Annoyed Proteas set sights on Bullring redemption

14 November 2024 - 19:37

by STUART HESS

Heinrich Klaasen says the Proteas are annoyed by their limited playing schedule. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/CHRISTIAAN KOTZE

There were numerous “F-bombs”, a lot of “sh..” and some other choice lingo that crossed the lips of Proteas batters as one after the other expressed their exasperation with their lot in life during Wednesday night’s defeat to India. 

First, Ryan Rickelton somehow dragging a wide ball from Arshdeep Singh onto his stumps, then Aiden Markram pulled a wide long hop to midwicket followed by David Miller who whacked a short ball to the legside where Axar Patel did a fine impression of a lock in a line-out to claim an excellent catch.

All three batters vented their fury. If it had been a movie, the Film and Publications Board would have slapped a PG-18 rating on it. 

“It is frustrating,” said Heinrich Klaasen. Explaining his close mate Markram’s anger, Klaasen said the Proteas captain was on the brink of a breakthrough, having struck back-to-back sixes off Varun Chakravarthy, when he offered Ramandeep Singh a simple catch and was dismissed for 29. “In any job, if you make a mistake and it means that’s the end, you will be frustrated if you make that mistake. It’s in the heat of the moment.

“You are playing for your country, there’s a billion people that will be on your head if you fail. There is a lot of frustration, he was looking fantastic with how he struck the ball,” said Klaasen.

As fun as Marco Jansen’s late flurry of 54 off 17 balls was, which took SA  to within 11 runs of their target of 220, the damage was done earlier with the top order, Markram included, failing to register a substantial score. Rickelton with 20, Reeza Hendricks 21 and Markram all got starts but unlike India opener Abhishek Sharma who made 50, and their new No 3 Tilak Varma, who notched up a scintillating maiden international century, the home side were not able to create the impetus required to chase a challenging but achievable target. 

“Durban was a good wicket [in the first match] and we kept getting out against half-trackers and you want to break stuff. PE [Gqeberha] was a tougher wicket, but still the way we went out,” Klaasen said while shaking his head.

“[Our batting] is getting better. Aiden tonight [Wednesday] — 12 times out of 10 he hits that for six. It’s part of the game, if it’s not going for you it’s difficult in this format to get that momentum back on your side. If the momentum is with you it’s a fantastic format to play.”

Now 1-2 down in the four-match series, which concludes at the Wanderers on Friday night, there is added aggravation for the Proteas because they can no longer win the series. 

“How nice would it be if we win on Friday and then Sunday have another game,” said Klaasen. “It’s disappointing, it does not sit well with the players.”

Klaasen again voiced irritation with SA’s schedule, which sees them play a load of two-match Test series and in this case with India, another set of matches, where at the end there may not be a decider. 

“It’s the nature of where we are as South African cricket. We don’t play five-match series, our Test team plays two-match series, which is ridiculous,” said Klaasen, who retired from Test cricket in 2023, partly because of the Proteas’ limited schedule in the five-day format.

“We want to play more cricket against these guys and other countries as well, but we always find a way to play two or three games, it’s annoying. Then you see India is playing Friday and then next Friday again [in a Test against Australia in Perth], with two different sides in different halves of the world. It is what it is.” 

The disappointment of their schedule and fury with the batting will not hamper preparations for the Bullring, Klaasen said. “There is no time to hover on this, we will make small tweaks in our planning for Friday. We must make sure we don’t lose the series.”