The Proteas' performance against England in Southampton on Sunday was also called 'slightly embarrassing'.
Head coach Shukri Conrad admitted there were no real excuses for the team’s dismal performance after the Proteas were thumped in a 342-run defeat against England in the third and final one-day international (ODI) in Southampton on Sunday.
Though they won the series 2-1, it was the second ODI campaign in succession that the SA team were humiliated in a dead rubber clash, having also lost 2-1 to Australia last month.
Against England, after the hosts compiled 414/5, the tourists responded by being bowled out for just 72 runs within 21 overs. It was South Africa’s second lowest total in ODI cricket and the lowest the national side has racked up since 1993.
It was the most comprehensive defeat ever recorded in an international 50-over game, and Conrad conceded that complacency had probably crept into his side once again.
“I think we were definitely off today, and against a top side like England, when you’re not on top of your game you do get exposed the way we did,” Conrad said afterwards.
“A similar thing happened in Australia, where after going 2-0 up it was a complete aberration. They got in excess of 400 as well.
“So there must be some truth in that (complacency), and if we were going to be poor at something, we’d rather be poor at games that aren’t clutch games.
“But I’m not making light of today’s defeat. That was slightly embarrassing.”
‘Not supposed to be like that’
The Proteas were poor with the ball after winning the toss and opting to bowl, and they were equally disappointing in the field, dropping multiple catches.
With the bat, they were completely demolished as the England attack ripped through them with relentless force.
“Sometimes when that edge is not there and something doesn’t go your way, the harder you try it’s just not there,” Conrad said.
“I’m not offering it as an excuse because it’s not supposed to be like that, but the fielding wasn’t at the usual high standard that we set.
“There were a couple of dropped catches and I think there were something like 20 wides (from the bowlers) when I stopped counting, so all in all it was an embarrassing performance in the field, and then the batting just followed.”
South Africa will now face a quick turnaround ahead of the three-match T20 International series against England which starts in Cardiff Wednesday night.
