Proteas face major challenges with limited options
The Proteas have lost another white-ball series at home. To add insult to injury, it was a 3-0 clean sweep by Pakistan.
Through the series the Proteas were outplayed in every department and they will need to improve drastically if they are to be a contender for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Here, Zaahier Adams identifies five areas that need to be addressed urgently if the Proteas ODI team is to improve.
Quinton de Kock’s absence
It is no coincidence that there has been an absence of Proteas ODI centuries since De Kock’s retirement after last year’s World Cup.
De Kock has 21 ODI centuries, which is only behind Hashim Amla (27) and AB de Villiers (25) on the Proteas all-time ODI century list. Players of such calibre are not replaced overnight and the Proteas are desperately missing De Kock’s presence at the top of the order.
It is not only De Kock’s runs that have been irreplaceable, but more importantly the stabilising factor that the southpaw was throughout the innings. The platform he laid was integral to the middle order being able to come in and play their natural attacking games.
It is no coincidence that when De Kock struck four hundreds at the last World Cup, it was followed by five other Proteas centurions during the tournament. Ryan Rickelton has been trialled in De Kock’s place, but at this stage he has not been on the mark. With a relatively new opener in Tony de Zorzi at the other end too, the Proteas need to find a suitable replacement sooner rather than later.
Tony de Zorzi’s conversion rate
The dreadlocked left-hander’s ODI numbers are really good. Twelve matches, 448 runs, average of 40.81. However, upon closer inspection it shows that De Zorzi has actually never been dismissed for less than 11 in his 12 outings.
In fact, he has regularly scored between 21 and 34 on at least eight occasions, which shows he always gets in. However, he only has one half-century and one century in 12 matches.
The Proteas cannot afford to have an opener that does all the hard work, but then gets out when the table has been laid. De Zorzi needs to convert those starts if he is to be Temba Bavuma’s long-term opening partner in ODI’s.
Aiden Markram’s woeful form
At what stage does everyone lose patience with Sauce?
Naturally talented. Gifted. Sweet striker of a cricket ball.
These are qualities everyone knows Markram possesses. But he simply has to start converting it into runs on the scoreboard. Markram is enduring a terrible period across formats, none more so than in the ODI arena where he averages 26.70 across his last 13 innings.
There were signs against Pakistan that he might be turning the corner, but scores of 35, 21 and 19 was not overly convincing. With the highly-talented Tristan Stubbs waiting in the wings to get into this ODI team, Markram will need to find a solution quickly ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy next year.
Death bowling
While the Proteas had to contend with injuries to various frontline bowlers during this series, it still does not excuse the fact that they conceded 105 runs and 91 runs during the last 10 overs of the second and third ODI’s.
They seemed to be bereft of any plans – and if there was any, the execution of it was similarly poor. The lack of the traditional yorker seemed mystifying, while bar young Kwena Maphaka, who utilised his slower ball cutter to good effect, the Proteas did not change the pace up too often.
Proteas white-ball management
There is no doubt head coach Rob Walter is under pressure after yet another home ODI series loss. Walter had admitted that “everyone needs to be better, starting with me” and is now in a position where his long-term future is being discussed regularly.
The acid test will be the ICC Champions Trophy next February. Walter’s situation has not been helped by the fact that his batting coach recently resigned, while the bowling side of things leaves a lot to be desired too. Walter better get his full support staff sorted out quickly or it may be him that is looking for a job very soon.