Derby - Lonwabo Tsotsobe reinforced his position in the Test squad by taking four wickets for 45 runs in the drawn two-day tour match against Derbyshire County Cricket Club on Saturday. The left-arm seamer made use of his opportunity to impress, and continues to work hard in case there is an untimely Test call-up for him.

“We have 15 good players in the squad,” Tsotsobe said. “I just keep working hard so that when my opportunity comes I can take it with both hands.  Every time I prepare I prepare as if I am going to play and I know if someone gets injured I am ready to take my chance.

“It’s also always a good thing to have competition amongst your team mates, it pushes everyone to their limits when players outside the XI are performing.”

Each player in the squad worked on their necessary processes during the match, with the key note being the amount of time the lower order spent in the middle, especially because of the increasing significance of a wagging tail in a Test match. Vernon Philander was unbeaten on 68 in South Africa’s second innings, with Dale Steyn (34), currently the eighth ranked all-rounder in Test cricket, also facing a reasonable amount of balls.  
The squad moves to London in a calm and relaxed space, after spending a major part of the week in a “switched off” zone in Derby.

“The players are calm,” Tsotsobe said about the impending Test. “I think that is what got us through the first Test, we were calm and cool. We have moved into a zone where we are not too excited about the end result.”