Bedingham Embraces 'Free Spirit' Mindset as South Africa Fight to Keep Australia Series Alive
David Bedingham has divided his Test career into two distinct chapters: the first five matches and the next 11. The numbers make the split stark. In eight innings across his opening five Tests he compiled 376 runs at an average of 47.00, with scores of 56, 87 and 110. In the 20 visits to the crease since, he has managed 547 runs at 32.18, with highs of just 59 and 82.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday ahead of South Africa's second Test against Australia at St George's Park, Bedingham offered his own explanation for the dip — and his belief that the slump is behind him.
"When I started playing Test cricket [against India in Centurion in December 2023] it was a bonus because I didn't really think it would happen," Bedingham said. "And then, after my first five Tests, in which I did pretty well, I put myself under loads of pressure and I had a down year. Then, in this county season with Durham, I worked on loads of things."
That work at Durham paid off handsomely in one campaign. Bedingham scored five centuries among his 1,029 runs at 73.50 in 16 championship innings for the second-division side — finishing fourth among the division's run-scorers and second in the averages, form good enough for Durham to extend his contract by a season. The following year was leaner: 333 runs at 30.27 with no hundreds in 11 championship innings.
The 31-year-old attributes the fluctuation to mindset rather than mechanics.
"Mentally I'm happy to be playing for my country again. Whatever happens, happens. I think that's when I play my best; be a free spirit and enjoy it rather than think, 'I need a score, I need a score', because whatever's meant to be will be," he said. "In my first five Tests I felt free. I wasn't thinking about my technique at all. You could just see ball, hit ball. And then I started thinking about my technique, and about what you guys [the press] say, and struggled. But I had a good summer at Durham. Maybe I was more confident than last year. But at the end of the day it's just cricket. I know it's our job, but there are a lot bigger issues in South Africa and the world. So hopefully I just enjoy it."
A Question of Position
There is another factor worth noting. All of Bedingham's innings for Durham this year came at No. 4, whereas last year he batted nine times at No. 4 and twice at Nos. 6 and 8. Similarly, all eight of his innings in his first five Tests were at No. 5. Since then he has batted at Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as opening once.
Asked whether being shuffled around the order has hurt his game, Bedingham was philosophical.
"If you're at No. 3 there are usually three slips and a gully, so there's more chance to score. At No. 5 it's different. There might be two slips and a fielder in the covers. But I don't change much. I don't think about it too much. There are different challenges but I'm up for them."
Series on the Line
Bedingham's optimism will be tested immediately. South Africa are under pressure to keep the series alive after Australia won the first Test at Kingsmead by 214 runs on Tuesday. The hosts reduced Australia to 124/6 but allowed them to escape to 390, then lost their top four — Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma and Bedingham — with only 88 runs on the board, eventually conceding a lead of 106.
Bedingham's 49 was the best effort in an innings in which six batters reached 30 without any of them going on to a half-century. In the second innings, he batted for 80 minutes for his 46 as South Africa tried to save the match. He shared 66 with Aiden Markram, who also put on 69 with Wiaan Mulder and spent two minutes short of six hours at the crease, facing 237 balls before falling ninth for 75.
On the team's mindset heading into the second Test, Bedingham said:
"There's been lots of chat around it but the one thing we can do is try to bounce back. That's the only way we can show we're moved past it. Hopefully come the next Test we're ready and up for it."
That is easier said than done against an Australian attack featuring three of the finest fast bowlers of the age in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, plus spinner Nathan Lyon.
"In first-class cricket you face a decent bowler and then there's maybe another decent one. Then you cash in with the third or fourth bowlers. But here you get through six balls of Cummins and then you look up and it's like, 'Oh, here comes Starc'. You get through that spell and it's like, 'Flip. It's Hazlewood. And Lyon.' They're machines, but everyone gets tired eventually. Hopefully…"
Bedingham revealed he had sought advice from friends on how to take on the Aussies, with predictable results.
"Most of them are club players, so they all said reverse sweep, smack him across the line, that type of stuff. So there wasn't a lot of thought from them. But it will always be tough against [Australia's bowlers]. It's just about how we can bat for longer. Six of our batters got to 30 in Durban. The big difference was that [Matt] Renshaw got 190 and 82."
Markram Back in the Fold
Markram, who was at the crease for two minutes short of six hours in the second innings, will be central to South Africa's cause at St George's Park — which made his absence from Friday's training session conspicuous. Team management said he was attending to a personal matter and would rejoin the squad on Friday evening. Bedingham, and the rest of the dressing room, will be relieved to have him back.