Cut De Kock and his team some slack

Captaining the Proteas cricket team is certainly not for the fainthearted. Not only because of the 3-0 Twenty20 loss to England, but also because of all the off-field sideshows that have become part and parcel of the game in the country.

SA skipper Quinton de Kock came in for partly warranted but mostly unfair criticism during that whitewash in our own backyard.

Being blanked in a series on home soil is a sure way to get emotions running high and even more so when we are thrashed by the old enemy England.

Fingers have been pointed at De Kock by some SA fans for not being tough enough for the job and then, of course, the worn out quotas word ” inevitably surfaces whenever the team lose.

Previous star performances by players of colour like Lungi Ngidi s six-wicket haul in the second ODI against a full-strength Australian team in March are conveniently forgotten.

That series, by the way, was the last SA contested before the worldwide lockdown and resulted in a 3-0 whitewash of Australia by the Proteas.

Critics say that one of the things that stood out in Tuesday s ninewicket hammering against England was De Kock s captaincy.

He appeared to wear a resigned look on his face as England s merciless assault left him bereft of options.

Some say he should have offered Lutho Sipamla advice when the young quick was being carted.

Yes, they have a case in that instance.

But Rassie van der Dussen stood up for his leader, saying that England are one of the best teams in the world and would have asked questions of any captain.

He says De Kock is a brilliant captain on the field with a brilliant mind, that he is good in the dressing room and one of the best players in the world.

It must be remembered that De Kock is leading a side which has had precious little game time as a result of the lockdown.

Some of the squad members did play in the Indian Premier League but a large majority did not.

SA have not played as a unit since March while their English counterparts are not only a world champion side but have also been competing as a team from as early as June.

As fans it s hard to stomach the Proteas being humiliated in their own backyard. But in this case De Kock and his team perhaps need to be cut some slack and afforded some time.

De Kock was a hero when he led the team to that clean-sweep over the Aussies in March. Nobody was calling for the captain s head then.

Being blanked in a series on home soil is a sure way to get emotions running high, more so when thrashed by the old enemy England