4 Proteas talking points ahead of the ODI series

In the greater scheme of things, the Proteas’ three-match ODI series against England – starting Wednesday afternoon in Leeds – is merely a chance to prepare for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.

Indeed, whether South Africa wins or loses the series won’t matter if it translates into success at the short and intense 50-over tournament next month.

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They’ve won 13 out of their 15 one-dayers this season, pointing to their stability.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have to iron out a few issues still.

Is Hashim Amla really back to his best?

It’s been a strange season for the Proteas’ bearded stalwart.

He’s had some real issues outside off-stump and it’s clearly impacted his normal fluency as batter.

However, Amla had a brilliant Indian Premier League campaign where he batted with immense freedom and scored over 400 runs.

International cricket though is different from the glitzy T20 showpiece and the proof of Amla’s return to form will only be confirmed at this level.

All those all-rounders! What to do? What to do?

English conditions tend to be a bit unpredictable.

One day, you’ll scored close to 400 on a dry pitch and the other you’ll find yourself 50/5.

That’s why the national selectors have decided to load the squad with all-rounders, capable of performing with bat and ball with an equal amount of impact.

Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Wayne Parnell and Chris Morris have all made their mark this season but the headache is who gets the final nod.

Without being inflexible, the times has come for the Proteas to get a bit more clarity after this series.

Will AB de Villiers finally dazzle?

Since returning to international cricket in January, the Proteas skipper hasn’t really produced fireworks.

Ironically, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t had an impact.

De Villiers was outstanding in the ODI series against New Zealand, where he scored 262 runs at an average of 87 in a tight series.

It illustrated how valuable he is to the South African cause but just imagine how devastating the side could be if he coverts his 70s and 80s into hundreds again?

Are the Proteas prepared for the English intent?

The South African bowlers need to be in control from the first ball.

England’s one-day side is one of the most exciting combinations in world cricket and have won a lot of friends with their aggressive approach to the game.

Given a sniff, the home side will play an opponent out of the reckoning in the blink of an eye.

The Proteas bowlers have shone this season but, to be fair, some of their opponents have been a bit passive.

They must be prepared for batters who’ll attack them from the outset.

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