PROBABLY South Africa’s most poised batter at the crease in Test match cricket, resembling the calm of the great Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla, David Bedingham has arrived in Test cricket in style.
A half century - in his very first Test innings in Centurion last summer against what is arguably the best bowling attack in the world in Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj - marked his arrival.
The 30-year-old handled that attack without breaking a sweat.
A couple of months later, the right-handed batter brought up a maiden Test century away from home against former world Teat champions in New Zealand.
What stands out in Bedingham’s game is his aggressive approach to batting. He maintains a healthy strike rate and takes the attack to the opposition bowling onslaught.
Bracing for his third Test series in the upcoming West Indies series, Bedingham is quietly confident.
“I like to see myself as a free flowing player. I always take the positive option,” said Bedingham post his 107-ball 74 in the warm-up match with the West Indies Championship XI.
“The most important thing is hopefully I can continue that momentum into the first Test. The (maiden Test century) was six months ago now. People, I’m sure, do their research so hopefully I can adapt to their plans.”
Having spent time in the middle at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium, Bedingham reckons the first Test will be a hard grind for both batters and bowlers.
“I think it’s going to be hard work for both. I think we are well prepared and I can’t wait to get going,” he said.
“The conditions are completely different. I think going into the series I would say I’m quite confident personally.
“As a group, the way that we have played in these four days shows that I don’t think there will be any rust going into that first day.”
The hosts are coming on the back of a 3-0 series defeat in England last month. However, Bedingham believes the West Indies are dangerous in their hoke conditions.
“I did watch quite a lot of the England versus West Indies series. It was a lot closer and I think they have a lot of good players,” he said.
“Because the conditions there compared to the West Indies are so different, I don’t think you can take as much from the results over in England,” said Bedingham.
“I can’t say that I’ve played against many of them before but looking at their team on paper I think it’s a very strong team.
“They are a different beat in their conditions and hopefully we can all rise to the challenge come the first day.”
The first Test gets under way on Wednesday (4pm SAT).