by Abhai Sawkar With the World Cup coming up in a couple of months, the Proteas have gained plenty of traction over the course of a strong home season in the ODI format. Scoring a 3-2 win against Pakistan, followed by a 5-0 drubbing of Sri Lanka, after losing to them 2-0 in the Test series, helped bolster the confidence of an improving South Africa. Ten months ago, AB de Villiers called time on an illustrious international career that lasted for almost 14 years. It was a heartbreaking blow for a usually strong team across all formats, especially the fact that it happened a year before the upcoming World Cup in England. The aftereffects of this dramatic event did adversely affect the batting early on, but over the course of late 2018 and early 2019, there have been noticeable signs of improvement. Another positive to take is the rise of new fast bowlers in the shorter formats. All credit goes to the Mzansi Super League, which has helped unearth talents such as the tearaway quick Anrich Nortje, and the 20-year-old pacer Lutho Sipamla, to name a few. The following analysis takes into account the performances of each of the South African cricketers in the following series: South Africa vs Sri Lanka (away) South Africa vs Zimbabwe (home) South Africa vs Australia (away) South Africa vs Pakistan (home) South Africa vs Sri Lanka (home) Based on overall returns, each player will be assigned a letter grade, and the players with asterisks are in my proposed World Cup squad. A 1. Rassie van der Dussen * (353 runs in 8 innings @ 88.25 - 4 half-centuries) Without a question, the 30-year-old top-order batsman has been a real revelation for the Proteas. Prior to getting selected for international cricket, he had a successful stint in the Global T20 League in Canada, followed by the CPL, and top it off with consistent performances in domestic one-day cricket. That resulted in a debut in T20Is, where he scored a half-century against Zimbabwe. It was only a matter of time until he'd break into ODI plans, and he made it count at Port Elizabeth when he stroked a fantastic 93 on debut. In the very next game, he demonstrated his ability to occupy the crease and bat through the innings to help ace what was becoming a difficult run chase. Two more half centuries would ensue in the next six games, but more importantly, van der Dussen's composure and solidity have made sure he's a World Cup certainty. The only lingering question is his strike rate, which is around 75. Apart from his debut innings, he took his time to gradually gain momentum, but given his tremendous start to his ODI campaign, he should be able to rectify this issue. All in all, a top performer with plenty of big-game mentality. 2. Faf du Plessis * (741 runs in 16 innings @ 61.75 - 2 centuries, 3 half-centuries) Long story short, the skipper has been the rock of the batting card the entire home summer. It might've taken him six innings to finally score more than 50, but 2 tons and 3 half-centuries in this period have emphasized the fact that he's able to lead from the front, and provide solidity for a top order that's had wavering consistency as of late. The highlight definitely would have to be his 125 against Australia, and the long 252-run stand that he put together with David Miller. His leadership skills have been exemplary, and the Proteas haven't lost even one of the five recent ODI series. The home Test series loss against Sri Lanka was definitely a blow to his confidence, but his side recovered well, and delivered a whitewash in both shorter formats. 3. Quinton de Kock * (742 runs in 16 innings @ 46.37 - 1 century, 4 half-centuries) When he gets going, he can prove to be a dangerous customer. The away series in Sri Lanka brought about moderate returns for de Kock, and he even had a chance to lead the side for two games, both of which they unfortunately lost. This was followed up by a slight blip in form Down Under, but he regained his mojo during the Test match series against Pakistan. Additionally, he was one of the few strong links for South Africa in the very next Test series. He has expressed his desire to score tons more frequently, and finally stroked his first and only century this summer in the third ODI against Sri Lanka. Nonetheless, he's very much a pugnacious opener, and very tidy behind the stumps, as well. A- 4. Imran Tahir * (23 wickets in 13 games @ 20.60, economy rate of 4.27) Ripping legbreaks, googlies, quicker ones, sliders, and exuberant celebrations to go with it: he's the complete package as a shorter-formats spinner. He might not have featured in Sri Lanka, but took 10 wickets in the 3-game home series against Zimbabwe. Australian conditions might have been difficult, but he ensured he'd finish his last set of games at home on a high note. On most occasions, he's been reliable when it comes to choking the flow of runs, and breaking steady partnerships. Tahir will be more than excited to give it one last hurrah in England before rounding off his career in this format. 