Complacency is Cronje's concern (23 May 1999)

23 May 1999

Complacency is Cronje's concern

Barry Richards

South Africa were just too good for England at the Oval on a pitch which was not an ally to any of their stroke-makers. The ease with which this much-vaunted match turned from potential fireworks into a damp squib showed again that South Africa are the team to beat in this World Cup. They just keep playing winning cricket and in every game have been able to outplay their opponents at crucial times.

This match promised so much and delivered little on a day when stroke-play was at a premium. South Africa seem impregnable at the moment but there are lessons to be learnt from this match against England. Complacency could be forgiven for creeping in but it is not Hansie Cronje's way, though the nature of the shots from his batsmen suggested an air of confidence - perhaps even a little more than that.

Alan Mullally, Darren Gough and Mark Ealham provided a wake-up call to the South African batsmen. They need to be more conscious of stroke-selection than was the case here. Jacques Kallis was out to a beauty, as was Shaun Pollock. Gary Kirsten could also be forgiven, but the quartet of Gibbs, Cronje, Cullinan and Rhodes would concede that their shots were too loose for international cricket.

Other sides feel South Africa are more vulnerable if Kirsten is attacked and dismissed early, and there is some credence to this. Witness the pinch-hitting experiment with Mark Boucher which, if anything, has provided another option for Cronje.

Something which other sides won't want to hear is that South Africa's batting has still to reach its peak, and if it all comes together over the next month it is hard to see South Africa losing, even though you have to expect a bad match at some stage.

South Africa's coach, Bob Woolmer, and Cronje are aware the batting will improve but it must be consistent. That is the key to a World Cup victory.

Pakistan look like the attack to put South Africa under the most pressure and the lead-up games have been valuable as a lesson against complacency. Both India and England have provided searching tests for the South African top order: the specialist batsmen have yet to be totally convincing as a quartet.

Lance Klusener, Kallis and the bowlers Donald and Pollock are providing the catalyst for good results. Better performances are needed from Cronje and from his vice-captain Kirsten to really let the team feel comfortable when they play against any opposition. They will be aware of the need to provide more experience and a backbone to the middle order which will ensure an easier passage to the final.

Just why South Africa haven't been as consistent as they would have liked is almost entirely due to shot selection and maybe the lack of ability to read the pace of the wicket and have a firm target in mind.

Too many players are playing the big shots when seemingly well placed. It is almost a preoccupation with keeping the scoreboard ticking over. While that is an important facet, it should not overhaul all of your thinking. Game-plans sometimes change midstream, it is the wise head that can read this early and adapt to the conditions of the match.

South Africa are playing well, perhaps better than anyone else. With a little more thought in the batting department they will be a mighty side and it will perhaps take a virtuoso performance from one of the other teams' superstars to oust them.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)