  WHEN the Proteas are good they are excellent and, when they are bad…well they are horrid!
Finding the consistency to make sure that the good times far outnumber the bad and particularly when it comes to the knock-out phases of major ICC tournaments will be the main focus for Corrie van Zyl and his coaching staff over the next 12 months.
There are 18 ODIs against a variety of opponents between now and the start of the ICC World Cup and the Proteas have been left with a lot of food for thought following the three-match series against India.
They won the final match against a below-strength Indian side on Sunday at Motera by 90 runs in a performance that was built on the basics that have served South Africa well in the past.
The top four batsmen all got runs with both Jacques Kallis and man-of-the-match AB de Villiers getting centuries while sharing a partnership of 173 for the third wicket that was a record for the Proteas against India as well as for this particular ground.
It was only 15 runs shy of the all-time South African third wicket record set up by De Villiers and Albie Morkel against Zimbabwe two and a half years ago.
The new opening partnership of Hashim Amla and Loots Bosman worked very well to the tune of 113 runs in little more than 15 overs and that laid the foundation for the plunder that followed from Kallis and De Villiers.
The latter two played contrasting innings. Kallis as usual hardly seemed to take a risk yet he still made his runs off only 94 balls and there was no better shot played all day than his lofted off drive to take him to three figures.
De Villiers was at his expressive best, making a mockery of India’s attempts to contain him. He faced only 59 balls for his 104 runs to complete back-to-back centuries in this series.
The other pieces to fall into place in the Proteas’ jigsaw puzzle were an excellent piece of spin bowling by Roelof van der Merwe and the fact that both Dale Steyn and Lonwabo Tsotsobe were able to take important wickets in mid innings.
Steyn was back to his best in his second spell when he removed both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni (the latter with the help of a brilliant catch by Mark Boucher) and was unlucky not to get Suresh Raina as well.
It is true that ODI cricket is a batting game but the ability of bowlers to take wickets on the sub-continent is critical for any team that wants to win the World Cup.
Tsotsobe has had few opportunities for the Proteas since coming on the scene in Australia at the end of 2008 but has never let the side down and his performance must have given the team strategists much food for thought.
Sunday’s result was not that important in itself but it did serve to remind the Proteas of the type of ODI cricket that serves them best and the basics and discipline they exercised in this outing will put them on the right path to mount a meaningful World Cup challenge.
Kallis (left hamstring) and Albie Morkel (right ankle strain during the warm-up) are both extremely doubtful for the Standard Bank Pro20 series final rounds. |