More woe for Proteas as bowlers continue to deliver poorly

Five heavy defeats on the trot against Australia has left the Proteas looking ragged with the World Cup less than a month away. 

It’s not as if the Australians have played dazzling cricket either and the fact that they are missing five starters in this ODI series puts SA’s failures in a starker context. The closest the Proteas have come to beating Australia was in the opening ODI last Thursday, which the tourists won by three wickets but as for the rest there have been defeats by 111 runs in the first T20 International while in Saturday’s second ODI, the difference was 123 runs. 

“We have to be accountable for the performances we are producing,” said Tabraiz Shamsi.

He was the Proteas’ best performer with the ball at the Mangaung Oval, taking 4/61, briefly giving them hope when he took two wickets off consecutive deliveries in his first over. 

But there was no support from the seamers, who produced another poor performance that lacked control while the execution, again, was missing.

“It was a tough day for the bowlers. We are lacking a bit with our execution. The plans are in place, but it is up to us to work even harder. It is up to us, in the next couple of games, to hit our straps and execute ... we are accountable for our actions,” Shamsi reiterated.

Australia scored 392/8, with their opener David Warner, who scored 109, admitting they should have made over 400. They were happy to take advantage of another ill-disciplined showing from the South African seamers. “We got a couple of free shots outside the off stump,” said Warner.

With the Proteas having picked six seam bowlers in the World Cup squad, and wanting to use four of them in the starting team at the tournament, those players know a lot of hard work awaits in the next few weeks. 

“It’s not from a lack of work ethic. We have to live with this. Previously when Australia have been on our shores, we have beaten them 5-0, we have beaten them 3-0, this time around the shoe is on the other foot. We haven’t been good enough, we have lacked that execution. Upon reflection, the way I see it, that is all it is.”