Cricket writer Zaahier Adams rates the Proteas players following their Tri-Nations campaign in the West Indies.
Imran Tahir: 9
P: 6 Wkts: 13 Ave: 16.15 Econ: 4.56 BB: 7/45 Runs: 35 HS: 29 Ave: 8.75
The mainstay of South Africa’s attack. Every time Tahir took the ball during the one-day tournament, something happened for the Proteas. He was at his mesmerising best against the West Indies in St Kitts where he claimed a career-best haul of 7/45. The only blemish on this tour was his failure to break the Darren Bravo-Kieron Pollard partnership when he went wicket-less throughout the innings on Friday. It prevented the leg-spinner claiming a perfect “10” rating. His enterprising batting at the tail-end of the innings, though, was also a consolation in often lost causes.
Faf du Plessis: 7.5
P: 4 Runs: 139 Ave: 69.50 HS: 73* 100s: 0 50s: 2
The Proteas T20 captain arrived in the Caribbean still carrying an injury sustained in the IPL and was forced to miss the first two matches in Guyana. Once he returned to the side after Rilee Rossouw injured his shoulder, Du Plessis’s value to the team was immediately visible through the calmness he creates throughout the Proteas batting unit. Two half-centuries in the tournament was testament to his ability, although he could have guided the team over the line during a failed run chase against Australia in St Kitts.
Aaron Phangiso: 7.5
P: 3 Wkts: 6 Ave: 19.66 Econ: 4.84 BB: 3/40 Runs: 15 HS: 9 Ave: 5.0
It seems like being called for an illegal action is the best thing to have happened in Phangiso’s career. The left-arm spinner has come back stronger and through being granted greater opportunities due to the conditions, Phangiso is definitely making the most of his second chance. He was particularly effective on the spin-friendly pitches of Guyana and recorded his career-best figures of 3/40 in the process. Unlucky to miss out later on in the tournament when Tabraiz Shamsi was preferred.
Kagiso Rabada: 7
P: 6 Wkts: 7 Ave: 27.14 Econ: 4.63 BB: 3/13 Runs: 28 Ave: 28.00 HS: 15*
Rabada was inconsistent – like he should be at 21 years old – during this series, but “Oh Em Gee” when he was hot, he was blazing. He helped destroy the much-vaunted Australian top-order in Guyana with 3/13 from seven overs before producing an exhilarating spell of fast bowling against the West Indies on Friday. There is no greater sight in world cricket than a fast bowler ripping out the middle stump of a quality batsman. That’s exactly what Rabada did when he knocked over the tournament’s stand-out batsman Marlon Samuels with a rip-snorting yorker first up, before repeating the dosage to Denesh Ramdin. It’s just a pity his captain AB de Villiers took the ball out of his hands when he was firing on all cylinders.
Hashim Amla: 6.5
P: 6 Runs: 241 Ave: 48.20 HS: 110 100s: 1 50s: 1
South Africa’s opening batsman has traditionally gorged himself on the pitches of the Caribbean – he averaged 80.40 on the last tour to the West Indies back in 2010 – and found the surfaces once again to his liking. The island of St Kitts was particularly kind to Amla where he posted scores of 60 and 110, but Alma would though have been disappointed not to take advantage of an early let-off in the crucial match against the West Indies on Friday.
Tabraiz Shamsi: 6
P: 2 Wkts: 3 Ave: 25.66 Econ: 4.52 BB: 2/41 Runs: 0 HS: 0* Ave: -
The first chinaman bowler to play for South Africa since Paul Adams brought plenty of excitement to the attack in the two matches he played. There's sure to be lots to look forward to as Shamsi makes his way in international cricket.
Farhaan Behardien: 5.5
P: 6 Runs: 101 Ave: 25.25 HS: 62 100s: 0 50s: 1 Wkts: 0 Ave: - Econ: 3.0 BB: -
A good series but not a spectacular one for Behardien. Often criticised, Behardien was one of the few Proteas who showed courage and fight on this trip, especially in the victory over the Aussies in Guyana where he shepherded the tail for over 30 overs to help the Proteas to a total the bowlers could ultimately defend. He also fought a lone battle against the Windies on Friday when everything was falling around him. Unfortunately, though, he still needs to bring a greater consistency to his game if South Africa are to build a solid middle-order around him going forward.
Quinton de Kock: 5
P: 6 Runs: 149 Ave: 29.80 HS: 71 100s: 0 50s: 1
The young Proteas wicket-keeper's first tour of the Caribbean was not quite as memorable as he possibly would have liked. The surfaces in Guyana and St Kitts were not conducive to his attacking free-flowing style, but he showed good restraint during a patient 71 against the Windies in St Kitts. Would no doubt have wanted to contribute more on Friday on a better batting surface. De Kock’s keeping was also topsy-turvy with the gloveman dropping a catch standing back to the seamers, but showed good temperament and skills up to the wicket when the spinners were in operation.
Wayne Parnell: 5
P: 5 Wkts: 5 Ave: 32.60 Econ: 5.65 BB: 2/23 Runs: 33 Ave: 11.00 HS: 28 100s: 0 50s: 0
There were impressive bursts with the new-ball – his stronger suit – upon his return to the ODI team and he showed better temperament than in the past to recover after being punished in his opening spell. But it is mandatory in modern one-day cricket that the middle-to-lower order players contribute with the bat. Both the West Indies and Australia showed that during this series, while England during their on-going series against Sri Lanka vindicated this by recovering from 82/6 to eventually tie a contest in which they were chasing 287 to win. Parnell has the ability as he showed in a losing cause in Barbados.
Rilee Rossouw: 5
P: 2 Runs: 68 Ave: 34.50 HS: 61 100s: 0 50s: 1
In Du Plessis’s absence it was hoped that Rossouw would finally nail down a spot in the Proteas line-up moving ahead. He started the tour well enough with a composed 61 against the West Indies, although he would probably have liked to have notched up a bigger score. A shoulder injury in the next match against Australia – a worrying trend with Rossouw after he missed the majority of last summer too through injury – curtailed his future involvement once the Guyana leg of the tournament was completed.
Chris Morris: 4.5
P: 4 Wkts: 3 Ave: 37.00 Econ: 4.62 BB: 3/63 Runs: 56 Ave: 18.66 HS: 40 100s: 0 50s: 0
The same that was said about Parnell goes for Morris. South Africa require more from their “Million-Dollar Man” with both bat and ball if the current strategy of playing two all-rounders is going to be successful. The occasional quick-fire 40 when Morris was promoted to number three in St Kitts is a nice luxury to have, but players like Morris have to start bringing more to the table.
AB de Villiers: 3
P: 6 Runs: 121 Ave: 24.20 HS: 39 100s: 0 50s: 0
Arguably De Villiers’s worst series in over five years, the Proteas skipper appeared jaded in the Caribbean after a long summer in India (World T20 and IPL). By his own admission, he “got in and got out” and his team badly missed his stellar contributions in the middle-order. His leadership is also under scrutiny after withdrawing Rabada from the attack when the young fast bowler was in a rampant mood in Barbados. His explanation was even more worrying, saying “But you’ve also got to think of the rest of the game and not bowl your best bowler out in the first spell”. This poses questions about De Villiers’ game awareness in the fact that Rabada could possibly have won the match right there had he been kept on!
JP Duminy: 3
P: 6 Runs: 92 Ave: 23.00 HS: 41 100s: 0 50s: 0 Wkts: 1 Ave: 66 Econ: 7.20 BB: 1/12
When De Villiers lamented after the Windies embarrassment in Barbados “there were too many individuals who didn’t step up” he could easily almost have been pointing a finger directly at Duminy. The all-rounder is a senior member of the Proteas brains trust due to his experience, but his performances over the course of the past 12 months have not warranted such status. It has now been 11 innings since his last ODI half-century and his prowess with the ball is also on the wane. There’s no doubt that at 32 years old Duminy’s international career is at a crossroads.
Kyle Abbott: 2.5
P: 2 Wkts: 1 Ave: 76 Econ: 4.56 BB: 1/50 Runs: 6 HS: 5 Ave: 3.0
Although economical and tidy, Abbott just doesn’t offer the team the much-needed strike power upfront that Parnell and Rabada provide with the new ball. Did not play again after Morris recovered from injury.
Morne Morkel: 2
P: 2 Wkts: 1 Ave: 68 Econ: 7.55 BB: 1/68 Runs: 32 HS: 32* Ave: -
Sat on the bench until the series reached Barbados. The washed out match against Australia did not help the lanky paceman’s cause as he was ring-rusty in his first full outing of the tour.
It could all, though, have been different had Parnell claimed a difficult catch on the fine-leg boundary off Morkel when Windies centurion Bravo had yet to get out of the starting blocks. - Cape Times