Proteas coach Rob Walter said despite the ODI series loss against Pakistan, the team has learnt a lot from the games.
This after the Proteas lost the match by 81 runs in Newlands, Cape Town, to ensure that the tourists take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the second ODI match.
“We’re forever learning, forever trying to figure out where the edge is that we can gain.
A lot of it starts actually just executing our best skill first, before we think about what we might develop or grow in our games.
Today we were a little bit off from the skill execution point of view, uncharacteristic in the field as well for us, so those are things that you can certainly take control of quite quickly.
Just having a chat to the guys in the change room there’s a lot of guys already thinking about areas that they could’ve done better today, little skills sets that they might develop playing the same opposition and presenting the same challenges,” said Walter.
South Africa won the toss and captain Temba Bavuma elected to field.
The tourists were bowled out with a total of 329, and the hosts were bowled out for 248.
The coach defended Bavuma’s decision to field.
“I don’t think the pitch played any worse to be honest, I think it was still a good wicket.
There’s a part of it that we felt we might be able to put their batting under pressure batting first.
Historically they’ve enjoyed chasing, they like to know what’s in front of them.
For me the toss made sense,” explained Walter.
The coach heaped praise at the 18-year-old Protea’s prodigy, Kwena Maphaka, who took four wickets in his first ODI match.
The fast bowler displayed a scintillating performance for his age, taking 4/72 on debut.
“It’s awesome, very exciting to think about what lies ahead for Kwena.
Just to see him out there today, he really sort of thrives and flourishes in those moments and he’ll keep getting better and better.
Just to see the kind of skills that he threw at the back end, back of the hand slower balls, which he hadn’t bowled in the game to that point, and to then figure out that’s maybe the option and to back himself to go for it, I think is very exciting,” said Walter.
In addition, he said the player will be allowed space to grow and flourish, will make mistakes, “but his growth is more important in the long-term picture of him being a match-winner for South Africa.”
DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg will host the 3rd and final Pink Day ODI on Sunday.
