Share

Amla still puzzled at loss

Johannesburg - Proteas T20 captain Hashim Amla says he cannot pinpoint why his team under-performed in their loss to Zimbabwe, in the Twenty20 tri-series final on Sunday.

The home side coasted to a nine wicket victory at the Harare Sports Club to shock the much-fancied South Africans.

"I can't quite but my finger on it," said Amla.

"But I think it's a combination of early season rustiness coming through, but at the same token we have to acknowledge that Zimbabwe played really well.

"Their batters hit good form and struck the ball really well, they played better than us."

The Proteas were unable to put in the performances when it mattered, but certain players raised their profiles for selection, with only three matches to play until the ICC World Twenty20 in September in Sri Lanka.

Faf du Plessis showed off his all-round capabilities; Wayne Parnell proved that he can perform under the pressure, with Richard Levi showing that he is more than a one-hit-wonder.

A key area for improvement is in the bowling department, where inconsistency was exploited.

"The whole purpose of the tour was to have a look at the guys who are at the next tier.

"Some guys performed really well. Lopsy [Lonwabo Tsotsobe] bowled a few good spells up front in a couple of the games.

"Parney [Wayne Parnell] struggled but came back strong; [Chris] Morris bowled well and Faf [du Plessis] bowled his full quota really well."

Amla said the selectors would now have a better idea of the fringe players moving forward.

"I think the selectors will have a sense of who they think can fulfil the roles underneath Dale [Steyn] and Morne [Morkel], and in that sense there is a lot to take out of this tour and in many ways maybe it is mission accomplished."

Amla also said the short tour of Zimbabwe, despite not yielding results, provided some good lessons for the team.

"The tour has been a wake-up call and a learning experience, which will give the selectors and players alike, an indication of where improvement is needed."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE