Dean Elgar has many jobs in the national team but he reckons his most important one is to lead the batting line-up by scoring runs.
He can feel largely satisfied with his performance then on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom on Friday.
A masterful innings of 199 in 553 minutes by the opening batsman undoubtedly set the tone for South Africa’s impressive total of 496 for three declared, making up for his sins of being involved in Aiden Markram’s run out for 97 and dropping two catches at slip in successive Keshav Maharaj overs on the second afternoon.
“It was quite an up-and-down day for me personally, but getting out one short of a landmark and dropping catches is all part of the game. You’ve got to deal with it and get through it. It was a bit anti-climactic for me personally, but I’m sure there will still be opportunities for me to get a Test 200.
“My ultimate goal is to score runs for the Proteas and I know if I do then it will help get the team into a good position more often than not. I put personal pride aside and try and take the batting unit by the throat and get us over the line,” Elgar said after his career-best innings, which was his ninth Test century and his fourth this year.
The gritty left-hander spoke with typical frankness about his dismissal, when he miscued a pull shot off left-arm paceman Mustafizur Rahman and lobbed a catch to midwicket.
“That was a very average moment of cricket, a real amateur minute,” Elgar said.
His dismay was clear as his head immediately dropped as he spooned the ball up on the leg side, and there was also disappointment for left-arm spinner Maharaj and Markram in the first two days of play.
Markram was run out just short of a hundred on debut as he eagerly tried to run the single that would have brought up Elgar’s hundred.
“I would like to put that to bed, I’m bitterly disappointed and I get angry and frustrated speaking about it. I would have loved to have seen Aiden get a hundred in his first innings, that would have been brilliant as my new opening partner.
“It was just very unfortunate the way it ended after our massive stand. He was trying to get me over the line, which is what a partner does. It’s amazing that the sun still came up this morning considering some of the abuse I took on Twitter!” Elgar said.
The 30-year-old then dropped Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim on six and 15 at slip off left-arm spinner Maharaj, admitting that he had been standing too close.
“Hashim Amla was there in the past but he doesn’t want to field there anymore. Blunders happen, it doesn’t make me a rubbish fielder, but I do set high standards for myself so I’m very disappointed.
“The pitch is quite slow so Quinton de Kock and I decided I should come closer. But when Keshav was bowling it’s almost like there’s an increase in speed. He gets a lot of spin and generates pace off the pitch. I was standing too close, but it’s inconsistent coming off the pitch, which makes it very hard to bat as well,” Elgar said.