5. Lungi Ngidi * (26 wickets in 14 games @ 20.46, economy rate of 5.06) There wasn't a game in any of the recent ODI series where the tall seamer didn't pick up at least one wicket. Despite that, his line and length wasn't as accurate as he would've liked, but he was able to hurry the batsmen with his searing pace, even in subcontinent conditions in Sri Lanka, where he picked up 10 wickets in 4 games. More often than not, he conceded plenty of runs, at an economy greater than 6 runs an over. An injury during the Australia tour kept him out of the Mzansi Super League, as well as the entire home series against Pakistan. He would make another comeback against Sri Lanka, playing all 5 games and taking 7 wickets in total, but sustained a side strain in the final game. When it's his day, he can trouble top-quality batsmen, but fitness is key. The fact that he missed out on this year's IPL could prove to be a blessing in disguise: extra rest is priceless at this point in time. B+ 6. Dale Steyn * (16 wickets in 9 games @ 18.37, economy rate of 4.05) Easily among the most respectable of the current group of South Africans. Injury after injury, layoff after layoff. But despite enduring these hardships, he's determined as can be, and remains committed to playing for the Proteas for as long as his body can hold up. The home series against Zimbabwe, which was his international comeback, and the Australia tour were his high points during the summer. He may not be bowling at 150 km/h, but his accuracy hasn't gone away. His consistency might have tailed off somewhat against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but as the seniormost member of the pace attack, the bar will be set relatively higher for the 35-year-old. And not to mention, his lower-order batting has improved: he compiled his first ODI half-century against Zimbabwe, and it was studded with some exquisite strokes. An extended interval of rest leading up to the World Cup will prove to be vital for the veteran pace spearhead. 7. Anrich Nortje * (8 wickets in 4 games @ 18.75, economy rate of 4.76) The express pacer from Eastern Cape is another great talent, who was unearthed in the Mzansi Super League. He played only three games for the Cape Town Blitz, but the first impression he created with his ability to bowl consistently around 150 km/h earned him plenty of praise. An ankle injury might have ruled him out of the tournament, but he didn't elude the attention of Jacques Kallis, who would later recruit him in the IPL auction for the Kolkata Knight Riders. After surgery and extensive rehab, he would finally get an ODI debut in the last series before the World Cup: at home against Sri Lanka. On the whole, he bowled solidly, but he did bear the brunt of an Isuru Udana onslaught in the fourth ODI. He was projected to get a T20I debut soon after, but a shoulder injury sidelined him from the T20I series as well as the IPL. Question marks are lingering about his rickety bowling action, which could potentially result in frequent injuries. He is set to go under the knife again, and hopefully will be ready in time. Nortje might've only got a smattering of chances, but he's proven that the next crop of South Africa's fast bowling contingent has lots of promise. B 8. Kagiso Rabada * (31 wickets in 18 games @ 23.67, economy rate of 4.65) The numbers may look fantastic, but it was a period of ups and downs for Kagiso Rabada. Over the course of time, he's established himself as a dangerous pacer across all formats, but recently he didn't seem to have the level of consistency he usually has. Despite frequently taking wickets, his line and length haven't been uniform, even though he did bowl very fast. Plenty of leg-side wides, and at times, bowling too short. Bowlers of his caliber have productive times but occasionally sometimes are off color. On the other hand, Rabada has done tremendously well with regards to fitness, and recently helped contribute in the first win for his IPL team, the Delhi Capitals. A strong IPL will be great pre-WC preparation, that's for sure. 9. JP Duminy * (280 runs in 9 innings @ 46.66 - 2 half-centuries, 3 wickets in 10 games @ 63.66, economy rate of 5.16) The Sri Lanka tour was a high point for the experienced batting all-rounder, but a shoulder injury ruled him out of the Australia tour as well as much of the home summer. He would finally