrad has overseen the triumphant return of several players to the national fold, including Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs. Bosch’s role in the squad is a testament to his steady progress, and with young players like Kwena Maphaka showing promise, Conrad’s watchful eye and player development approach continue to shape South Africa’s future.