South Africa boast arguably the best record when bowling to Steve Smith. Smith has a career average of 41.53 against the Proteas from 17 innings. Smith only has a worse average against Bangladesh, with 29.75 from only four innings.
Only once has Smith managed to score a century against South Africa which came in 2014 with South Africa keeping him relatively quiet since then. He has three half-centuries in addition to his lone century.
And now the Proteas want to keep him quiet yet again.
Smith has made alterations to his batting technique recently which South African bowling coach Charl Langeveldt has identified.
โThe key to most of the top six is the first 20 balls and to make them play,โ he told the media.
โSteve has changed. He is not on the move anymore and he has got a good base now where he is not moving around the crease as much.โ
โI think it is going to be a good challenge for our boys. The boys are up for the challenge, but the key is going to be that first 20 balls where we need to really make him play more.โ
ICC world number six bowler Kagiso Rabada will likely be the man South Africa call on the most. Against Cricket Australia XI, Rabada took 1/33 and 2/22. Other strong performances came from Lungi Ngidi, who took 3/26 in CAXI's first innings, and Gerald Coetzee, who recorded 3/36.
10 of the 16 wickets were caught, with many coming from behind the stumps from fuller deliveries. That is also their plan to dismiss Smith.
โThe guys got the fuller lengths that we want. Conditions are different in Brisbane to anywhere else in the world really,โ Langeveldt said.
