Tony de Zorzi. (Photo source: X(Twitter)
Ahead of the two-match Test series against the West Indies, South African top-order batter, Tony de Zorzi, addressed the novel responsibility of opening the batting.
The southpaw, who has batted only seven times in Test cricket, all at the one-drop position behind Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar, praised the retiring Elgar, who concluded his career following the two-match series against India earlier this year. De Zorzi lauded Elgar’s remarkable cricketing prowess, describing him as an “unbelievable” cricketer.
“I’ve got big shoes to fill. The guy before me was unbelievable,” said de Zorzi as per an audio file released by Cricket South Africa.
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De Zorzi, who was with the Titans from October 2017 to January 2020 alongside Markram and Elgar, never assumed the opening role in the four first-class matches where he and Markram were both in the XI. However, he has partnered with Markram extensively in other contexts.
De Zorzi expressed that it would be an exhilarating prospect to have a recognisable presence like Markram at the other end while undertaking the opening role.
“So, it’ll really be exciting to be batting with Aiden. It’s cool that it’s a familiar face,” mentioned de Zorzi.
It’s my first international tour, so I want to do well: Tony de Zorzi
Interestingly, the aggressive batter has contested all his international fixtures exclusively within South Africa. Nevertheless, he intimated that he harboured an intuitive sense of the strategies which West Indies might employ to dismiss him and noted that he had been diligently preparing countermeasures. He also acknowledged that he is in the process of adjusting to new conditions since the impending one will be his first international tour.
“Having played against them before, I have a feeling of what their guys will try to do to try to get me out. So, I’m practising the ways I would counter that, and then focusing on my strengths and making sure that I’m there for long periods of time. With regards to intensity, I’ve tried my best to acclimatise. It’s my first international tour, so I want to do well,” added de Zorzi.
And indeed, the burden of taking on Elgar’s mantle will be a significant task at hand. Over the course of 86 matches for the Proteas, he amassed 5347 runs at a commendable average of 37.92, including 23 fifties and 14 centuries. It remains to be seen how this promising prospect will fare against the Caribbean.
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