South Africa ready for tough Test against Windies, says Ngidi

Seamer Lungi Ngidi expressed that the South African team intends to harness the energy of the local crowd to their advantage during their upcoming Test match against the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.

Ngidi, speaking from the Brian Lara Stadium following a drawn encounter with a Windies Championship XI, acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by their opponents.

Reflecting on the competitive nature of playing away from home, Ngidi emphasized the Proteas' readiness to face a strong Windies side.

“It is exactly what I was expecting, [there were] no surprises, they’re a good team.

“It is always competitive especially if teams are playing at home, they have the crowd behind them, but we are here to compete, they will put their best foot forward, and so will we,” Ngidi said after the match.

Ngidi, who took three crucial wickets in the second innings of the practice match, highlighted the importance of adapting to match conditions and executing plans effectively under pressure.

Looking ahead to the first Test, he stressed the need for the team to maintain flexibility and capitalize on any opportunities presented by the conditions.

“Any conditions you come across [will require] you find a way.

“We didn’t know what to expect, it turned out on the slower side so we had to adapt our plans to what we had in front of us, we did pretty well and it is something we will look to do in the first Test as well,” the right-arm seamer said.

Ngidi also discussed his role with the new ball and how he adjusted his approach throughout the match, emphasizing the team's collective effort to seize momentum early in the innings.

“I was told I would be taking the new ball, which changed things in the team for us to adapt to bowling at different stages in the innings.

“The ball seemed to be doing a bit more for me than in the first innings, so I tried to capitalise on that and use the conditions as best I could.

“In Test cricket, the ball is going to swing, so you learn from a young age how to try to control it. It’s about finding an area on the wicket to hit if it is swinging, and if not, then finding a different area to hit,” he said.