T20 mini-series offers England and South Africa the chance to regroup and refocus ahead of busy summer

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith will be writing exclusively for The Independent as the Proteas visit England this summer. In his first column, he previews the upcoming T20 series

The first T20 match between England and South Africa gets under way on Wednesday (Getty)

After the disappointment both England and South Africa experienced in the ICC Champions Trophy, this short, sharp T20 Series is an opportunity for each side to take a look at the next cabs off the rank in white ball cricket.

Both England and South Africa are resting key players ahead of the eagerly awaited four Test series, with some questioning the relevance of this curtain raiser in amongst what is already a long, grueling tour schedule for both sides.

Many of the marquee names are missing from the respective squads, with opportunities instead afforded to those seeking to make a name for themselves. In that respect, it should be an interesting few games in terms of assessing the relative white ball depth of both teams.

The Test captain, Faf Du Plessis, is one of those missing out, as he heads home to attend the birth of his first child, with AB De Villiers set to take the reins in the three-game mini-series.

In practice, on tours such as this, it’s essential to give key players rest where you can. It’s also important to allow players some time to enjoy the country they are in, on what is an exceptionally long tour. Test series in England are both mentally and physically draining, and I expect the four Tests to be closely fought.

Some might see resting players as a sign that the international schedule is too congested, but it’s generally something that boards have to do in order to keep players fresh and at the peak of their powers mentally.

The positive aspect of both sides naming several changes is that there are some very exciting players, from both sides that I’m looking forward to seeing more of.

AB De Villiers will take charge in the three-game mini-series (Getty)

I’ve heard good things about Mason Crane, the young Hampshire leg spinner. He clearly made an impression during his stint in Australia (Crane became the first overseas player for New South Wales since Imran Khan thirty-two years ago), and Eoin Morgan has shown his ability to captain spin well. Morgan often looks to bring his spinners in to the game early, and use them as attacking options, knowing that wickets are often the most efficient way to slow fast scoring sides.

The Test series undoubtedly holds far greater relevance in terms of the English cricketing summer as a whole, but De Villiers will know that these games provide an opportunity for certain players to regroup and regain some momentum following what was a tough ICC Champions Trophy campaign for the Proteas.

With De Villiers himself due to fly home following the completion of the T20s, I can guarantee that he’ll be hungry to bring home some positive results in these games, with question marks over how long he’ll continue to play international cricket.


 Eoin Morgan has shown his ability to captain spin well (Getty)
 (AFP/Getty Images)

Before he was run out during the India fixture in the recent Champions Trophy, he looked as hungry and focused as ever. AB remains one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket, and he’ll be looking to leave his mark on this summer with a big score or two in the three games.

The series also provides an opportunity for those few players in the South Africa T20 squad who are likely to play a part in the test series to get some more overs under their belt in English conditions.

The likes of Morne Morkel, Chris Morris and Wayne Parnell will likely be the three that are in line to play in the four Test series. Wayne certainly seemed to struggle for form in the recent Champions Trophy, showing a real lack of rhythm and confidence.

Even though the two formats couldn’t be more different, he’ll want to feel good as he hits the crease and have confidence in his ability to hit his marker if he does get the opportunity to play red ball cricket again on this tour.

All in all, fans will want to see some exciting cricket, and an injection of fresh blood in to both sides should go a long way to easing any deflation caused by their respective Champions Trophy exits.