Proteas coach positive about World Cup

admission that SA’s spin problems are a growing concern, and Gibson seems adamant that attack remains the best way of defending.

“Some guys play spin very well and others not so well, but I still like the fact that we’re trying to score runs. My feeling is, if you defend and get out defending, then you’re still not scoring runs. You still have to find a way to score.

“I don’t want people to go into their shells and start to think that they have to defend. I want guys to look to score.”

Looking ahead to the World Cup, Gibson said the puzzle was starting to come together.

“I feel like right now we have 10 spots out of 15. We brought a very inexperienced line-up here. It’s not so much on purpose, but also about who is available.”

Another point of concern, in the absence of the injured Chris Morris, is the lack of a proper all-rounder. Young Andile Phehlukwayo and Wiaan Mulder have shown promise with the ball, but their batting is not up to scratch.

But despite the results, Gibson remains cheerful.