Aussies still confident despite form

Proteas’ batting standards need a boost, too

AUSTRALIA have played 11 One-Day Internationals this year and won one. They’ve lost their last seven but according to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, they remain “really confident still”.

There haven’t been many positives to accentuate, so as Carey did yesterday, the Australians have reflected on the hard work they’ve been doing.

“The work we’re doing off the field with ‘JL’ (coach Justin Langer) and the players coming in, we’re doing so much good stuff and it’s going to start to show,” said Carey.

“We’re really confident that it’s going to turn really soon. We don’t feel under pressure internally... we obviously want to win, that’s what we’re playing for.”

All good and well but the players need to show this stuff in a match. South Africa hammered them in the first ODI in Perth last Sunday, and their batting will need to drastically improve against a high-quality attack.

Carey did point out, quite rightly given Australia’s own vaunted bowling unit, that they are capable of “going through” the tourists’ batting line-up. But that way below par total in the first ODI never allowed them to properly test the weak area of this Proteas touring party – their batting.

Only once this year have South Africa scored over 300 in an ODI, and the new composition of the starting XI has placed an even stronger emphasis on the top six scoring heavily.

Captain Faf du Plessis and coach Ottis Gibson have foregone the extra all-rounder to add depth to the batting, adding to the pressure on those high up the order.

And in the absence of Hashim Amla and JP Duminy for this series, they are giving opportunities to a couple of rookies to secure spots for the 2019 World Cup, so there are areas for the Australians to exploit.

As Carey explained, it’s their batsmen who need to find some form quickly to assist the bowling.

Ben McDermott, son of former fast bowler Craig, was brought in this week as cover for Shaun Marsh, who is recovering from an abscess on his bum.

Carey said the home team remained optimistic that Marsh would recover in time for tomorrow’s second ODI match at the Adelaide Oval with the steadiness he provides crucial in keeping South Africa’s strong bowling line-up at bay.

SA will need to elevate the standards of their own batting. Although no one took the chase by the scruff of the neck in Perth, there were good signs from Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram that they were starting to find some good form.