make a comeback in the penultimate ODI against Sri Lanka at Port Elizabeth. He did show signs of returning to form, striking a handy cameo in that game, followed up by a few swift knocks as a finisher in the T20 series. Just like Imran Tahir, Duminy decided that he will quit ODIs after the World Cup. A few brisk knocks in Sri Lanka underline his improvement on playing spin, but English conditions will provide a sterner test of his skillset. B- 10. Andile Phehlukwayo * (191 runs in 10 innings @ 31.83, 1 half-century, 28 wickets in 18 games @ 22.32, economy rate of 5.54) For me, he has definitely won the "Most Improved" award; but even then, that doesn't mean he has successfully overcome all his inconsistent areas. What can be said for sure is the fact that his batting down the order has improved considerably. His place in the squad as a bowling all-rounder was repeatedly questioned, up until the home ODIs against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In the second game against Pakistan, Phehlukwayo proved to be a very reliable partner for Rassie van der Dussen in what was a tricky chase of 204 runs. The young Durbanite crossed 50 for the first time, and brought up his best score in all 50-over cricket. Soon after, in domestic cricket, he struck three consecutive half-centuries in the middle order for the Dolphins in the Momentum One-Day Cup. In addition, he displayed his full spectrum of shot-making in an unbeaten 38 from 15 balls in the 3rd ODI against Sri Lanka. There might've been just a sprinkling of good showings with the bat in his ODI career, but the hard work he's put in to become a genuine all-rounder hasn't gone unnoticed. As far as his bowling is concerned, his proficiency has increased, and he's now known to be a reliable death-overs bowler. He may not have plenty of pace, but variations in speed and trajectory have yielded plenty of wickets. At the same time, he hasn't corrected his tendency to have frequent expensive spells. He may have picked up 9 wickets in 5 games over in Sri Lanka, but his overall economy rate was a shocking 7.25. Furthermore, he's gone for more than 6 an over in half of the games that he played. As a bowler, he had his time in the sun in the third one-dayer against Pakistan, where he tore through the middle order, en route to a nice 4-wicket haul. Overall, he's shown that he can be dependable as a finisher, but there still are a few areas to fix. 11. David Miller * (419 runs in 13 innings @ 46.55 - 1 century, 2 half-centuries) On paper, these returns might look amazing, but if you were to look at the bigger picture, the clean-hitting middle-order batsman only really had one innings to savor: the 139 against Australia. Plus he hasn't exactly added the late-overs impetus as often as expected. A few times he has shown that he's able to hold the fort whenever his side is in trouble, but he definitely could have done better. On a better note, his fielding has been quality, especially the sharp catches and run-outs. And additionally, he's done well enough as a backup wicketkeeper against Sri Lanka, taking a catch and completing one stumping, as well as reading the different variations from legspinner Imran Tahir. 12. Dwaine Pretorius * (46 runs in 3 innings @ 23, 7 wickets in 7 games @ 36.85, economy rate of 4.86) Pretorius earned his Proteas recall when the selectors were looking to recruit a more experienced all-rounder when the young Wiaan Mulder misfired, and the fact that the selectors weren't impressed with the inconsistent and injury-hit Chris Morris. Initially, that didn't seem like a great selection, but when he was given more support, he finally clicked. The Australia tour was great for him as a bowler, but he struggled with the bat. It wasn't until the Sri Lanka series when he showed glimpses of his hard hitting in the lower middle order, with a quick 31 in the 3rd ODI. The final T20I against Sri Lanka, however, was one to remember. Pretorius was shunted up to first drop in the batting order, and smashed an unbeaten 77 from 42 balls, studded with plenty of lusty blows to all areas of the Wanderers. Early in his career, Pretorius was able to bowl faster, but swapping extra speed for tight lines and an improved economy rate has added to his caliber as an improving limited-overs all-rounder. He normally doesn't bat at the top of the order, but the fabulous recent T20I innings could suggest that in certain situations, he could be utilized as a pinch-hitter in ODIs. Whether or not that's a viable plan, time will tell. At the end of the day, he's done well enough to warrant inclusion in the World Cup squad, which will be announced in just a few weeks. C+ 13. Hashim Amla * (375 runs