Sam Billings opens up on Dean Elgar’s comments about Bazball

Even Since Brendon McCullum took charge of the England team, the three lions have changed the way Test cricket is played. England previously lost to India, New Zealand, Australia, and West Indies but are yet to lose one under Ben Stokes’ leadership. They swept New Zealand 3-0 and also won the rescheduled Test against India at Edgbaston. What changed from then to now is the introduction of ‘Bazball’ in the England team.

Bazball is nothing but Brendon McCullum’s philosophy of playing the game. England plays aggressive cricket these days and that has been the primary reason behind their success. Now, before touring the country some days, Dean Elgar expressed how this philosophy could leave them looking foolish in the long term.

The wicketkeeper-batter, Sam Billings was a bit salty with the remark of the South African captain. He believes that it is ‘pretty stupid’ for them not to believe in this philosophy.

We’ve beaten an international team over four days by an innings: Sam Billings

“We’ve beaten an international team over four days by an innings in a manner of scoring 5.74 an over. You’d be pretty stupid to ignore that if I’m honest. If that’s not a wake-up call because we’re not even the best XI. So, it’s up to them, really, but I think that’s laid out a pretty strong statement in the way we want the cricket to be played, but also being able to execute it and having the players to do that was really impressive,” Billings was quoted as saying by Dailymail.co.uk.

Hamstring injury rules Duanne Olivier out of the England Test series

South African International Duanne Olivier has been ruled out of the three-match Test series against England after suffering from a hamstring injury. The 30-year-old injured himself while playing against the England Lions in the warm-up game.

“Duanne presented with significant discomfort involving his right hip flexor muscle. After clinical assessment, he was referred for an MRI scan, which revealed a grade 2 tear involving the right pectineus muscle,” team doctor Hashendra Ramjee said in a media release from Cricket South Africa.

The South African board will not call up a replacement despite Kagiso Rabada’s injury scare. They have Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, and Lutho Sipamla among other pacers in the squad.

South Africa squad for the England series: Dean Elgar (captain), Sarel Erwee, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Lutho Sipamla, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Khaya Zondo, Glenton Stuurman.