SA bowlers need to improve execution

The word “execution” was mentioned a lot in the wake of the Proteas’ seven-run defeat to the West Indies at the Wanderers on Tuesday night which cost them the T20 series.

Such a narrow defeat means small details will be pored over.

Heinrich Klaasen’s dropped catch in the final over, the noballs and wides, that the West Indies out-hit the Proteas by 16 sixes to six, and implementation of the bowling strategy are all elements that will be raised in the post-series review.

“I would say from an execution point of view, their bowlers executed far better than we did,” Proteas’ limited-overs coach Rob Walter said.

That they did. The Proteas became fixated with protecting the short boundary to the eastern side and they allowed that to mess with their consistency.

The West Indies, despite some frustration at conceding 11 wides, maintained a strategy of bowling full and cramping the SA batters, not allowing them to free their arms and use that short boundary.

“It tested our skills, logic told us to stay away from that short boundary. I thought the plans were good, but it was about execution,” Proteas skipper Aiden Markram said. “It was a tricky one with trying to stay unpredictable but also keeping the percentages in your favour.”

In a series where bat dominated ball — even in the rainedout first encounter last Saturday

— there were plenty of lessons for the Proteas as they begin the new era under Walter.

“It would be difficult not to be excited by what we have seen in these three T20s and in the 50over stuff before that,” he said.

“We are getting there, we are making progress in how we want to play the game. We just scored the highest total in a T20 international run chase a few days ago and made 213 tonight [Tuesday].

“It is really nice to see the guys playing with freedom and expressing their skills. There is more in the tank, I believe.”

Markram said he, ODI skipper Temba Bavuma, Walter and JP Duminy were all encouraging the players to adopt the more assertive mindset and not concern themselves with the consequences if they make mistakes.

“Each one has their options that they are really good at and they all have the absolute freedom to back those options,” he said. “If it’s their strong suit but doesn’t come off on the day, noone will ask questions. We will pretty much laugh it off because we know it is their strength and in the next game they hopefully get it right.

“There are good signs with bat in hand that we are going in the right direction and it is good to see guys buy into the brand we are speaking about in terms of freedom and belief,” Markram said.