All boxes ticked in a perfect 10
The only bad news is that South Africa can’t get any better than they did in destroying Sri Lanka in Sydney.
Win toss, score 260 and it’s game on!
The toss might seem like a sideshow to the main event, but whoever wins it is likely to bat first in Sydney.
Proteas exposed by old frailties
Every armchair critic is a national selector – and each one of them has been right since before the start of the World Cup.
Rossouw kick-started campaign
It took South Africa 30 overs to shake off the fear of failure in Sydney, coming off their heaviest-ever World Cup defeat.
Just a bad day at the office
Defeat was bitterly disappointing but it was the manner of the capitulation that was worse.
Nothing more than a middle net
New Zealand 331 for 8 in 50 overs and South Africa 197 all out in 44.2 overs. Defeat for the Proteas by 134 runs.
No7 slot the key
There is nothing wrong with the form of South Africa’s batsmen ahead of the World Cup.
SA got job done
South Africa did what was expected of them and brushed aside a moderate West Indies to win the series 2-0.
Play to SA’s strength
These West Indians aren’t equipped to stand toe-to-toe with the Proteas in the heat of battle for five days.
Bowling an issue
South Africa have a handful of ODI matches to get their bowling firing or they can kiss goodbye to any hope of winning the World Cup.
The class of AB
AB de Villiers is the most complete cricketer in the world and South Africa’s chances of winning the World Cup depend on him.
Small battles lost
Australia won the small battles in Canberra and ultimately it saw them win the war.
Pitch perfect
Morne Morkel would love to dig up the WACA pitch and carry it around Australia with him for the rest of the ODI series.
Balance is wrong
No matter what AB de Villiers and David Miller threatened to do, South Africa were never going to win the first ODI in Perth.
Swing to the left
Barely noticed in South Africa’s T20 big win over Australia in Adelaide was the number of left handed Proteas batsmen.
