Proteas desperately need Ryan and Wayne

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 21: Wayne Parnell (L) of South Africa celebrates his dismissal of Aaron Finch of Australia during game four of the One Day International series between Australia and South Africa at Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 21, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 21: Wayne Parnell (L) of South Africa celebrates his dismissal of Aaron Finch of Australia during game four of the One Day International series between Australia and South Africa at Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 21, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Published Nov 21, 2014

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Melbourne – Before the start of the series AB de Villiers said it wouldn’ t be a catastrophe if South Africa lost a couple of games against Australia – well that has now happened.

De Villiers was making the point that the side would probably learn more about itself from losing, than it would winning, though emerging triumphant from this series would be a boost to their confidence.

The Cricket World Cup, to borrow a famous flyhalf’s old saying is not won in November, but one can garner an idea of who may help their side to win that prize.

South Africa came to Australasia, perhaps, looking to fill two spots in their 15-man squad for next year’s 50-over tournament. One was a back up batting position, the other a back up seamer’s role.

Seldom, however, does life work so smoothly so as to allow an easy solution, and after five completed ODIs there are instead more questions for Andrew Hudson’ s selection panel and also doubts about the structure of the starting XI.

It hasn’t helped South Africa’ s cause that there have been a couple of injuries on this trip that have led to players being withdrawn from the squad.

Aaron Phangiso could certainly have done with some game time here, to further press his claims.

But he’s come a long way with the side, did a more than admirable job in Zimbabwe, and as long as he’s fit, should have his name read out by Andrew Hudson on January 7.

JP Duminy definitely will have his name read – as long as he’s fit – with his absence from this series with Australia underlining just what an important player he has become for South Africa in recent years.

And then there are those spots over which there were question marks. The back up seam bowler spot appears to be Kyle Abbott’s even though he didn’t feature in the first three matches of the Australian series. His superb work at the ‘death’ in the T20 matches has elevated his status, and his ability to bowl at any stage in the innings and provide consistency when doing so, enhances his claims to that spot.

That kind of versatility makes him the ideal man to fill in should any seamer be out of form or unfit.

The back up batting spot has become a problem, however. Rilee Rossouw has had eight opportunities and not used one of them. If it was three years out from a World Cup, it would be okay to preach patience – for his a fine player – but it’s less than three months and a solution is needed now. Farhaan Behardien for all his fine work with ball in the second and third matches, has failed to transfer his domestic ‘finishing’ ability to international level.

For all their struggles on this tour Wayne Parnell and Ryan McLaren offer better options as all-rounders than Behardien.

Both Parnell and McLaren need extra time in domestic cricket to regain confidence and then should be given a full run against the West Indies to re-build their confidence.

That would solve this whole quest over seven frontline batsmen – which patently didn’ t work in Canberra, and would have failed last Sunday in Perth were it not for Morne Morkel’ s brilliance.

AB de Villiers may be trying to show off his bowling, but it is far from a viable option for the World Cup, and of course it risks his age old back problem from cropping up and if there’ s one player the South African team can’ t do without, it’ s their captain.

Six and seven in the order are a problem, and as former coach Gary Kirsten stated earlier this week, it’ s the area South Africa would like some resolution with by the time this tour ends. It doesn’ t seem as if that will be the case – certainly the seventh spot. David Miller at No 6 has made some progress but needs a string of scores to satisfy the critics.

As for No7 – there are options, but are any of them good enough to provide the security that De Villiers craves? - The Star

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