in 10 innings @ 41.66 - 1 century, 2 centuries) The veteran opening batsman has often got the Proteas off to a cantering start in this format, but as of late, he has been desperately searching for a return to form. He had sprightly starts in Sri Lanka, but none of them were converted to a big score. The only century he made was an unbeaten 108 from 120 balls in the first ODI against Pakistan. At this day and age, most batsmen accelerate whenever they cross 100, but he has had issues rotating strike and increasing his scoring rate towards the end of the innings. His consistency in Test cricket has hit a rough patch, too. He was scheduled to play the last two ODIs against Sri Lanka, after getting rested for the first two games, but a family emergency left him unavailable. The World Cup is the golden opportunity to prove that he's still got some more to offer as an ODI player. 14. Dane Paterson (0 wickets in 1 game, economy rate of 4.62) When South Africa decided to rotate the squad for the first three ODIs of the series against Pakistan, the skiddy pacer got a chance to play just one game. 37 runs in 8 overs is quite decent, but no wickets meant that he would fade out of the equation. A few players have been written off, but Paterson does have a T20I 4-wicket haul against England in England, and is a steady death-overs specialist, with his changes in pace and yorker-length deliveries. The pace attack has a couple of injury scares, and in the event either one or both of Ngidi and Nortje are ruled out of the World Cup, Paterson's inclusion shouldn't occur as a huge surprise. 15. Beuran Hendricks (1 wicket in 2 games @ 96, economy rate of 5.06) Another quick who got a chance against Pakistan, Hendricks showed decent skill level. He had recently won the Mzansi Super League with his franchise, the Jozi Stars. He may have been a late inclusion for the ODI squad, but he does bring variety to the table, as a left-arm pacer. In the T20I series that followed, he took 4-14 in 4 overs in the last game. But even then, he was switched out for the extra pace of Anrich Nortje when it came to the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. With regards to being chosen as an injury replacement for the World Cup, he's ahead of Paterson, based on his recent successes. But he hasn't done close to enough to get chosen in the original World Cup squad. C 16. Tabraiz Shamsi * (12 wickets in 8 games @ 33.66, economy rate of 5.65) Much was expected from the second front-line spinner for South Africa, but sadly, he hasn't delivered well enough to book a spot as a regular. Shamsi particularly enjoyed the Sri Lanka tour, where conditions were helpful for him to press a case as a World Cup bolter. However, the return to home conditions exposed his lack of control, his major weakness. The Pakistani batsmen found it easy to negotiate as well as attack his bowling. Shamsi does bring a bit of a different flavor to the bowling attack, given that he is a left-arm wristspinner. Unfortunately, he still has a long way to go until he becomes as accurate as Kuldeep Yadav or Brad Hogg, two of the best in the business. With Tahir set to leave the scene in a few months, Shamsi seems to be the heir apparent at the moment. 17. Aiden Markram * (310 runs in 11 innings @ 31 - 1 half-century) It is undeniable that Aiden Markram has plenty of potential, but there's still plenty of work to be done to establish himself as a capable short-format player. He's the first captain to win South Africa a World Cup, albeit an U19 World Cup. In early 2018, he was tasked with ODI captaincy, a ploy that wasn't fruitful, resulting in a 5-1 defeat to India. The Sri Lanka tour was abysmal for the 24-year-old. Subcontinent conditions and facing good spinners unmasked his major flaw, and in the later series, he has got off to promising starts, only to throw his wicket away in reckless fashion. Before scoring 67* in the final ODI against Sri Lanka, he had crossed 50 just once in 17 ODI innings. A few positives that can be taken is the fact that he is a generally aggressive batsman who is unafraid to play his shots. Before the home series against Sri Lanka, he had nearly fallen off the selectors' radar due to his lack of consistency. However, he enjoyed a successful return to franchise one-day cricket, making 169, 139, and 85 for the Titans, in three consecutive games. The purple patch in domestic cricket has definitely help bolster the drive to succeed. For long, he has been tipped as a future captain across all formats. Plus an opening duo of him and Quinton de Kock will be explosive. C- 18. Reeza Hendricks (455 runs in 18 innings @ 26.76 - 1 century, 2 half-centuries) Known to be a flashy