ZCZC
BSP-14
CRICKET-RSA-PAK-ELGAR
Elgar to captain South Africa in final Test
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 9, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Opening batsman Dean Elgar will
captain South Africa in the third and final Test against Pakistan, starting
at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday, Cricket South Africa announced on
Wednesday.
Elgar, 31, will stand in for regular captain Faf du Plessis, who was
suspended for one match after South Africa fell short of the required over
rate during their nine-wicket win in the second Test at Newlands.
It was the second offence under Du Plessis’s leadership within a 12-month
period.
It will be the second time Elgar has captained the side. He led South
Africa in the first Test against England at Lord’s in 2017 when Du Plessis
returned home for the birth of his first child.
South Africa have also called up uncapped Pieter Malan on standby for
Elgar’s opening batting partner, Aiden Markram, who will undergo a fitness
test on Thursday.
Markram suffered a badly bruised right thigh while fielding during the
second Test at Newlands and was unable to bat in the second innings.
Malan, 29, has performed consistently as an opening batsman for the Cape
Cobras franchise, scoring seven centuries during the past two seasons.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1522 hrs