Proteas have not played at their best

MARIZANNE KAPP said yesterday that the axing of a few senior players had served as a timely wake-up call for the Proteas during their series with Sri Lanka.

South Africa have already claimed the series before the final T20 international at Centurion today, but the quality of their play has fallen well below the standards the players have set in recent years.

“We’ve not played our best cricket at all, we were lucky to come out on top (in the series),” Kapp, pictured, acknowledged.

There are reasons for the less-thanstellar performances, most notably the absence of some senior and established pros. Lizelle Lee was dropped from the squad for failing to adhere to the requisite fitness standards, Chloe Tryon got injured a few days before the series started, Sune Luus was dropped entirely before being recalled, as was former skipper Mignon du Preez.

That meant that at the Wanderers the Proteas started with five players who had all played less than 10 T20s – even though Luss had been recalled as a replacement for Tryon. “Missing players like Lizelle and Chloe does leave a big hole in the batting line-up,” said Kapp, one of the most experienced players in the squad and the No 2-ranked bowler in the oneday international format.

It’s been a difficult series for the South Africans who are far too reliant on skipper Dane van Niekerk. “It’s not just the younger players who haven’t performed,” said Kapp, “I was up there myself at No 3 and should have ended (the second game) there. But, if we come out on top playing the way we did, I’ll take it any day.” |