“I don’t think they’re justified, whatsoever. We play the game hard, and if anything we were just giving back what we were getting when we were batting,” Elgar stated earlier than the second Take a look at in Gqeberha. “It is Test cricket. It’s a man’s environment when it comes to playing at this level, and I intend to play the game hard. By no means did we swear or use foul language towards the Bangladeshi cricketers, because we respect them. We were just giving them back what we were receiving. I think they need to harden up and play the game at a level that maybe they’re not used to. We received it first, and we responded in that way.”
Regardless of his admission that South Africa have been vocal, Elgar insisted they by no means crossed the road. “One of my messages to the players is that we do everything with dignity, and we don’t throw our badge or our name away. I didn’t see any bad sledging out there, even from their side,” he stated. “This is Test cricket, and we need to dry our eyes sometimes.”
Shortly after Elgar addressed the media, Mominul was requested for his response to Elgar’s feedback and indicated Bangladesh have already dried their eyes, as Elgar might have put it. “I never complained against sledging,” Mominul stated, regardless of feedback after the Durban Take a look at that the umpires did not appear to note South Africa’s verbal assault on Bangladesh. “In cricket, sledging happens, and you have to absorb it. You have to take it very easily. I think you guys heard it wrongly.”
However he was fast to caveat it with a little bit of “in my day,” and reminded Bangladesh, rightly or wrongly, that issues was worse. “Also, this is Test cricket. When I started playing it, the environments were a lot harsher. You were told everything that you didn’t want to know about yourself. We’re representing our country and we want to win, and if you’re playing a little bit of a mind game on the opposition, why not?” Elgar stated.
Finally, Elgar believed Bangladesh unraveled within the second innings due to the standard of the bowling and never something South Africa stated. “It was the level of intensity at which we were playing. I felt our intensity was right up there with regards to the conditions. Even though we were bowling spinners, the ruthlessness and relentlessness that they showed was world class,” he stated. “Maybe Bangladesh got caught up in the moment, which played perfectly into our hands. That’s what comes with gamesmanship. You’ve got to outsmart and outplay and outwit your opposition. That’s the total emotional and mental side of Test cricket that people forget about sometimes. Then, if you incorporate your skill and ticking the boxes to the best of your ability, that’s what sums up Test cricket.”
Elgar was additionally requested about the usual of the umpiring after eight choices wanted to be overturned at Kingsmead, 4 towards South Africa, and had no complaints. “The umpiring was tough. I don’t think the pitch helped, especially with the variable bounce, which can challenge the umpires. I feel for them because they’re good umpires,” he stated. “Marais [Erasmus] is the umpire of the year. Adrian [Holdstock] is just starting off in the Test arena, and he’s definitely not a bad umpire. After all, they are human beings — they do make errors, as do the players. But I’m pretty sure they’re going to learn a hell of a lot out of that. Whatever the umpire decides, we need to respect that.”
Bangladesh additionally had three appeals not given towards South African batters, however selected not overview, and replays confirmed all three would have been out. They discovered no sympathy from Elgar, who reminded them that they may have taken issues into their very own fingers. “Technology is there for a reason. If you don’t use the technology, then you’re holding yourself accountable for their decisions,” he stated. “Hopefully in the second Test we can have a better show.”
Erasmus and Allahudien Palekar will stand within the second Take a look at, with Holdstock as tv umpire.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent
