Ken Borland

The selection policy for the Proteas cricket team has not changed, according to the convenor of selectors, Victor Mpitsang, despite the speculation that has unfolded following the completion of the T20 series against England on Tuesday night in which South Africa were hammered 3-0.

Eyebrows have been raised over the selection of the starting XI for all three matches and rumours of an increased quota of three Black African players have circulated. They were given more credence in the last game when, with Kagiso Rabada ruled out with a groin strain, Lutho Sipamla was selected in his place despite having not played any cricket since March.

The unfortunate 22-year-old conceded a whopping 45 runs in 2.4 overs, the second-most expensive figures in South Africa’s T20 history. Two fours and four sixes were hit off his 16 deliveries.

But Mpitsang denied that there had been any change in selection policy when it came to transformation targets. At the moment the Proteas have to reach a target of 56% Black representation over a season, and an average of two Black Africans per starting XI.

“The transformation targets are still measured over time in terms of the Eminent Persons Group policy we still adhere to. Nothing has changed in terms of that policy. But selection is also about getting the right balance in a team and with both our all-rounders [Andile Phehlukwayo & Dwaine Pretorius] not being available it created a headache for us, even though we had a 24-man squad.

“I understand there has been a lot of speculation, there will always be that, but it is unfair on the players who have been selected. They have all done well in T20 cricket. Due to the Covid-19 quarantine regulations, we couldn’t just fly someone in. The problem was we needed six bowlers but we also needed enough batting as well. George Linde’s all-round displays were a big positive though,” Mpitsang told The Citizen on Wednesday.

There have been statements made by Cricket South Africa acting CEO Kugandrie Govender and a CSA document proposing revised targets up until 2023 that would make it extremely difficult for the Proteas to ever field more than five White players. CSA have projected an average of 58% black players, of which 25% are Black African over the next two seasons. That equates to 6.38 Black players per team, of which 2.7 must be Black African, so the Proteas will have to field at least six black players in most games and seven in some games to meet those targets. They will have to use at least two Black African players in almost every game and regularly field three to reach these targets over the course of a season.

There is a proposed increase for the 2022/23 season of 63% Black players, with 33% having to be Black African.

Proteas coach Mark Boucher acknowledged on Wednesday night that there have been discussions over new targets, but he did not feel he was allowed to specify what they were.

“We had a transformation meeting in which we were given the outline and we’ve got to abide by that. I don’t think there has been a document given to the sports minister yet though. But I think someone with a higher pay grade than me should talk about the numbers, I don’t think I can,” Boucher said.

The Titans once again demonstrated some philanthropy with the ball and in the field on their home ground, but all credit to the Cape Cobras duo of Pieter Malan and Aviwe Mgijima for batting their team into a powerful position after the first day of their 4-Day Domestic Series match at Centurion on Monday.

Opening batsman Malan showed he has lost none of the powers that took him to a Test debut last season as he stroked a classy 125 in just over five hours, off 221 balls, driving the ball impressively as he collected 20 fours.

Mgijima showed good composure and judgement as he scored 86 in two-and-a-half hours, his fourth-wicket partnership of 90 with Malan being the bedrock of the Cobras’ total of 351 for five.

There were solid partnerships all the way down the innings after the Cobras had been sent into bat, which turned out to be a generous decision as the pitch played well for batting. Malan and Jonathan Bird (22) added 76 for the first wicket, captain Zubayr Hamza (28) helped add 60 for the second wicket, and Malan and Tony de Zorzi (29) then shared a 53-run stand for the third wicket.

Even when Malan was sensationally caught by Aiden Markram in the gully – he also took a blinder to dismiss Bird – the runs kept flowing for the Cobras as Mgijima and Calvin Savage (30*) added another 67 for the fifth wicket.

In Durban, fast bowler Daryn Dupavillon sent seven Knights batsmen on their bicycles as he caused a dramatic post-lunch collapse that saw the Dolphins skittle their opponents for just 116.

Dupavillon’s seven for 38 in 14-and-a-half overs saw the Knights crash from 87 for three,  losing their last seven wickets for just 29 runs.

The Dolphins also struggled in their reply, slipping to 52 for four as young Gerald Coetzee took three wickets. But Grant Roelofsen batted fluently and tenaciously to reach 64 not out at stumps to lift the home side to 169 for seven at stumps. He shared a key stand of 63 for the fifth wicket with Khaya Zondo (35).

