How South Africa can possibly avert the collapses
How South Africa can possibly avert the collapses
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
The Proteas have always had their own style and method of play. Their tight fielding, fantastic bowling and a strong batting line-up have always helped them become one of the most consistent sides in world cricket. The biggest factor for their recent run of form has been their top order. AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla occupy the top spots in the ODI batsman ranking which just goes to show their consistency over the last year.
The thing that has always fascinated me about the Proteas style of play has been the presence of a cool-headed power player at No 7 in the batting line-up. The player occupying this spot was usually an all-rounder who could thump the ball miles. Nobody can forget Lance Klusener’s dominant role in that position, especially in the 1999 World Cup. His spot at No 7 was later taken up by the likes of Justin Kemp and Albie Morkel.
Off late, however, they do not have a player to fill that spot with a degree of assurance. Morkel was given his chances and at one time was touted as the successor to Klusener, but he did not rise to expectations. Morkel was dropped after the series in UAE against Pakistan late last year and since South Africa have tried Johan Botha at that spot. In their latest World Cup games, Morne Van Wyk was their man at No 7.
I have noticed that in their recent games when they lose wickets in a hurry, it exposes their lower order. During the second ODI of their recent series against India, they collapsed from a very comfortable position to lose the game by one run. In the games that followed one couldn’t help but notice how they collapsed once a few wickets fell in quick succession.
In Cape Town, they slid from 200 for four to 220 all out, and in the final game they ended at 250 for nine from 231 for three, at which point Hashim Amla and JP Duminy looked set to take on the bowlers. Against England, the other day at Chennai, it was the same old story. South Africa were cruising along to the winning target when wickets fell in a heap and they short by six runs.
Central to the collapses is the fact that they are missing a cool-headed power player in the lower middle-order. They had Mark Boucher and Morkel till last year, but both have been dropped for other options. Johan Botha was given a go at that spot during the India series. At that slot it puts too much pressure on him to score quickly. One must remember that he is in the side primarily for his bowling. He has played the occasional good innings, but to expect him to do it time and again is not fair as he doesn’t match the ability of a Morkel or a Klusner to accelerate.
Morne Van Wyk’s inclusion to the side adds good balance and has to bat higher than where he does currently. He showed in the series against India how good he is at the top and he shouldn’t be wasted lower down the order. What his inclusion does is that it gives South Africa the extra brilliant fielder in the outfield in the form of AB de Villiers as Van Wyk dons the wicket keeping gloves.
South Africa have a fantastic top order. However, they need to sort out the lower middle-order problem and the critical batter at No 7 to arrest the embarrassing collapses. If Amla and de Villiers fall in quick succession, the middle order wilts under pressure – precisely what happned against England. When de Villiers lost his wicket with forty odd runs remaining, it opened the floodgates and du Plessis and Duminy fell in quick succession.
I think what this South Africa side needs to do is to get the order of their eleven right than the mix of players. Their current batting order is Greame Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis and Morne van Wyk.
Van Wyk has to bat a little higher as he is more effective at the top, but it is very difficult to move him up in a very strong and settle top half. But, in my opinion, he should come in at No 5, with Duminy and du Plessis dropping one place down the order. Van Wyk moving up will also extend the strong top order and will provide enough support to their current mainstays – de Villiers and Amla.
Duminy has been in very good touch and if he walks in at No 6 it would help provide the middle order with more stability. du Plessis, a very capable hitter, is suited for the No 7 slot. He has shown his hitting ability for Lancashire and seems to have a cool temperament. For me, this should be their ideal batting order in the games to come.
South Africa are known to choke at crucial stages of the tournament. They are hoping that this World Cup edition would bring them glory that has eluded them so far. If they want to shed the tag of chokers, then they have to seriously look into middle-order woes. That’s the key to how far they go in this World Cup.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya, a 20-year-old law student, is a club and college-level cricketer. His teachers always complain, “He knows the stats and facts of cricket more than the subjects we teach him.”)