Mandla Mashimbyi calls for better fielding from Proteas Women

South Africa lost their third match in Colombo by just 23 runs, having had to chase 338 for victory against the Indians.

Mashimbyi says they have not done the basics as well as they should have.

“We do so many good things, but we just don’t manage to cross the line. But one can put it on probably how we’ve fielded. If we’re looking for those 23 runs, we’ll probably find them in how we fielded. And probably how we started with the bat as well. That’s something we really need to speak to and put some work on”, said Mashimbyi.

“If you’re looking at the result and you want to place your judgement on that, yet there are so many good things that they’re doing, I think that would be unfair from my side. I think it’s going to get to a point where we put it all together and we put teams under pressure”.

READ: Udeme Okon gears up for his first Senior World Relay Championships

Mashimbyi’s team are facing hosts Sri-Lanka this morning in their final match of the series, having been ruled out of Sunday’s final by that defeat on Wednesday. Although they have insisted that they’re not looking at the results for now, they still wouldn’t mind a consolation win to come back home with.

“We are willing to find ways to take wickets in the middle period when they’re having a partnership, and also keep our wickets in the middle period when we’re batting as well’, he continued.

He also reserved special praise for the youngsters in the team, including Miane Smit, who was making her debut in the 50-over arena.

“Let me just say the youngsters that came in - Nondu [Nondumiso Shangase], Smit - they looked the part and it just shows that we’re in good hands”.

Mashimbyi and his team will return home for just a few weeks before heading to the Caribbean, where they start a three-match ODI series against the West Indies from June 11, after which they will also play three T20 Internationals.