SERIES WRAP: The good and the bad of the Proteas

The Proteas lost their first ODI series in over a year on Wednesday, going down 2-1 to Pakistan.

Here The Citizen looks at what positives and negatives came out of the three match series.

Positives 

Van der Dussen and Miller are settled in middle-order

The two experienced campaigners fulfilled their roles to perfection in the two matches they played. Rassie van der Dussen had scores of 123 not out and 60 and they were contrasting innings to suit the situation. His century was a backs-to-the-wall effort after the Proteas had slipped to 55 for four and his second knock – off just 37 balls – provided crucial acceleration just when it was needed.

David Miller performed his finishing role superbly; in the first ODI he stabilised the innings with Van der Dussen and then provided some impetus with his 50 off 56 balls, and in the second ODI he took advantage of the platform laid by Temba Bavuma and Van der Dussen to lash 50 not out off just 27 deliveries.

Welcome Verreynne & Malan to the Proteas family

Janneman Malan has now scored 222 runs in his four ODI innings, at a strike-rate of 89.87, and has now surely done enough to keep his place ahead of Aiden Markram, who has looked so good, but continues to get out when well set. The whole Markram package is so enticing, but at the moment it is Malan producing the numbers.

Kyle Verreynne has 163 runs at a strike-rate of 94.21 in his four innings and has shown tremendous composure and fight in his two half-centuries. He can play as a specialist batsman, as he did in the last ODI, and must have moved ahead of Heinrich Klaasen now in the queue.

Kyle Verreynne has now surely moved ahead of Heinrich Klaasen in the pecking order to play in the Proteas’ batting lineup in future. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images

Maharaj is as good in Green & Gold as he is in the Whites

Spinner Keshav Maharaj carried his brilliant domestic limited-overs form into the third ODI and was simply outstanding. Left-arm orthodox might not be as sexy as wrist-spin in white-ball cricket, but Maharaj’s teasing accuracy and flight showed how effective it can be.

He’s a useful hitter, too, that will deepen the batting order and Tabraiz Shamsi must know he has a battle on his hands for the first-choice spinner role.

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Negatives

Under pressure bowling

In the second and third ODIs, Pakistan scored 51 and 65 runs respectively in the last five overs of their innings. When Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali or Babar Azam were teeing off, the Proteas did not seem to have good plans at their disposal; or was it just their execution that was so poor?

Either way, as bowling coach Charl Langeveldt acknowledged, they ain’t winning no World Cups at the moment with that sort of death bowling.

Who’s next in line after Rabada & Nortje?

While Kagiso Rabada was classy as ever, an economy-rate of just 4.70 speaking to his accuracy, and Anrich Nortje was superb with his controlled aggression, the rest of the pacemen were disappointing.

Lutho Sipamla was wayward, Lungi Ngidi failed to take wickets or keep the run-rate down, Andile Phehlukwayo bowled some excellent overs but some extremely poor ones too, and Daryn Dupavillon and Beuran Hendricks had little impact.

Kagiso Rabada was in good form in his two games, but who will fill in for him and Anrich Nortje when they are not available? Picture: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images

Ken Borland