South Africa’s Whitewash of West Indies Not an Eyewash?

South Africa pulled off the expected, a 5-0 rout of the West Indies in the ODI series, but not easily as one might have expected which brings South Africa right back to where they started.

south africa complete whitewash

Kallis, Amla and JP Duminy helped take South Africa across the line in the fifth ODI but it was not with drama, as usual. South Africa won the match by a wicket with merely two balls to spare. And that once again too much was left too late was brought to light. That South Africa are unable to shake off their past inculcated habits where they tend to rely too much on keeping wickets in hand till later which unable to maintain momentum in the middle overs has only once again been emphasized in the series.

graeme smith with trophy

Graeme Smith himself is struggling with the bat and given his break through finger injuries, the frustration is telling on him rather obviously as he scratches around with hope than with conviction. It is an unusual situation to Smith himself as the South African captain who leads his team from the front.

South Africa have not really found all the answers about their bowling, even the death bowling. Although they have been brave enough to try and Ryan McLaren has shown promise, rotating the bowlers to find the combination will take time, and it will not be easy.

That they are even experimenting with Mark Boucher’s positing, thrusting AB de Villiers into the wicket keeper’s role, partly though injury also shows that South Africa do not want to get caught into in extraordinary circumstances and are desperate to turn into a mean fighting machine, an aura they lack despite their willing to fight.

South Africa’s 5-0 whitewash of the West Indies is creditable. But it cannot hide the fact that South Africa have not really been innovative, or forced a chance upon themselves in such a way as to shed their past inhibitions and weaknesses. That the West Indies have imploded once too often will also perhaps give the South Africans another false sense of security that dignity has been restored following another ICC tournament debacle in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 that preceded the series.

However, South Africa need to find their winning formula with each cog falling into place perfectly if they are to seriously shake this vulnerability that comes when they approach major ICC tournaments, as the 2011 ICC World Cup is not too far away.

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