So our Protea women

have a problem with their attack, as I’ve mentioned in an earlier post which is still on the board—the bowlers are completely toothless. It’s taken a while for their quota coach to realize it but after an embarrassing series against NZ, he finally responds by firing three support staff while keeping the bowling coach. This on the eve of a series starting today.

There was no batting problem......coach...fired.

There was no fielding problem......coach...fired.

There was no fitness problem......coach...fired.

It seems to me that the quota coach and his bowling coach fall into the category of not realizing they don’t know that they don't know.

And as if one bowler is going to fix the problem he's invited retired bowler Ismail back into the team.Pray, tell me how a single bowler is supposed to fix a problem that runs through the entire attack?

He can only work with the tools in the shed

not his fault we don’t have the talent at provincial level.

in saying that - we are now 2 - 0 up against the best T20 team in the world

To most observers, the Proteas Women’s bowling unit has been the Achilles heel of the team for the longest time.

Even coach Mandla Mashimbyi has admitted as much, prompting the Proteas mentor to admit that after the recent tour to New Zealand that “we need to change how we think about our bowling attack.”

To Mashimbyi’s credit, he left “no stone unturned” by calling on the help of an old friend, Keshav Maharaj, to help guide the spinners in his team for the India series.

Maharaj made an immediate impact with both left-arm spinners Nonkululeko Mlaba and Chloe Tryon forming an instant bond with the Proteas Men’s veteran.

Such was the success of the experiment that Maharaj even travelled with the team up to Johannesburg for the third match of the series after the initial agreement only included the first two matches in Durban.

It’s likely that Maharaj would have stayed on even until the end of the series in Benoni on Monday had IPL giants Mumbai Indians not sent an SOS for him to replace New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner

Maharaj can be pleased with his work though, and would have seen from India that Mlaba (2/15) and Tryon (1/28) combined perfectly at Willowmoore Park, delivering their eight overs of left-arm spin for the combined figures of 3/43 in the fifth and final match of the series.

"Obviously, it's always nice to play in India. It's even nicer to play in India at home, you know. And I felt, we bowled really well, according to our plans," Mlaba said after the India finale at Willlowmoore Park.

"And, yeah, obviously, for the series, 4-1, even though we wanted 5-0, but, I mean, we'll take 4-1.

"We're still here because we won the series, and it's really going to help us build the momentum for the World Cup. I can't wait for the World Cup. I'm very excited."

Mlaba credited Maharaj for helping her get put a disappointing tour of New Zealand quickly behind her and providing her with the skill-set to bowl slower through the air in order to gain maximum traction off the surface.

"I was really working on, obviously, changes of pace and also adjusting my lines and my length," she said.

"I think with Kesh, obviously, we're working on bowling that wide and slower, and I think it really worked. And, yeah, I'm looking forward to, obviously, putting more work on it."

Captain Laura Wolvaardt was equally upbeat about the bowling unit's turnaround in fortunes heading to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, especially with the performances at the death.

“It was really impressive. Yeah, that was proper. I think our spinners were very good today (Sunday),” Wolvaardt said.

“Chloe and Lefty were excellent. And just the way that we were able to keep them quiet in the first 10 overs, it looked like they were trying to force it through but just couldn't and just more and more pressure built.

“I'm happy with how our death bowling has come along. When they finally sort of had to go at the end, I think we held our nerve nicely.

“I think in New Zealand, we had a tough time bowling at the death and it's been really nice to see that change this series," she added.

********

It took a major embarrassment for the quota coach to realize the attack was toothless, something that had been fairly obvious for a long time. The job is only half done—he still needs to bring in a coach to fix the lingering issues with the pace attack. The inconsistent performances of the batters also need attention.

Hi Denny

What was the major embarrassment?

Our girls are doing well ...again...I should really make a better effort of watching them play.

They don't have personal consistency. To win the WC the following world class players will have to collectively make their presence felt with the bat....Laura, Tazmin, Marizanne, Nadine.... and with the ball Ismail, Nadine, Khaka, Mlaba and Marizanne. Marizanne is awesome when she gets it spot on.

Game on if and when they do.

One has to pity Bangladesh....our gals have taken the sledgehammer to them.

Dane van Niekerk has to be dropped for the upcoming semi final, she is either hopelessly out of form or past it, whatever the reason(s) she's done nothing to impress since her return to the side.

Dane Van Niekerk has been dropped, common sense prevails, well done to the gals for getting this far but now it's all about nerves. The team is closest to its best, I would have chosen the bright, young and talented 19yr old instead.

Laura winning the toss is a great start to settle the nerves. Ismail and Marizanne must show up with the ball.

What a disappointment—once again, the Protea women, after showing so much promise, failed to deliver with a dismal performance. The quota coach, along with the batting and bowling coaches, as well as players Chloe, Japtha, Annerie Derckson, Khaka and Nadine, need to go.

The semi-final against England was theirs to win, but they were let down by the poor performance of the second-string bowlers.