Dwaine’s dramatic decline highlights a big Proteas headache

Two months ago, Proteas coach Ottis Gibson expressed how happy he was with the amount of all-rounders in the ODI setup.

Indeed, it was one of the highlights of last season as Chris Morris, Dwaine Pretorius, Wayne Parnell and Andile Phehlukwayo all made their marks at some stage.

But the optimism has disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Parnell has only played two matches for the Cape Cobras and gone for 56 runs in 4.5 overs.

Morris has just returned from a back injury and has been inconsistent in his two matches to date.

Phehlukwayo at least has snapped up three wickets but his economy rate borders on 10 per over and he averages 7 with the bat.

And then there’s Pretorius, a man who played some great cameos for the Proteas last season but has slumped badly in this new campaign.

Not a single wicket in 12 overs (plus an economy of almost 11) and 51 runs in four innings paints a grim picture of the 28-year-old Highveld Lions stalwart’s form.

Yet it won’t help keeping Pretorius on the sidelines as the Lions enter a make-or-break week in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge.

“Dwaine is back in the squad (for Wednesday’s meeting with the Dolphins in Durban),” said Lions mentor Geoff Toyana.

“He has struggled with bat and ball but he’s a national player and I really need to back him. It’s the only way for him to regain confidence.”

It’s never easy pinpointing such a dramatic decline but Toyana has no doubt that Pretorius is placing too much pressure on himself, especially given the competition for the all-rounder spot in the Proteas side.

“All his troubles are just mental,” he said.

“He’s a guy who expects a lot from himself and trains very hard, so he puts a lot of pressure on himself. I’ve chatted to him and the key is going to be to clear his mind, to go back to the basics.”

It’s a strategy the rest would also do well to remember.

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