Players shrug off Proteas’ below-par efforts

Cape Town - South African cricket fans should not be perturbed by the poor performances of the Proteas in this past weekend’s Sunfoil Series.

This view was shared a few of the players who featured at Newlands where Knights upset the Cape Cobras by an innings and 102 runs.

The Cobras had no fewer than four members of the Proteas Test squad in their side but were dominated throughout the three days that the game lasted, with the Knights extending their score to 491 for nine declared on the third day before bowling the hosts out for 243 in their second innings.

Stiaan van Zyl (15 and 21), Hashim Amla (10 and 23) and JP Duminy (35 and 27) toiled hard for runs, while off-spinner Dane Piedt was a lone shining light for the Cobras, taking four for 124.

However, Cape Cobras captain Andrew Puttick feels Proteas fans should not be worried about the performances of the batsmen, insisting they all have superb track records and should do well in the first Test against England.

Puttick, though, admitted that the Cobras were not at the races.

“We were poor,” he told the Cobras’ official website. “It was sad to see the way we capitulated. The Cape Cobras cannot live on past glories and expect just to rock up and win matches. We must understand we don’t possess the team of the past which included Vernon Philander, Justin Kemp and Alistair Gray.”

Duminy was unperturbed by his batting performances. “I got an opportunity to play. The England team have always had a formidable attack, but I do believe if we play according to our standards, we can beat them. I won’t read too much into what happened against the Knights,” he said.

Knights captain Werner Coetsee, who scored his sixth first-class century in the match, also shrugged off the Proteas players’ below-par performances.

“We must remember that they have come back from a difficult tour to India and entered the Sunfoil Series with a lack of confidence. But they have scored so many runs on these home pitches. They are just one innings away from good form,” he said.