They say die een se dood is die ander een se brood and Ryan Rickelton will be looking to vreet himself dik when the Proteas tackle Bangladesh in the first of two away Tests next week.
Rickelton, 28, is the likely beneficiary of captain Temba Bavuma’s unavailability through injury for the first Test, after Bavuma was ruled out because of a triceps ailment.
Asked who will step into the No.4 berth in Bavuma’s absence, coach Shukri Conrad kept his cards close to his chest ahead of Monday’s first day in Dhaka.
But he says: “We will wait until we get there [to see the pitch at the Mirpur Stadium].
“That will be affected by the balance of our attack – if we play three seamers and two spinners…
“Bedders [David Beddingham] could easily move up to four and we’re going to need another left-hander in the middle, so you can easily work out who that will probably be.
“So we will wait to see what the conditions are.”
With captain-for-the-Test Aiden Markram opening the batting alongside lefty Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs is being groomed in the No.3 jumper, with Beddingham then coming in at four.
The only other left-hander who is a recognised batsmen in the squad is Lions yster Rickelton, who has played five Tests to date.
Averaging just 23 and with a high score of 42, he will be keen to ruk die ding against the Tigers when the series kicks off next Monday.