Bavuma desperate for SA to rewrite World Cup history

Temba Bavuma says his players are aware about the dangers of starting too slowly at the World Cup, although he understands that they don’t have to be at their best when they play their opening match against Sri Lanka on October 7.

The Proteas left for India on Saturday night, desperate to rewrite a depressing history for SA at ICC events. 

“We’ve been criticised for not starting series' well and we are looking for answers for that, but coming off the cricket we have [played against Australia], with the confidence and the momentum we have gained, that will put us in good stead in terms of being close to our best from the start,” said the South African captain.

Bavuma is well aware that in 2019, the Proteas’ entire campaign was scuppered by a poor start that included defeats to England, Bangladesh and India in three of the first four matches of that tournament. 

The Proteas have a less strenuous start to this year’s tournament, that besides Sri Lanka sees then also face the other qualifier the Netherlands and then Australia in their first three matches.

“We understand (the World Cup) is a marathon and playing at your best in game one, might not be what you are looking for. You want to be playing winning cricket but for us, it is when we get the opportunity in the knockout stages, what we want to be hitting our straps and playing our best cricket.”

The loss of Anrich Nortje to injury has struck a major blow to the Proteas strategy for the tournament, which revolved strongly around its fast bowling.

“We share in his disappointment and the emotion of missing his second world cup. The biggest thing with Anrich is the experience and his leadership within the team. That leadership part isn’t easily replaced,” said Bavuma.

Nevertheless he believes that 22-year-old Gerald Coetzee, who has played just six ODIs, has the necessary tools to offset Nortje’s absence. 

“If we do decide to still go [the pace] route, Gerald can still do that role, he doesn't have Anrich’s experience but he will only get that experience by playing. Even in the series against Australia, I felt he bowled well, according to the role we wanted him to do.”

South Africa plays two warm up matches in Thiruvananthapuram, in the south western state of Kerala, against Afghanistan on Friday and New Zealand three days later.  

They open their World Cup campaign on October 7, against Sri Lanka in Delhi. 

“The guys know what the event is about, and we are geared towards doing something that hasn’t been done in South African cricket.”