Proteas face make-or-break test series after Pink Day setback

The Pink Day one-day international (ODI) has always been a massive success for South Africa – on and off the field.

The day raises money for breast cancer awareness among other things, with the Breast Care Unit at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital the major beneficiary of the roughly R10 million which has been raised so far.

It’s also a popular event on the sporting calendar, with the sold out signs going up well before the first ball is bowled.

Lastly, since the first Pink Day in 2013, South Africa have a formidable record at the Wanderers, having hardly lost to all that have come before them.

During the supper break during the 13th Pink Day match at the Wanderers on Sunday, scenes of fans enjoying themselves were a sight to behold.

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Not even a typical Johannesburg afternoon thundershower could dampen the crowds’ spirits.

Watching sport at the highest level at the electric Bullring, while doing it for a good cause… what could go wrong?

The good news stops there – at least from a sporting point of view.

The Proteas crashed to their third straight defeat to Pakistan, having been whitewashed in an ODI series at home for the first time in their history.

It wasn’t that they just lost the series, it was the manner in which they did.

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Selection choices with all to play for in the second match of the series were puzzling, while only middle-order batsman Heinrich Klaasen produced with the bat.

He made three half-centuries, while no other South African went past 50.

Pakistan dominated with bat and ball and were deserved winners. The Proteas looked troubled against the spinners.

The selectors experimented, blooding some new players, which is fine – just ask Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.

The timing in the series was just not right.

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With less than two months to go until the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, the Proteas men’s cricket team now have very little time to find their winning combination.

The first of two Tests against Pakistan starts on Thursday.

And while the coaches and formats are different, many of the personnel are the same.

They’ve still got to win the series if they want to make next year’s World Test Championship final.

A good result would also go a long way in restoring some confidence and break the inconsistency.

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