Coach Gibson rates Proteas
Proteas coach runs rule over his players for Cup
If you didn’t know South Africa were starting a T20 series against Sri Lanka at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday‚ you mightn’t have been any the wiser after Ottis Gibson’s press conference on Monday.
That’s no fault of Gibson‚ who spoke two days after South Africa had completed a 5-0 whitewash of the Lankans in the oneday series.
And‚ more importantly‚ 10 weeks and three days – or 73 days‚ or even 1,752 hours – before Faf du Plessis’ team take on England at the Oval in the opening match of the World Cup.
“The one-day series gave us a good look at some players‚” said Gibson.
“Obviously the result is quite pleasing in terms of confidence and momentum and all that sort of stuff.”
Gibson saw 16 players bat and 10 bowl.
He watched Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis score centuries – and more than half of South Africa’s runs in the series – a reassuring half-century for Aiden Markram and a fourth 50 in eight career innings for Rassie van der Dussen.
Imran Tahir took nine wick- ets at an average of 13.00 and an economy rate of 3.44‚ making him the rubber’s leading bowler in all those categories.
Anrich Nortjé made his debut‚ played in all but one of the games and took his chance and with it eight scalps at 18.75 and 4.76.
On the downside‚ Reeza Hendricks – who hammered a century and two half-centuries in his first dozen ODI innings – scored only 42 runs in four trips to the crease against the Lankans‚ and Lungi Ngidi had acquired what Gibson described as “a slight niggle” in Saturday’s match.
“We saw Nortjé come in and do really well‚ [and] we’ve seen Rassie now for a while‚” said Gibson.
“We would have liked some more performances from other players. The likes of Reeza I’m sure would have liked more runs.”
And then there’s Hashim Amla‚ the rock of South Africa’s batting for most of his 11 years as an ODI player – but who missed the series against Sri Lanka because his father is seriously ill and who won’t play in the T20s for the same reason.
Will his sterling record‚ which stands at 7,910 runs in 171 innings at 49.74 with 27 centuries‚ be enough for him to crack the nod with the selectors for the World Cup squad?
“First and foremost you’d want to pick on form‚” said Gibson.
“But if there’s no form to go with you have to look at reputation‚ I guess.
“Hash’ hasn’t played any cricket for a long time because of his family situation. So when we sit down to discuss the team that will surely be one of the things we will have to consider.”
What relevance could three T20s hold what with a World Cup squad coming in the next few weeks?
Gibson said he wanted his team to “continue the form that we’ve had” at Newlands tomorrow‚ in Centurion on Friday and at the Wanderers on Sunday.
He also said the door wasn’t shut on aspirant bolters.
“Playing international T20s you still have an opportunity. As a selection panel we’ve always looked at it as a Ryder Cup selection – the Ryder Cup captain has a wildcard pick.
“So there’s still an opportunity if somebody comes and does something unbelievable in the next couple of games.”
When we discuss the team that will be one of the things we will have to consider