In Port Elizabeth, Wesley Marshall showed his objection to the Imperial Lions being reduced to 15 for two after they had elected to bat first in no uncertain terms as he blazed a commanding 145 off just 160 balls, with 21 fours and three sixes, lifting the defending champions to 385 for eight at stumps.

Basheer Walters removed both Lions openers inside the first five overs and finished the day with outstanding figures of five for 58, but it was a most disagreeable day for the rest of the Warriors bowlers.

Ryan Rickelton stroked a slick 72 and Wiaan Mulder breezed to a brilliant 91 as they gave Marshall superb support.

Proteas captain Quinton de Kock has been deprived of some key players that could have made a difference in the T20 series against England that has now been lost, but he is adamant that the players who have come in are good enough to have got the job done and he is not looking for any excuses.

The Proteas have been without the services of two key all-rounders in Andile Phehlukwayo, who is in Covid quarantine, and Dwaine Pretorius, who strained his hamstring just before the series started. Phehlukwayo’s Dolphins team-mate David Miller is also still in quarantine and the experienced finisher’s absence has also been felt.

“We don’t have all the options we’d like but we just have to deal with it and hope for the best in the last T20 on Tuesday night. Andile and David aren’t up to scratch yet but they will be ready for the ODIs. It has been difficult not having a specialist all-rounder, although George Linde has done well. But unfortunately Dwaine got injured at just the wrong time with Andile in quarantine, and it’s not as easy as just flying someone in because they also have to quarantine.

“I know everyone is talking about the sixth bowler, but we haven’t really needed one – in both games it was just one over that did the damage. And that was largely down to the situation, England had to have a go and they really played it well. Jonny Bairstow played an unbelievable knock and was hitting wide yorkers that were just one centimetre off to the boundary. It would be nice to have all those guys available, but the other guys coming in can do the job as well,” De Kock said on Monday.

The likes of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje have both excelled recently in sub-continental conditions at the IPL and De Kock said not much needs to change as South Africa go after a face-saving win at Newlands on Tuesday night.

“Obviously it’s disappointing to have lost the series, but I don’t think we need to change much, we’re still going to play our best team available and try to win. We do want to give players opportunities, but right now we need to win. It’s hard to tell guys how to bowl and KG and Anrich are both bowling 150+kph, so do you really want them bowling slower balls?

“We’ve got it wrong once or twice and a guy like Lungi Ngidi depends a lot more on variations. It’s about getting the right mix and it’s been difficult for us to put together the right match-ups. An extra batting all-rounder would be nice, it’s what we’re missing and then we could bat with a bit more freedom. We’re trying to do our best up top and the team is just staying positive because there’s still a lot to look forward to,” De Kock said.

Panicking and chopping and changing after one setback are not how successful businesses or sports franchises operate, which is why the Titans will take an unchanged squad into their CSA 4-Day Domestic Series match against the Cape Cobras at Centurion from Monday, despite their poor performance in losing to the Warriors last week.

The Titans are still top of their group with a lead of more than 17 points over the Warriors, who beat them by three wickets last week at SuperSport Park.

While Aiden Markram was sheer perfection with the bat, scoring a century in each innings, he lacked support from the rest of the batsmen, so that is something the Titans will need to rectify. But it is the bowling that was especially untidy against the Warriors, and the likes of Lizaad Williams and Okuhle Cele need to rediscover the intensity and accuracy they had when the Titans won their first two matches.

The Cape Cobras are the only winless team in the competition, so they have problems of their own.

The Imperial Lions have gradually been building their way back into top form in the defence of their title and they snatched a remarkable come-from-behind win over the high-riding Knights at the Wanderers last week. So Wandile Gwavu’s charges will be eager to dominate from the start of the game this time as they travel to Port Elizabeth to take on the Warriors, who are steadily improving as well after the start of their season was severely disrupted by Covid-19.

What will be particularly pleasing for coach Gwavu is the way his stand-ins for the Proteas performed in the last game and the Lions are certainly cultivating some impressive depth.

The fourth round’s other game sees the Dolphins hosting the Knights and trying to mount a serious challenge for top spot in Pool B. They are currently trailing the Knights by more than 15-and-a-half points.