strokeplayer at the top of the order, it was only a matter of time until Reeza Hendricks entered ODI plans for the Sri Lanka tour. On debut, he exhibited impressive levels of concentration and adaptability, and stroked his way to a brilliant century. However, the instant success was short lived; he was dismissed for single-digit scores in the next four games. Thereafter, it was usually every other innings where he would somewhat click. Apart from the debut ODI ton and a stupendous Mzansi Super League, a strong half century against Zimbabwe and a match-winning knock in a rain-hit game against Pakistan were all that he could enjoy. His strike rate of 77 hasn't been convincing, and it is pitiful that his form capitulated against a Sri Lankan bowling lineup that struggled in the recent short-format series. His two T20I knocks of 66 and 65 might have helped save some face, but it's a different format. Unfortunately for me, he hasn't proven to be ready enough to take on a much more stressful assignment in the World Cup. D 19. Heinrich Klaasen (141 runs in 9 innings @ 17.62 - 1 half-century) Going back to the home short-format series against India in early 2018, wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen emerged as a hefty striker and an able candidate behind the stumps. He had played a few eye-catching innings and cleared boundaries at will. He was highly rated as both a potential replacement for the retired AB de Villiers, and possibly a backup keeper for the 2019 World Cup. Appallingly, these aspirations would all come crashing down in a torrid summer. His two best knocks, 59 and 44, came against Zimbabwe, a team that won't feature in the World Cup. Excluding those two scores, he failed to cross 20 in any of the other games he played. After bagging a golden duck in the second ODI against Pakistan, he fell out of favor with the selectors. Another piece of bad news is the fact that David Miller has been tested as a backup keeper, and has comfortably exceeded expectations. 20. Wiaan Mulder (72 runs in 7 innings @ 18, 7 wickets in 9 games @ 39.42, economy rate of 6.13) Proteas head coach Ottis Gibson had praised Wiaan Mulder as an up-and-coming all-rounder who could become a world-class player. Sadly, there was one major issue: based on his returns, he just didn't seem ready for international cricket. Yes, he definitely had a strong franchise season for the Lions, but he has some more work to do to ensure that he is international quality. He isn't experienced enough in domestic one-day cricket, but did have a roaring start to his first-class career. He may have gotten just a handful of opportunities to bat, but even when offered the slightest chance, it was time to take the initiative. A high score of 19* and a string of single digit scores didn't help his cause. Additionally, his medium-pace bowling proved to be pretty ineffective and he was frequently hit to the boundary. If he hasn't yet made the grade for ODIs, it won't be any easier to perform in a bigger tournament. However, he does seem to have some promise in the Test arena; he may not have impressed as a batsman, but did bowl with a healthy economy and bagged a wicket. F 21. Dean Elgar (6 runs in 2 innings @ 3) It's hard to judge a player after he's played just two games, but unluckily, this is the grade he has earned. The left-handed Test opener for South Africa got a look-in for the ODI series against Zimbabwe, and both the selectors and coach Gibson had backed him as a like-for-like replacement for Hashim Amla, who at the time was on the road to recovery from injury. He had a couple of chances to potentially vie for a top-order spot. But after scoring 4 and 2 in the games he got, he was immediately discarded from the squad. He's often criticized for a poor strike rate and his noticeably eccentric technique, but interestingly enough, he probably may be more suited to English conditions, as opposed to some of the relatively newer batting recruits such as Hendricks and Markram. Elgar played for Surrey last year, and scored 229 runs in 4 games @ 57.25 in the Royal London One-Day Cup, with a strike rate over 90. In 2017, he played for Somerset, scoring an impressive 519 runs in six games, with a high score of 131*. He recently re-signed as Surrey's overseas player for the upcoming county season, as well. In addition, his part-time left-arm spin could maybe come in handy. In hindsight, he may feel a bit hard done by, but a World Cup berth is a lot to play for. Failure to take the initiative and perform will prove costly. Not too long ago in domestic cricket, Elgar scored a counterattacking 137 to rescue the Titans after a top-order collapse; it's fair to say that he's trying the hardest he can to make a last-minute case. Markram has shown more capability in this format, and it seems that the only way Elgar could force his way into the World Cup team is in the event that any of the batsmen are injured. 