Cape Town – Back to four pacemen, and a five-strong overall attack?

Don’t write that off as a possibility for South Africa in the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands.

The Proteas on Friday completed a comfortable six-wicket triumph, well within three days, in the first clash at SuperSport Park so will be aiming to kill off the three-Test series early, in the traditional New Year fixture.

They did it in game one with a balance to their XI – on a pace-friendly surface; probably overly so – of seven batsmen and four bowlers.

But with Centurion revelation Duanne Olivier, trumpeted afterwards by captain Faf du Plessis as their “enforcer”, duly handed the player-of-the-match mantle for his figures of 11/96, the SA brains trust have a pleasant but pronounced dilemma over team composition for the next Test.

That is because Newlands-relishing bowling all-rounder Vernon Philander will almost certainly be fit for recall.

A straight swap between Olivier and Philander will still be near the forefront of discussion, cruel though it would be on the former, but head coach Ottis Gibson also dropped a telling hint when interviewed pitch-side at Centurion by the SuperSport pundits shortly after the win had been sealed.

“We want to play with four fast bowlers (whenever) we can,” he reminded, while adding the proviso that “we’ll see what we see when we get to Cape Town and assess conditions”.

That could just mean that the Proteas take the step, while not without certain risks, of trimming their batting line-up by one to ensure a seam quartet of Philander (also assuming the No 7 batting slot, with Quinton de Kock advancing to six), Olivier, Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada plus left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.

While there is still a discernible skittishness to their batting unit as a collective, positives at SuperSport Park included Temba Bavuma’s pleasing authority and technical tightness on the tricky surface, Dean Elgar’s typically gutsy second innings and – perhaps most importantly of all – veteran superstar Hashim Amla ending the game unbeaten on 63 from a 224-minute vigil that will have done wonders for his confidence after a very lean period.

If South Africa do opt to sacrifice a batsman at Newlands, the likeliest candidate now seems Theunis de Bruyn, who scored 29 and 10 in the first Test although he played some crisp, bullish strokes, while he lasted, each time.

With the batting department not exactly a notable strength for Pakistan at present – either in quality in the premier positions or depth through the order – the Proteas’ masterminds may feel that they can engineer enough runs to eclipse their opponents on that front even with one specialist left out, while giving their pacemen, especially, a lot of freedom and freshness to bomb the tourists into submission if they do go the four-strong seam route.

Bear in mind that the pitch at Newlands should be a fair bit truer for batsmen than the one presented on the Highveld over the last few days.

That would be a welcome development both for watching purists and the South African stroke-players themselves who have had to deal with a few just too lottery-like home strips over the last couple of Test seasons.

If the Proteas cut their frontline batting to six, it would be a repeat of the formula used to outsmart India (by 72 runs) in the equivalent New Year Test at Newlands last summer … which may be simply another reason to seduce them into adopting that policy again.

Likely team, if they favour that six-five formula, on January 3: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis (capt), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Duanne Olivier.

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Centurion – Struggling South African batting star Hashim Amla will return to his number three position in the first Test against Pakistan, starting at SuperSport Park on Wednesday, with the full backing of captain Faf du Plessis.

“Hash has been our rock at number three,” said Du Plessis ahead of a series featuring two strong bowling attacks and two potentially fragile batting line-ups.

Du Plessis acknowledged that Amla, 35, had slipped from his previous high standards, scoring only 444 runs at an average of 23.36 since his last century, against Bangladesh in October 2017.

Amla was moved down to number four in the order for South Africa’s most recent Test, against Sri Lanka in Colombo in July, with Theunis de Bruyn filling the number three slot and making a century.

“There was a reason for that,” said Du Plessis. “In Sri Lanka we needed that (Amla) experience against the spin and we felt it was easier for Theunis as a new player to come in when the ball was still a little bit harder.”

But Du Plessis said De Bruyn would drop down to number six against Pakistan behind Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Amla, Temba Bavuma and Du Plessis in what he described as a “normal batting line-up”.

