BENGALURU: They are the perennial under-achievers when it comes to the World Cup. Semifinalists twice and quarterfinalists once in the last three editions, South Africa have always started their campaign showing a lot of promise before fizzling out when the going got tough.
Heading into the one starting in England on May 30 without the retired AB de Villiers, they will again have their task cut out. In absence of the star batsman, can the likes of JP Duminy and David Miller stand up and deliver? Things do not look promising. If the latter has been poor in 2019 with 142 runs in eight matches, the former has just played two matches this year. The big-hitting Rassie van der Dussen could be their trump card as he has made quite an impression with four half-centuries in 2019, but he has just played nine ODIs.
With inexperience in the middle-order, South Africa will have to depend on skipper Faf Du Plessis, who could bat at three or four. The right-hander has had an impressive year so far, scoring 427 runs at a strike rate of 88.04. Though they have the likes of Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock at the top, the captain with his ability to steady the ship and score quick runs when required will be the main man.
“It (middle-order) is a real worry. Faf is there, but Van der Dussen is inexperienced. He has come on really well, but World Cup pressure is different from other matches. It is a different ball game, especially with the format that is in place. There are no easy games. Players have to perform not just for two weeks, but for the entire tournament. As you see, we are a little bit thin.. We have not been setting the world alight with our batting,” said Jonty Rhodes during a promotional event on Saturday.
The former South Africa star hopes Du Plessis will be able to inspire his teammates in England. “Faf knows he is a limited player, that is no disrespect, he is not ABD and 360. The way Faf scores his runs and when he scores his runs, shows he is a very gutsy player. That inspires his teammates. He will need other senior players to be leaders like the way he has been,” added the star fielder.
It is not only the middle-order, their pacers have also been troubled by injuries. Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada were injured in the IPL. Lungi Ngidi is coming back from an injury. Fast bowler Anrich Nortje has already been ruled out due to a fractured thumb.
“Ngidi played his first game since March, which is a long lay-off. Steyn has come back strongly from injuries, but he has broken down again. Rabada had to be rested towards the end of IPL. He has been so successful since his launch in international cricket that he has not had any rest, which is a worry. He has carried the workload as a strike bowler. It is a worry if you lose two fast bowlers in the same game,” said Rhodes.