New-ball penetration needs to be the focus for Proteas

SUCH has been the ease with which South Africa has beaten Sri Lanka in this Momentum ODI series that it’s almost a natural inclination to nit-pick over their performances.

And in a series in which the Sri Lankans have been bowled out in every game, three times for less than 200 - it is somewhat churlish to pore over a lack of penetration with the new ball. Bowling coach Charl Langeveldt scored South Africa’s new ball bowling at ‘5 out of 10’ in the series saying: “I’m very hard on that ...in the first 10 we haven’t been up to standard.”

In the first couple of matches South Africa were very good with the new ball. In Port Elizabeth they had Sri Lanka 14/2, both wickets falling to Wayne Parnell and in the second match in Durban Sri Lanka had scored 45 before Parnell again made the initial breakthrough.

The problems have been in the last two matches where the Sri Lankan openers have looked at ease with Niroshan Dickwella - who Langeveldt said had been a “thorn” in the side - playing confidently regardless of conditions or who’s been bowling, while Upul Tharanga made an outstanding century at Newlands.

However the concerns for Langeveldt and the South African brainstrust have been assuaged by the strong comebacks the Proteas bowlers have made in every game and also the fact that they are experimenting with personnel and tactics.

“We are trying a few options, playing two spinners, opening with Dwaine Pretorius. We are finding who will make up the opening pair with KG (Rabada),” said Langeveldt,

Rabada and Parnell opened in the first two games with Morris then partnering Rabada at the Wanderers.

In Cape Town it was Parnell and Pretorius with the new ball with Rabada relegated to second change. Langeveldt added his voice to that of AB de Villiers who last week said South Africa is in need of an extra strike bowler up front to assist Rabada. Injuries to Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and the young Lungi Ngidi have left South Africa short-staffed in that category so mixing it up with all-rounders has been their only option.

Morkel is set to return to full-time action next week when he plays for the Titans in the Momentum One-Day Cup and his progress will be monitored with interest by Langeveldt and the coaching staff, who’ll be in New Zealand as well as the national selectors.

The bigger picture for South Africa is the Champions Trophy tournament that takes place in England in the winter. In those conditions the new ball has to be properly utilised and discipline allied to aggression has been a hallmark of the team’s bowling through the years.

With Steyn not expected back until the Test series in England at the earliest, and Ngidi far too inexperienced to be shouldered with leading the attack,a quick return to form for Morkel is vital as far as the One-Day team is concerned.

In most other areas they have shown good form; Faf Du Plessis has been outstanding with the bat, as has Dave Miller, while having De Villiers back in the team intimidates the opposition. There is clearly a solid group of all-rounders although the trio of Chris Morris, Parnell and Andile Phehlukwayo would admit that consistency is something that needs improving, while Pretorius has made a late charge for greater recognition following his call-up as an injury replacement for Ngidi.

And then there’s Imran Tahir, clearly the best limited overs spinner in the world at the moment who has been a constant threat picking up nine wickets at an economy rate comfortably below four runs an over.

South Africa will face a much bigger test when they head to New Zealand next week, so they’re keen to maintain momentum and confidence by wrapping the series this evening in Centurion.

A second consecutive ODI series cleansweep - following on from the 5-0 thrashing of Australia last October - would see them board the flight for Auckland as the no.1 50-over team in the world.