Amla had a string of low scores and was dropped by his Durban Heat franchise during a recent Twenty20 tournament.

But Du Plessis said he was encouraged that Amla had scored 61 in the second innings of a franchise match for the Cape Cobras last week.

“What is important is time in the middle. Hashim knows he hasn’t scored the amount of runs he would have liked in the last year but it’s a new season and he’s fresh, coming off a fifty.

“It is important for him to get off to a good start in this series, just to settle the nerves and be confident. Hashim technically he is one of the most sound players in the world.”

Du Plessis said South Africa’s experience of home conditions could give them the edge over Pakistan.

“There are two very good bowling attacks,” said Du Plessis, anticipating that pitches would offer assistance to bowlers through the three-match series. “It is going to be a challenge for the batting units.”

He said Pakistan would face a similar situation to India and Australia, who were both beaten in Test series in South Africa last season. “Our batsmen are used to playing in these conditions. If you can get them (Pakistan) in trouble early there’s something in their middle order you can work with. Hopefully we can put some doubts in their batsmen.”

Du Plessis admitted, though, that he was not certain how the Centurion pitch would play after a Test against India last season was played on a dry surface that the South Africans felt suited the Indians.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “It looks a bit greener. Last season they tried to leave grass on but it all burnt dead. I like clarity for a Test at home.”

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed said that fast bowler Mohammad Abbas had not recovered enough from a shoulder injury to be considered for the first Test, leaving Pakistan with three front-line seam bowlers in Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi.

Cardiff – Manchester United captain Ashley Young admitted the mood around Old Trafford has been instantly lifted by caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s smile, but denied there were any celebrations in the dressing room at news of Jose Mourinho’s sacking.

Solskjaer was put in charge until the end of the season after Mourinho was dismissed on Tuesday with United 19 points off the top of the table.

That change paid instant dividends as United scored five goals in a Premier League match for the first time since Alex Ferguson’s last game in charge back in May 2013, thrashing Cardiff 5-1 on Saturday.

“I don’t think he (Solskjaer) has stopped smiling,” Young said after victory in the Welsh capital.

“He was like that as a player. He always has a smile on his face and I think that can reflect down on to the team, which is a good thing.

“Ole has come in and we were preparing in the right way for a game, even though it’s been a crazy week.”

Mourinho clashed with a number of senior figures in the United dressing room over his two-and-a-half seasons in charge.

Paul Pogba quickly deleted a controversial social media post of him smiling with the message “caption this” in the hours after Mourinho’s departure.

Restored to the starting line-up for the first time in four league games, Pogba was instrumental in setting up four of United’s five goals on Saturday.

“No celebration at all. Absolute lies,” Young said at the suggestion players were delighted to see the back of Mourinho.

“Obviously it was disappointing for the manager to get sacked.

“In his two-and-a-half years he won trophies. We have to take some responsibility for that as we are on the pitch.

“But we have to move on from that. As professional players we have to get on with the job in hand, and that is what we did here.”

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Cape Town – The Proteas will replace the injured Vernon Philander with Dane Paterson in their squad for the first Test against Pakistan.

Sport24 can reveal that Paterson, who is uncapped at Test level, will join the Test squad in Pretoria ahead of the Boxing Day Test at Centurion. 

The 29-year-old does have three ODIs and eight T20Is to his name, but he has never been part of the Proteas Test set-up before. 

Philander has been ruled out of the first Test with a fractured finger.

The Proteas will go into the Centurion Test with Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn and Duane Olivier spearheading their seam attack, but if they want to play four quicks on a wicket that has historically aided seam bowling, then Paterson will be in line for a Test debut. 

“We have been looking at him for some time,” CSA’s selection convenor Linda Zondi told Sport24 on Friday. 

“He is a bowler who has performed on the domestic scene consistently for a long time and he will be our back-up for the first Test.”

