How long will Proteas keep battling De Kock?
SECOND IN their pool with two matches to play, some star performers in form, the attack’s spearhead beginning to sharpen his focus, a couple of injured starters ready to return – oh, and a place in the knockout phase of the World Cup all but secured.
So what’s there to worry about then for South Africa? Well there’s Quinton de Kock’s form – a mere 27 runs from four innings in the tournament and three of those dismissals via loose strokes.
His teammates and management continue to back him, but he perhaps has only the remaining pool matches to prove he’s actually back in form and not just “striking the ball well in the nets,” – the oft-referenced catch-phrase for those not performing on the field.
His opening partner, Hashim Amla, tried an unconvincing bit of spin after the Ireland match saying it was good for South Africa that they were still able to forge out large totals while they get very little out of one of their top order batsmen. The fact is, if De Kock, isn’t scoring runs, South Africa would look silly in carrying essentially a passenger into an all or nothing knockout encounter.
If De Kock doesn’t shape up in the matches against Pakistan this Saturday and the United Arab Emirates in Wellington next Thursday, then the option to hand AB de Villiers the gloves for the quarterfinal must be exercised.
De Villiers, though reluctant, is capable of performing multiple roles – captain, senior batsmen and wicketkeeper – and if it’s the best formula to help the side win the World Cup, would doing it over three matches really be that taxing?
De Villiers wouldn’t think so, not if South Africa walks out at the MCG on March 29.
In 30 ODIs in which he has been captain and wicket-keeper he averages 71.45 – nearly 20 runs better than his overall ODI overage of 52.73. South Africa has won 17 of those matches – 56.66 percent. It’s almost negligible when compared to his win percentage as captain and not the wicketkeeper of 58.82 percent. He’s batting average of 64.74 is also lower as opposed to when he leads and wears the big gloves behind the stumps.
The balance of the team would even be helped. At this most batsmen-friendly of tournaments, it seems South Africa must press ahead with their pre-tournament ploy of seven batsmen. A team without De Kock, would see Rilee Rossouw, who is in excellent touch at the moment, shift up to open the innings with Amla, while Farhaan Berhardien – yet to do anything of note at this tournament – holds on to a spot at No 7 and then either Vernon Philander or Kyle Abbott as the third frontline seamer. Philander helps the batting depth, but Abbott’s last two performances with the ball has provided South Africa with some much needed impetus at the start, especially as Dale Steyn is still trying to find his best form.
Of course, for this weekend’s match with Pakistan, South Africa has to find a way to accommodate JP Duminy and Philander. Rossouw simply has to keep his spot, so Behardien – who bowled as many overs as the Free Stater against the Irish
on Tuesday – would appear a likely candidate to carry the drinks at Eden Park.
Even in praising Abbott for his careerbest figures of 4/21 on Tuesday, De Villiers reiterated the point that no-one’s spot in the side was guaranteed.
Hussein Manack arrived before the Ireland match to take over from Andrew Hudson as the on tour selector for the next couple of weeks. He, Russell Domingo and De Villiers will engage in some interesting chats over the next few days. They have some intriguing problems to solve.