The Proteas completed a 2-1 ODI series victory over England this week to keep alive hopes of qualifying for the 2023 World Cup tournament.

Two wins in Bloemfontein propelled Temba Bavuma’s charges up the ICC World Cup Super League into ninth place. The defeat in Kimberley, however, robbed them of a chance to join the top eight – who will automatically advance to the 50-over showpiece, staged in India later this year.

It’s been a dramatic and nerve-wracking week for Proteas fans, and the tension is unlikely to ease over the next few months. South Africa will play two ODIs against the Netherlands, on 31 March at Wanderers, in Johannesburg, and 2 April at Centurion, in Tshwane.

They have to win those fixtures to stay in the hunt for a World Cup qualifying spot. What’s more, they will need a favour from New Zealand, who will host 10th-placed Sri Lanka in a three-game series in late March.

If the Proteas beat Netherlands 2-0, and if the Black Caps keep Sri Lanka in check, then South Africa are likely to progress to the global tournament. The teams that finish outside the top eight will compete in a World Cup qualifying competition staged in Zimbabwe this June.

If Sri Lanka wins that series 3-0 against New Zealand, the Proteas will have to go to the qualifying tournament, even if they beat the Netherlands 2-0.

How the mighty have fallen

How did it get to the point where South Africa needs a favour to qualify for a World Cup? In the past, the Proteas have excelled in the period between global tournaments and then imploded – often in spectacular, heart-­breaking fashion – at the competition itself.

Since the 2019 World Cup, however, this group of Proteas has won 15 out of 31 matches. A string of inconsistent performances has been exacerbated by Cricket South Africa’s decision to forfeit a three-game series against Australia scheduled for January – and ultimately a potential 30 World Cup Super League points – in favour of staging the inaugural SA20 competition.

All of this has played out in the wake of the latest World Cup disaster, when the Proteas lost to the Netherlands and failed to advance to the T20 World Cup playoffs. Coach Mark Boucher resigned after that humiliation, and securing a white-ball replacement for him has taken some time.

For the duration of the recent series against England, Shukri Conrad – the new Test coach – deputised for Rob Walter, who will link up with his limited-over charges once his commitments in New Zealand have been fulfilled.

It’s been a chaotic yet captivating time for South African cricket. Fans have flocked to grounds to watch the SA20 and create a festive atmosphere. The positivity around this tournament has served to lift the mood across the South African cricket community.

When the SA20 was paused, that spirit and energy was successfully transferred to the ODI arena.

Over the course of the three matches against England, the Proteas played with a renewed passion and sense of purpose.

The matches were of little consequence to England, who had already qualified for the World Cup and were without key players such as Joe Root, one of the world’s best ­batters. But for the Proteas, it was do-or-die. They took the fight to England from the ­outset and embraced a bold yet determined approach.

Wayne Parnell (right), Quinton de Kock (centre) and Temba Bavuma of The Proteas, chat during the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match between India and South Africa on 30 October, 2022 in Perth. (Photo: Isuru Sameera Peiris / Gallo Images)

Bold and composed batting

The flat pitches in Bloemfontein and Kimberley should be taken into account when assessing the performance. And yet, the Proteas deserve credit for making the most of the conditions and adapting to the game situation in each fixture.

In the past, there have been numerous examples of the South African top six failing to set a platform, or of individuals giving their wickets away after making a promising start. In the recent series, the team and individuals bucked the trend – and against a quality England bowling attack that included white-ball wizards such as Jofra Archer, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid.

Partnerships, particularly at the top of the order, made all the difference. Openers Quinton de Kock and Bavuma clubbed together for two solid stands of 50-plus in the first two ODIs, and Bavuma and Reeza Hendricks combined for 49 in the third.

Altogether, the Proteas produced eight partnerships that yielded 50 or more runs. They didn’t crack on as expected in the first game – posting a modest 298 despite a rapid start – but recorded their third-highest ODI chase in the second (343), before going after another imposing target of 347 in the third.

Rassie van der Dussen’s 111 set the platform in the first ODI. Bavuma answered his critics with a 90-ball ton in the second game. David Miller continued to flourish in his role as a finisher, smashing 53 and 58 in the first two games.

Some criticism has been aimed at Aiden Markram, given his inability to convert scores of 13, 49 and 39 into centuries, yet he contributed to some important partnerships. Heinrich Klaasen played a gem of an innings in Kimberley, cracking 80 off 62 balls, and Marco Jansen continued to show promise as a genuine all-rounder.

Before the series, a few eyebrows were raised over the omission of youngsters with the potential to add to that batting dynamic. It’s something the coaching staff would do well to address in the coming months, as the likes of Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs could well amplify an aggressive approach.

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Bowlers show ticker on flat decks

The bowlers showed a determination and fight that had been lacking.

England were 146 without loss in the 20th over of the first ODI. Had they cracked on from there, they may have won the game and landed a massive psychological blow in the context of the series.

What happened next changed the complexion of the game, and arguably the flow of the series. Sisanda Magala removed Dawid Malan to claim the first of his three wickets.

Anrich Nortje accounted for the dangerous Ben Duckett, before Magala trapped Harry Brook lbw. Kagiso Rabada then proceeded to remove Jason Roy, who had scored 113. At 196 for four, the momentum shifted, and the Proteas bowlers and fielders went on to finish the job.

The Proteas should take nothing for granted when they face the Netherlands next month, given what transpired the last time these two teams met at the T20 World Cup in November. They must build on what they achieved with the bat against England, and address shortcomings with the ball.

It is certainly too early to say whether the Proteas will be a force at the next World Cup, given that they are yet to even qualify.

That said, it’s clear they have rediscovered their ability to fight, and have the talent to go toe-to-toe with an England side that has been described as the best white-ball unit on the planet. DM168

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R25.