IN TWO matches at the weekend we saw why SA are not ranked top in the ICC o ne-d ay i nternational rankings — and why they don’t deserve that status.
On Friday they completed an emphatic thumping of England at Newlands, reaching 354 in their innings and closing out a 112-run victory. However, the credibility of the result of day-night matches at Newlands has long been in tatters.
In games between two remotely competitive sides at that venue, 16 of the last 18 international day- nighters have been won by the team batting first.
A total of 250 is more often than not enough and SA were home and hosed the moment they won the toss and got off to a flyer.
In Port Elizabeth yesterday, the Proteas contrived to show why SA have never won a piece of significant limited-overs ICC silverware since returning to the international fold at the 1992 World Cup.
Yesterday, after Graeme Smith had again won the toss, and again opted to bat first, they slumped to their lowest total since being bowled out for 83 in Nottingham in August last year.
Worryingly, both lame efforts came against England, who will be gaining much confidence for the upcoming Tests.
What just a few weeks ago looked like a comfortable home assignment in both the o ne-d ay i nternationals and Tests, is now becoming a taller order. Instead of putting the tourists on the back foot for the more important five-day series, they have allowed England to settle in.
SA are ranked third on the o ne- d ay i nternational ladder, behind Australia and Sri Lanka, and at the moment they look flattered by that position. Simply put, the Proteas are too inconsistent.
There is too much Jekyll and Hyde for them to be No1 over a prolonged period.
Yesterday’s humiliation was a fifth defeat from their last 10 o ne- d ay i nternationals. Their 50% winning record includes two victories in Newlands day-nighters that can be largely attributed to getting it right with the toss and batting first. Had the call gone against them, SA would probably be staring at seven defeats in their last 10 matches. The other victories came against Zimbabwe (twice) and West Indies.
Too often a good performance is overshadowed by a poor one. The only consistency is that you know the Proteas are going to make a mess of things when least expected. Which is why, when it comes to the big ICC tournaments, no matter how much momentum appears to be generated, there’s always been a defeat around the corner.
Yes, the balance of the side is affected when a mighty player such as Jacques Kallis is ruled out by injury. But we must not forget that England are touring without their talisman, Andrew Flintoff.
A few players, such as JP Duminy, have not come to the party in this series so far, and the left- hander has been failing the stern examination of his ability to play the short-pitched delivery.
The inconsistency runs deep, through the batting, bowling and even fielding, and when Smith himself routinely tells the public following a poor display that “we were beaten by a better team on the day, but we’ll take this on the chin, learn from it and come back stronger ”, I’m not sure what has actually been learned in the long term by the brains trust.
England cannot lose this one- day international series and SA cannot win it. They have one match, on Friday in Durban, to ensure it’s tied 2-2. Dismal defeat yesterday, followed by a crushing victory on Friday? Sounds familiar.