Poor execution derails Proteas again

It’s only been a week since the international season started, but remarks from the Proteas’ captains and coaches already have a “stuck record” feel about them.

On Friday night it was Temba Bavuma’s turn to mention the poor execution of the South African players after a three wicket loss to Australia in the first ODI at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein. 

“I’m not a bowler, so I’ve got to be careful. It’s easy for those watching from the outside, but I think it comes down to the tactics, it comes down to the execution.

“Maybe it’s a case of the guys not playing for a while. They haven’t played at this intensity and they haven't adjusted,” said Bavuma.

Aiden Markam, the T20 captain, and Proteas limited overs coach Rob Walter said the same thing after the 3-0 T20 series defeat in Durban.

Given that before last week South Africa hadn’t played together in five months, there is some validity to Bavuma’s reasoning, but with players of the Proteas’ calibre and experience it’s also right to assume they should be ready from the get-go. 

However, they didn’t produce the requisite standards on Thursday and though SA fought back well with the bat, thanks mainly to Bavuma’s fourth ODI century — the second he’s scored in Bloemfontein this year — and then gave themselves the opportunity to defend 223 by reducing Australia to 113/7, they then gave the tourists the key to get out of jail.

“If the situation was reversed and we were 113/7, then Australia would have felt they could clean up the game. It’s disappointing. You expect yourself to claim the game. We talk about being relentless and when you get a sniff against a team like Australia, you’ve got to take it,” said Bavuma.

His 114 not out — only the 13th time a batter had carried his bat in a men’s ODI — saw the Proteas get to 222 all out, after they’d been 100/5 at the halfway mark.

While the pitch was tricky — two paced with variable bounce — Bavuma felt the batters should have performed better. 

“The wicket was tough but we pride ourselves on adjusting to the conditions and coming up with a plan and ensuring we get the team into a competitive position,” he said.

That he was the only one to do so, while riding his luck and taking advantage of two dropped catches and a review that was overturned in his favour, would have been irritating. 

The bowling was again a cause for concern and besides the inability to put Australia away was the alarming lack of consistency when the balls were still new.

“The way we went about it in the first 10 overs wasn’t great, albeit we got wickets, but in terms of the cost (in runs), it never gave us the ability to control things,” said Bavuma.

Where SA scored 25 runs in the first power play for the loss of Quinton de Kock’s wicket, Australia reached 69/2 in the same period.

“Our first 10 overs versus their first 10 overs was chalk and cheese.”

Josh Hazlewood, who took the new ball for Australia, was superb, taking 3/41 and bowling two maidens, while Marcus Stoinis continued his excellent performance from the T20s to pick up 2/20. 

Marnus Labuschagne walked away with the player of the match prize for his unbeaten 80, sharing a 112-run eighth wicket stand with Ashton Agar, who made 48 not out.

“We did not want to force it too much. We felt that on that wicket when you didn’t force it that’s when the opportunity (to get out) came. With that score not being 300, we felt SA were eventually going to search for wickets, which gave us the chance to score,” said Labuschagne.