EARLY BLOWS KEY
CONCERNED: BOWLING COACH CALLS FOR MORE BITE
World No 1 one-day ranking within the Proteas’ reach.
Proteas bowling coach Charl Langeveldt admitted yesterday that the lack of penetration up front concerned him ahead of the fifth and final oneday international against Sri Lanka at Centurion today.
The Proteas are chasing their second successive 5-0 clean sweep at home and should they be successful tonight, will become the No 1-ranked ODI side.
In the last three ODIs, Sri Lanka have had opening stands of 45 at 6.08 runs per over, 60 at five an over and 139 at 8.68 per over, with the latter blazing stand coming at Newlands when the South African attack was really put under pressure for the first time.
Langeveldt said he would be speaking to captain AB de Villiers to try and get him to bat first if he wins the toss today so that the bowlers can have another good workout trying to defend a score.
“It’s going to be a big concern in England because in those conditions you must take early wickets, having a team three down for 50 gives you a big advantage. We’re still trying to find the opening pair to go with Kagiso Rabada and it’s good for their confidence that they got tested in Cape Town.
“In the last three games, Sri Lanka have started well, Niroshan Dickwella has been a thorn in our side, but that’s the test we want because there’ll be even bigger challenges in New Zealand. I’m not very pleased with the standard of bowling in the first 10 overs, I would give that 5/10, but we have come back and showed a lot of character, especially Wayne Parnell, who has taken wickets in the middle overs. So that aspect I’d give 7/10. But we need to be up to eight or nine out of 10 in all departments in order to win championships,” Langeveldt said yesterday.
“Sri Lanka chased well the other night. That’s what we want, to put ourselves under a bit of pressure and defend a score. But the captain might have a gut feel and want to bowl first, it’s up to him.”
Langeveldt said the pitch looks like a good, reasonably grassless deck likely to produce plenty of runs.
Although the squad for the five ODIs in New Zealand has already been announced, with Dane Paterson added as an extra seamer, Langeveldt said Vernon Philander will come into the reckoning to go to England.