The Proteas are on course to avoid what would be their biggest World Cup disappointment of all – not even qualifying for the tournament – following their impressive performance in the ODI series win over England. If anyone needs reminding, England are two-time white ball world champions and beating them shows that South Africa have the potential to compete with the top teams. And if they beat the Netherlands 2-0, which they will if they maintain the same level of performance, then Sri Lanka will have to beat New Zealand 3-0 away from home to…
The Proteas are on course to avoid what would be their biggest World Cup disappointment of all – not even qualifying for the tournament – following their impressive performance in the ODI series win over England.
If anyone needs reminding, England are two-time white ball world champions and beating them shows that South Africa have the potential to compete with the top teams. And if they beat the Netherlands 2-0, which they will do if they maintain the same level of performance, then Sri Lanka will need to beat New Zealand 3-0 away from home to send the Proteas to World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in June. .
Read more: Proteas bank crucial World Cup qualifying points against champions
It’s amazing how quickly things change in cricket. After a very disappointing 2022 with the bat, the Proteas’ batting line-up for 50-over cricket has come to an end.
Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock are nailed up front, Rassie van der Dussen brings a phenomenal record – an average of 67 and a strike-rate of 90 – and is ideally suited for the No.3 position.
Aiden Markram is still trying to stack up that number by reflecting how good he looks out of the middle, and the selectors should not be discouraged from continuing with the man at No.4.
Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were quality strokers and finishers who closed out the top six.
The confidence and positivity that the footballers are currently playing with has been heartening and I hope they can sustain it through the World Cup. Minds have certainly been changed by new coaches Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter, and the players are really backing themselves, while still playing intelligent cricket.
You will be harder pressed
You will have a tougher time picking a bowling line-up for the World Cup match in India later this year, which is surprising because that is where South Africa have performed best recently. Maybe that, and the current depth, why there are different options. It’s a good position.
Anrich Nortje should be first choice now. He enjoyed a most spectacular summer, bowling with exciting pace and great accuracy and skill, and was a vital wicket-taker. You really felt the absence when Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler were inseparable as they added 232 in Kimberley.
Kagiso Rabada was also rested in the third ODI, and one can expect him to be played out of the attack more often as the enormous workload on him in previous years begins to take its toll. The 27-year-old may not have performed with the consistency he would have liked this summer, but that was partly because expectations were too high when it came to Rabada, a victim of his own success.
Depending on the situation and the opponent, Lungi Ngidi, Sisanda Magala and all-rounders Marco Jansen and Wayne Parnell can fill other slots.
India is one of the places where you would expect to play two spinners, but Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi have not been the same force in the previous season. Teams are more aggressive against him and he struggles to adapt. Bjorn Fortuin’s big success has come in T20 and George Linde is still waiting in the wings, but his bowling should pick up before the World Cup.
Create the right environment
The new white ball coach Walter has talked about creating the right environment for the players to express their talents and it is great that 2023 has started with positive vibes in South African cricket, starting from SA20 and now increasing with series wins. through England.
One wants competition for places so that everyone is clear, but consistency in selection, with players feeling confident and not worried about being dropped, learning how to do and build partnerships as a unit, is the key to unlocking success.