’Buffet of full tosses’ with the ball cost Proteas dearly in first Pakistan T20

JOHANNESBURG - This match came down to the two bowling units, and South Africa’s featuring two debutants, failed in the execution of their ‘death’ bowling skills to hand Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the four match KFC T20 International series here on Saturday.

Where Pakistan’s seamers landed their yorkers with unerring accuracy in the final quarter of South Africa’s innings, the Proteas were completely out of shape, serving up a buffet of full tosses, that Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf, feasted on with relish in a crucial 48-run sixth wicket partnership.

This was an inexperienced Proteas starting team - with Lizaad Williams, Sisanda Magala and Wihan Lubbe making debuts - but all those players have a lot of experience as professionals, which makes the way they failed to execute at the back end of the Pakistan innings almost unforgivable.

Even though Rizwan, a real thorn in the side of the Proteas in 2021, had played a busy innings, he’d never been beyond South Africa’s control. Until the final six overs.

Pakistan blasted 71 runs in the last 5.5 overs to seal this match, with Rizwan, well set taking advantage of a flurry of full tosses to crush the hosts. Having been dropped on one in the first over by George Linde off his own bowling, Rizwan finished with 74 not out off 54 balls, smashing nine fours and two sixes.

Denny

The above is true - but there were other problems as well.     The whole team  set-up was crazy and far removed from  was  really required.    

The following were the main  problems caused by Boucher and his  loonie lot:-

*     The selection of  Lubbe  ahead  of  Verreynne  as a batsman after a star performance in the only match he played in when finally included in the ODI team in the previous match.    Reason - they thought they need another lefthanded batsman in the middle order,    Lubbe on provincial level  was just about average and how he was found and included in the squad is a real mystery 

*      Van Biljon is average to poor and at 36  years of age  and his fielding is always suspect - he missed a sitter catch  yesterday that could have sealed the match for the Proteas - in the previous match Verreynne took a much  more  difficult catch than Van Biljon missed yesterday 

*       Migael  Pretorius - a trainee of Donald  - is a much better bowler and batsman than  both Magala and Williams together.     Fact is the latter two duds took lower order wickets because the batsmen took them as dummies they can score off easily on local level.

*       The continued usage of Phehlukwayo whose  bowling was supershit - he donated  21 runs in two overs to the  Pakistani's and they dared not use him to bowl mire overs,

The list goes on and on.   I wrote extensively about the crazy  idea of Boucher that players are not selected on merit and that existing players in the spots they held  can never be removed despite continuous failure by them.    

I was hoping that the appointment of Smith and Boucher would  usher in a more professional approach to team selection and coaching - but the exact opposite happened.    Instead of following the example they are following the Coetzee example and .Mozart supports  their BS - enough said.    It  proves again that good players do not necessarily become acceptable  coaches and administrators.

It hurts - but I do just expect further deterioration in performances by the Proteas with Boucher and Smith around,                                              

The problem lies with Boucher, he is clueless, I stuck up for him and Smith until I heard that he selects the team. I reckon there's enough young batting talent to make an impact on the world stage providing he selects them and gives them an extended run leading into the WC.