Corbin Bosch looks to secure Test spot
The 30-year-old has been able to elevate his game, going from lacking consistency with the ball in domestic cricket to being a lot tidier in Test cricket.
Before the Test in Bulawayo, Bosch had only one five-wicket haul in red ball cricket, a feat that tells the tale about his career.
Reflecting on the last eight months of his career, where he has been in and around the Proteas Test team on a regular basis including being included in the squad for World Test Championship final, Bosch highlighted that he has been inspired to improve his overall game.
To help South Africa beat Zimbabwe by 328-runs in the first Test, Bosch claimed his first Test fiver - his second in red ball cricket, and also scored his maiden Test century - the first of his professional career.
"I think in international cricket, you realise how fine your margins really are, especially coming from a bowling standpoint. I think watching the game at Lord's really inspired me a lot, watching how KG and a bunch of the Australian bowlers, went about their business in that game," Bosch told the media on Wednesday.
"It was incredibly special. It actually inspired me and made me realise how good these guys really are, competing with the best in the world.
"It made me believe that's where I want to be, that's what I want to aspire to in my cricketing career - to be on that level (like) those guys were delivering day in, day out, time and time again.
"Their execution and plans were, I would pretty much say, perfect. It was an absolute spectacle just to watch from the side, let alone to play.
"Being able to watch all the guys live, I think a lot of the time people get fooled by what you see on TV, but watching people operate in person makes you realise and appreciate how they really are.
"It's inspired me to work on my game a bit more and be more consistent, be a lot sharper."
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TimesLIVE
2 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
He's joined Kallis, but Bosch is still more interested in bowling fast
Being mentioned in the same breath as Jacques Kallis may be 'super special,' but Corbin Bosch still views bowling fast as his main role in any team for which he is selected. Bosch joined Kallis on a list of just four South African cricketers to score a century and take five wickets in an innings in the same Test. The great all-rounder performed the feat twice. 'He [Kallis] was pretty much the 'goat' [greatest of all time] in South African cricket. It is an honour to be mentioned in the same sentence as Jacques. It is super special,' Bosch said. The 30-year-old, playing in just his second Test, scored an unbeaten 100 on the first day in Bulawayo and then claimed 5/43 in Zimbabwe's second innings, helping the Proteas to a 328-run victory. It's been a whirlwind few months for Bosch, who went from making his ODI debut just before Christmas, to then starting the Boxing Day Test, earning an Indian Premier League contract and then being included in the squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Corbin Bosch 💯🙌 His maiden Test century propels the @ProteasMenCSA 's lead to more than 400 👏👏 #SSCricket #ZIMvSA — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 29, 2025 'I was speaking to my mom the other day and saying, I need to pinch myself that everything is real. I've had a magical few months,' said Bosch. 'I've played some really good cricket, I've surrounded myself with some pretty good people who have guided me and pushed me, even when times were tough. I knew that eventually when the opportunity came I would grab it with both hands and fortunately for me, the rub of the green has gone my way so far, and hopefully it will continue.' Bosch had a stunning introduction to Test cricket, dismissing Pakistan captain Shan Masood with his first ball at SuperSport Park last summer. After taking 4/63, he then smashed an unbeaten 81 off only 93 balls. His statistics after two Tests are surreal, a batting average of 108.50 and a bowling average of 19.50. Despite his success with the bat, Bosch remains clear about what his main role is. 'I love my batting, but my DNA is fast bowling. As much as I enjoy batting, I love bowling that much more.' Though Bosch has certainly made an impact in the two matches he's played, he's not guaranteed a starting spot when front-line players like Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen return. 'We are in a fortunate position, that there is good and healthy competition in South Africa,' said Bosch. 'It forces the guys at the top to be at their best. I don't know where I stand in the pecking order. But that doesn't bother me, if I represent my country I will give it my best.' "𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘" 😤💥 Corbin Bosch gets his five-for as the @ProteasMenCSA edge closer to victory ⚡ 📺 Stream #ZIMvSA on DStv: — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 1, 2025 He told coach Shukri Conrad during the South African training camp at Arundel before the WTC final that he wanted to make his job as hard as possible when it came to selection. Though Bosch didn't start at Lord's he had several stints in the field, and getting to watch up close how some of the best players performed under pressure was inspirational. 'Being able to watch the guys live, a lot of the time you get fooled by what you see on TV, but watching people operate in person makes you appreciate how good people really are,' said Bosch. 'Watching at Lord's inspired me; watching KG [Radaba] and the Australian bowlers and how they went about their business was incredibly special. It made me realise how good these guys really are, competing with the best in the world. It made me believe that, 'cool, that's where I aspire to be in my cricket career'.'
