South Africa head coach Mandla Mashimbyi has highlighted key areas of concern following his side’s ODI series defeat to New Zealand, stressing the importance of addressing missed opportunities and identifying gaps ahead of upcoming challenges.
After finishing as runners-up at the World Cup, South Africa would have hoped for a stronger showing in New Zealand. However, the tour saw them lose the T20I series 4-1, and despite splitting the first two ODIs, they were convincingly beaten in the decider, going down by 66 runs to concede the series.
Mashimbyi pointed to crucial passages of play that shifted momentum away from South Africa in Wellington.
“I think after we had them three down [3 for 3 in 3.1 overs], I think we just let the pressure off a little bit. We allowed them to get in,” Mashimbyi said. “We didn’t squeeze them enough, I think, maybe in the next five overs, which allowed them to get in. That’s one period that I think we could have done differently.
And obviously, at the later stage, we could have also maybe just minimised the boundaries there into the last ten [overs]. And that’s where they actually capitalised. I think those two moments for me were probably big moments in the game.”
Partnerships and Missed Milestones
A defining factor in the match was the 211-run partnership between Maddy Green, who remained unbeaten on 141, and Brooke Halliday, who fell just short of a century with 98. That stand proved decisive in turning the contest.
While Laura Wolvaardt contributed scores of 16, 69 and 69 to finish among the leading run-scorers in the series, South Africa lacked the substantial innings that typically define their batting performances. In contrast, New Zealand produced major contributions, including Green’s effort in the third ODI and Amelia Kerr’s unbeaten 179 in the second.
South Africa did have four half-centuries from players other than Wolvaardt across the series, but none converted those starts into bigger scores in the matches they lost.
“I think from an individual point of view, yes [some batters did well], but I think from a partnership point of view, I think we could have done a lot better,” Mashimbyi said. “Quite disappointed that we don’t have hundreds. We normally pride ourselves in scoring hundreds, so the whole tour we didn’t get a hundred. We’re normally the team that actually scores hundreds, and this time around we didn’t do that. So it just shows when you don’t get partnerships, it’s not going to get you hundreds.”
Focus Shifts to Improvements Ahead of World Cup
With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled for June-July in England, the double-series defeat has raised concerns for South Africa, who were runners-up in the previous two editions.
Mashimbyi acknowledged the need for adjustments, while also noting some positives from the bowling unit.
“I think our worry is where we need to tweak, where are the gaps,” Mashimbyi said. “We just need to make sure that we get better. I thought the two young [fast bowlers, 21-year-old Ayanda Hlubi and 27-year-old Tumi Sekhukhune] were good up front. They actually complemented each other very well. One was swinging the ball well, and the other one was bowling hard lengths. I thought they did a really good job for us. But I think overs after that sort of released the pressure, which allowed Green and Halliday to get in. The rest is history.”
South Africa’s attention now turns to their upcoming home series against India, who arrive in mid-April for a five-match T20I contest.
“[We have to] make sure that we can lose a series but it doesn’t make us a bad team. I think when you’re a team and you realise where you’ve gone wrong and it’s not things that you haven’t done before,” Mashimbyi said. “Normally where the gaps are it’s probably a little bit of a concentration thing or an awareness thing, and it costs you dearly. I think the whole series that was the case with us. That’s probably what we need to brush up and make sure that against India we leave no stone unturned.”
