Already under a cloud before their departure, and with a series loss adding to the pressure, the Proteas women face a difficult One-Day series against Pakistan, with automatic qualification for the next 50-over World Cup on the line.
Laura Wolvaardt’s side play the first of three ODIs at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday, with the series forming part of the ICC Women’s Championship. The top five teams at the end of that competition will join hosts India as automatic qualifiers for the 2025 tournament.
South Africa have played only three matches in the cycle so far, winning all of them against Ireland last year, to sit ninth in the 10 team competition.
But that series was played last year before a flood of problems emerged that culminated in the team heading to Pakistan with an interim captain in Wolvaardt and an interim coach in Hilton Moreeng.
They were swept in the T20s, with their batting lacking the necessary aggression and the bowling consistency. Wolvaardt admitted the batters have been surprised by Pakistan’s tactics of employing a majority of overs from the spinners.
“Their bowling was really slow in the T20s. They took the pace off. We are used to yorkers at the death and they really took the pace off in that period.,” Wolvaardt said on Thursday.
“We have tried to prepare for that and hopefully that will work for us.”
Similarly the Proteas’ spinners have needed to make the necessary adjustments to bowling in the subcontinent. Spin bowling consultant Thandi Tshabalala said SA’s slow bowlers would have to take responsibility for bowling most overs during the ODIs.
“We are probably looking at them to give us 25 overs, and to do that we have to ensure they understand how to change pace and we will have to employ different game plans against their batters. We want to be proactive in terms of field settings, angles and the pace that we bowl,” said Tshabalala.
Although it’s been more than a year since the side last played an ODI, Wolvaardt wasn’t concerned it would take them time to adapt to the pace of the format.
“It’s my favourite format and I’ve missed playing in it. Hopefully (the long gap) is not an issue.”
“We have had a lot of training in ODI mode and that helps us, and ultimately cricket remains cricket and we have played a lot, so hopefully we can adapt quickly.”
Proteas women need to adapt to Pakistan’s slow bowling tactics
Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images
Already under a cloud before their departure, and with a series loss adding to the pressure, the Proteas women face a difficult One-Day series against Pakistan, with automatic qualification for the next 50-over World Cup on the line.
Laura Wolvaardt’s side play the first of three ODIs at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday, with the series forming part of the ICC Women’s Championship. The top five teams at the end of that competition will join hosts India as automatic qualifiers for the 2025 tournament.
South Africa have played only three matches in the cycle so far, winning all of them against Ireland last year, to sit ninth in the 10 team competition.
But that series was played last year before a flood of problems emerged that culminated in the team heading to Pakistan with an interim captain in Wolvaardt and an interim coach in Hilton Moreeng.
They were swept in the T20s, with their batting lacking the necessary aggression and the bowling consistency. Wolvaardt admitted the batters have been surprised by Pakistan’s tactics of employing a majority of overs from the spinners.
“Their bowling was really slow in the T20s. They took the pace off. We are used to yorkers at the death and they really took the pace off in that period.,” Wolvaardt said on Thursday.
“We have tried to prepare for that and hopefully that will work for us.”
Similarly the Proteas’ spinners have needed to make the necessary adjustments to bowling in the subcontinent. Spin bowling consultant Thandi Tshabalala said SA’s slow bowlers would have to take responsibility for bowling most overs during the ODIs.
“We are probably looking at them to give us 25 overs, and to do that we have to ensure they understand how to change pace and we will have to employ different game plans against their batters. We want to be proactive in terms of field settings, angles and the pace that we bowl,” said Tshabalala.
Although it’s been more than a year since the side last played an ODI, Wolvaardt wasn’t concerned it would take them time to adapt to the pace of the format.
“It’s my favourite format and I’ve missed playing in it. Hopefully (the long gap) is not an issue.”
“We have had a lot of training in ODI mode and that helps us, and ultimately cricket remains cricket and we have played a lot, so hopefully we can adapt quickly.”
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