Vision 2019 is not a distraction for Proteas
JOHANNESBURG: There’s been so much talk about the “bigger picture” – ie the 2019 World Cup – that you wouldn’t blame South Africa’s cricketers, if their eyes had shifted from the “here and now” to the future 18 months hence.
“Experimentation” and “rotation” have been the watchwords from the coaches, selectors and even injured captain Faf du Plessis, to such an extent that it seems the current one-day international series with India has been forgotten.
Not so, insisted batting coach Dale Benkenstein in the aftermath of Sunday’s capitulation in Centurion. “(The focus on the World Cup) is from a management point of view, when these guys get the green and gold on they want to win, and everyone feels (Sunday), was not a great day for South African cricket and not a great day for these guys,” he said.
“Vision 2019” has become convenor of selectors Linda Zondi’s phrase du jour.
In one sense enduring some pain now, to ensure a muchneeded triumph in England next year, is no bad thing. SA have gone into previous World Cups, the epitome of precision and power and then come up short. There is still of course time on Zondi and coach Ottis Gibson’s side for that precision to be created. Gibson has on a number of occasions pointed out that he sees no value in being the No 1 ranked team in ODIs, because that is not the measure for teams in that format – winning and performing well in ICC tournaments is what counts.
That being the case there is Still has time on his side
the danger that the present is ignored, and defeat after defeat, doesn’t help breed confidence, something all high-level professional sportsmen thrive on.
“Individually (the players) all want to perform and be in a winning team,” said Benkenstein. “As much as we are looking at the bigger picture as management, when these guys walk out and play they want to win ... there is no distraction at all, they are feeling (the disappointment), that’s for sure.”
Mentally, knowing that losing now, doesn’t matter as much, is not a good space for players to be in, and it is something they will have to dismiss from their minds – for there is enough to challenge them in the shape of a very talented and determined Indian side. Markram said he could tell from the atmosphere in the dressing-room on Sunday, that the players were very upset about their performance and he was looking forward to their response in the third ODI at Newlands tomorrow.
That riposte will be keenly watched by all, not least Gibson and Zondi, whose “Vision 2019” rests on how well the players can get themselves right in 2018. Fail to do so, and some major adjustments may need to be made.