Paterson is currently in 4-Day Franchise Series action for the Cape Cobras against the Warriors in Port Elizabeth, where he picked up 2/40 in the Warriors’ first innings. 

In 93 first-class matches before this one, Paterson has picked up 321 wickets at an average of just 23.56.

London – Watching on at Anfield as Manchester United meekly surrendered 3-1 to Liverpool in what proved to be Jose Mourinho’s last match in charge, Alex Ferguson was caught shaking his head at the sight of what the empire he built has become.

For the fourth time since Ferguson retired in 2013 after nearly 27 years in charge, with 13 Premier League titles under his belt, United are looking for a new manager.

The volatile Mourinho was largely the author of his own downfall. He leaves the world’s richest club 19 points off the top of the Premier League and with an almighty struggle just to qualify for next season’s Champions League with a top-four finish.

But his departure should sound alarm bells for United’s American owners, the Glazer family, as they struggle to find a manager capable of following in Ferguson’s footsteps.

The fiery Scotsman signed off by winning the league. In the five years since, United have not even been in contention to win the title.

Replacing one of the all-time greats was never going to be an easy task but even Ferguson, who also led United to two Champions League crowns, five FA Cups and four League Cups, would never have dreamed it would prove such a poisoned chalice.

As a fellow Glaswegian whose relative success on a limited budget at Everton evoked memories of Ferguson’s breakthrough years with Aberdeen, David Moyes apparently had the skill set and background to follow his compatriots template in Manchester.

But after Ferguson anointed him as his hand-picked replacement, Moyes proved completely out of his depth and lasted just 10 months of his six-year contract.

Moyes’s penchant for conservative tactics, dour training sessions and a lack of man-management skills might seem familiar to members of the current United squad, who grew sick of Mourinho’s acerbic personality.

By the time United were ruled out of qualifying for the Champions League, the writing was on the wall for Moyes, whose sacking in April 2014 made his the shortest United managerial reign for 82 years.

Autocratic Dutchman Louis van Gaal was also a poor fit despite his impressive pedigree with Barcelona and Ajax. His football was too one-paced and predictable for fans fed on Ferguson’s aggressive approach for so long.

Returning United to the Champions League with a top-four finish in his first season bought Van Gaal some time, but the only standard that matters at Old Trafford is winning the title.

When they laboured to a fifth place finish 12 months later, even United’s FA Cup final win against Crystal Palace was not enough to spare Van Gaal.

Mourinho’s self-proclaimed status as a serial trophy winner made him the obvious choice to take a role he had long regarded as his dream job.

But the siege mentality that helped Mourinho inspire his players to remarkable success at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan was no longer such a convincing act for the pampered millionaires that inhabit the Old Trafford dressing room.

Although Mourinho won the League Cup and Europa League in his first season, United finished a dismal sixth in the Premier League.

It did not help that Mourinho’s dour game-plans in a trophy-less second season contrasted so sharply with Pep Guardiola’s stylish and successful Manchester City side, who romped to the title with a record 100 points.

And at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp had woken a sleeping giant and put them in contention for a first league title since 1990, adding defensive steel to attacking flair.

Guardiola and Klopp were both on the market in the post-Ferguson era and passed United by.

The club stated on Tuesday that time will be taken to find a successor, with a caretaker put in charge for the rest of the season.

But there are concerns over who will make that decision, with the club increasingly obsessed with commercial interests rather than winning on the pitch.

“There’s a multitude of issues, it’s more complex than the manager getting the best out of the players or not being backed. It’s a deep problem, it needs resetting, the whole club needs resetting,” said former United captain Gary Neville.

“Five years ago, two huge figures (Ferguson and former chief executive David Gill) left that football club, two figures that had great knowledge of the game.

“What happened was the financial and commercial people, that are fantastic at their jobs, were put in charge of the football side of things and they are not competent enough to do it.

“They have to now hand it over to people that are good enough to run the football side of the club.”