22. Christiaan Jonker (31 runs @ 15.5) The home ODI series against Zimbabwe was an opportunity for selectors to explore an array of alternate choices to potentially unearth a few top talents. Early in 2018, Jonker had made his T20I debut against India and scored a brisk 49, but in a losing cause. It was worthwhile to give him a shot in one-day cricket, but he came across as a big hitter who didn't trust his defensive game to a great extent. He might be a decent T20 player, but his game isn't exactly cut out for ODIs. 23. Junior Dala (1 wicket in 2 games @ 121, economy rate of 7.11) The Titans medium-pacer would earn his first ODI call-up for the Sri Lanka tour on the back of strong performances in the T20I series against India early in 2018. With that being said, not only did he fail to adjust to the change in format, but he also didn't have the pace or accuracy to reap rewards. Even in T20Is, as of late, he has gone for plenty of runs and hasn't taken enough wickets. It's a more-than-safe assumption that he's no longer in World Cup plans. Several players were tried and tested, but as of now, the World Cup team seems to be all but finalized. Despite the emergence of a few newcomers, there still is some unfinished business when it comes to preparation for the World Cup: A) Recently, the lower-order batting has deteriorated. Rabada and Steyn are usually pretty handy down the order, and at times can hit a long ball. To the Proteas' dismay, the tailenders have found it difficult to add important runs, and have been done in by accurate bowling, regardless of format. Each of the specialist bowlers would want to have an extended nets session to regain the batting confidence, which is very essential. B) South Africa have grown increasingly reliant on the bowlers to come to the rescue, following mediocre performances with the bat. The perfect example would have to be the second ODI against Sri Lanka. Faf du Plessis had opted to bat first at SuperSport Park, and at 220-4 after 36 overs, they were in prime position to cross 300. However, the next six wickets fell for 31 runs, at a ground that's known for generally high scores for teams that bat first. It took a tremendous display of bowling from the pacers and Imran Tahir, to complete what was a comprehensive victory. The Proteas are in dire need of their batting to fire on a more consistent basis; the bowlers won't always win matches. The first home Test against Sri Lanka at Kingsmead only highlights this issue. Kusal Perera's blitzed his way to 153* to complete an unbelievable chase of 304, and freely attacked a usually strong, world-class pace bowling attack. C) Another important factor is putting past events behind them. It's a known fact that AB de Villiers' retirement was a huge surprise: he was in great touch and felt rejuvenated to play all three formats for South Africa. Given that he was such a key feature of the batting lineup, his sudden departure might have psychologically affected the team's drive. There might have been rumors and speculations of a potential returns, but de Villiers was quick to quash them by saying that World Cup performances shouldn't define him as a cricketer, and that his time in the green and gold has come and gone. It's time to take on future challenges one by one, especially shedding the "chokers" tag. The 1999 and 2015 World Cups might bring back unfond memories, but the focus now lies in handling pressure better. The Proteas are definitely a team of fighters. Despite having strong starts, crunch games have proved to be their kryptonite, based on their track record in World Cups and World T20s. Interestingly, the 1999 and 2015 World Cups both happened during times when their team had plenty of strong contenders. The 2019 World Cup is an occasion where South Africa aren't necessarily the favorites. In fact, there's probably less pressure and generally lower expectations. It remains to be seen whether the change in scenario could spark a change in performance. The past can never be changed, so the fear of failure should never supersede the determination to succeed. It's a new tournament, and with a new competition, comes new strength, and new ideas.
1 Comment
Sankalp Sharma
4/8/2019 08:20:23 pm
AB will certainly be missed but I personally feel Amla can take over. He's been inconsistent of late so the pressure should be a good test of whether he still has it or not.
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