IOL News
5 hours ago
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EXCLUSIVE: It's all about the medals not numbers for me, says Proteas' Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada celebrates one of his nine wickets in the Lord's Test. Picture: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix 'Any great gift of power or talent is a burden ... But there is nothing to be done. 'If you were born with the gift, then you must serve it, and nothing in this world or out of it may stand in the way of that service, because that is why you were born and that is the Law,' writes Susan Cooper, an English author of children's books. I can't help but think Cooper's words may have been prescribed for Proteas superstar Kagiso Rabada. A Junior World Champion at 18. Now a World Test Champion at 30. It's as if Rabada's script was written for him. 'I think it's amazing, man. So many times we've been inspired by various South Africans… South Africans going around the world, showing their best putting their best foot forward,' Rabada exclusively told Independent Media. 'The rugby did that, the football did that. And now it was our turn. 'It's just crazy how many South Africans are doing so well. So, luckily, we could do that. Kagiso Rabada sits down for an exclusive interview with Independent Media's Zaahier Adams. Picture: Independent Media Image: Independent Media 'I mean, we have done well, but we needed that silverware, and we got it. You check guys on the podium lifting whatever they're lifting up. "You're like, 'I want to be on that stage. Be the best team'. And we were the best team. 'So, I think it's a massive relief. We're glad that we could contribute to the hope that we give to the country.' The sense of duty to Mzansi filters through Rabada's voice. Even more so now after he recently succumbed to his own desires for once. But again as if Cooper's words were ringing in his ears, Rabada took responsibility for his actions, and began plotting the way forward about how best he could serve his country with the God-given talents he was bestowed with. There was no bigger stage to redeem himself than the World Test Championship Final at Lord's. History tells us that Rabada had the Dukes' ball zinging up the Lord's slope as he scythed through the Australian batting line-up on a rip-roaring opening day with the talisman etching his name on the Lord's Honours Board yet again with a second five-wicket haul at The Home of Cricket. In the process, he moved past the original torchbearer of South African fast bowling Allan Donald to confirm his status among the pantheon of greats. He now has 336 Test wickets with only Makhaya Ntini (390), Shaun Pollock (421) and Dale Steyn (439) on the all-time national wicket-takers' list. With the Proteas currently limited to two-match series, and not having a single home red-ball fixture for the entire 2025/26 international season, it may require a superhuman effort from Rabada to ultimately overtake Steyn at the top of the perch. Considering the circumstances, the current two-match series against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo would have been low-lying fruit for Rabada to pluck in a bid to close the gap on Steyn. But much like his U19 captain and WTC Player of the Match, Aiden Markram, who said after Lord's, that 'I'm not here to chase numbers and stats and things like that. I really just want to win stuff for South Africa now,' Rabada sings from the same hymn sheet. 'It's not about me going to Zim and wanting to clean up... Get closer or whatever. No, it's not about that,' he said.
IOL News
17 hours ago
- IOL News
Welcoming team environment allowed newbies to thrive, says Maharaj
Lhuan-dre Pretorius made history on his Test debut by becoming the youngest South African to score a half-century and 150 runs, surpassing legends like Graeme Pollock and Sachin Tendulkar. | BackpagePix The youngster became the youngest Test centurion for South Africa, and most importantly, took South Africa past 400 runs in the first innings. Corbin Bosch's (100 not out) maiden century in only his second Test was also key. Firstly, it was 19-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius (153) who stood tall in the face of adversity, scoring a century on debut despite coming in to bat under pressure with the score on 23/3. The fresh-faced Proteas team beat Zimbabwe by 328 runs inside four days to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Like the full-strength team, this new team, led by Keshav Maharaj, saw different individuals stand up in different moments of the match. THE character of the Proteas Test team shone brightly once again, this time in Zimbabwe, and without many of the regular players, including the injured captain Temba Bavuma, the rested Kagiso Rabada and Aiden Markram, the trio that played a key role in the side winning the WTC Final last month. With the ball, Wiaan Mulder's four-for helped the Proteas bowl out the hosts for 251 runs in the first innings, securing a first-innings lead of 147 runs. In the second innings, it was Mulder (147) who took responsibility, scoring his first century batting at three and his second of his Test career, to set Zimbabwe over 500 to win. Bosch would then go on to take his first Test five-for to seal the victory for the Proteas. "A lot of the regulars aren't here, but when the youngsters come in, it's about making them feel very welcome and comfortable to be themselves. That's something we always encourage in the environment," Maharaj told the media on Tuesday. "Naturally, the mentality of where we want to go with our cricket and the style of cricket and brand of cricket we want to play, just filters through them. So I think that's the main thing, is to make them feel comfortable, to allow them to just be the best version of themselves." "Corbin, he's just come into our environment, and he's settled in very well. But the skill he possesses it's not many can bowl 140 and bat the way he does. So, I'm so happy, he works really hard on his game. "He trusts his skill; he backs himself. And it's so nice to see everything come together for him. We had a long chat after the first innings, and to see him bounce back and do something very special like that is encouraging for us." Despite having won convincingly, Maharaj has called on the bowling group to be more tidy and ruthless. Led by 19-year-old left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka, who finished the game wicketless, the attack did a good job, but showed their inexperience with a lack of consistency. "As much as we've won this game and there's so much to take out, there are areas where we can be a lot better. Obviously, starting up front (with the bat), in trying conditions, it was, we can be a little bit more cautious in certain aspects," said Maharaj. "But I think also with the ball, we can be a little bit more tidy in terms of not bowling too many bad balls. And I think in the second innings of our batting, I think we could have been a little bit more ruthless and not given too many soft dismissals away. "Because it would have been a lovely opportunity for someone to really kick on past the 150 mark and go on for bigger honours. "But having said that, we can always sit here and isolate many moments. But as a collective, I think we're really happy with the performance we put in." The second and final Test match of the series is scheduled to get underway on Sunday at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
