MARKRAM WANTS HIS BATTERS TO BE BRAVE AHEAD OF SUPER 8 CLASH AGAINST USA

The Proteas are “still striving for that close to perfect game” ahead of their opening ICC Men's T20 World Cup Super Eight clash against the USA in Antigua today.

Aiden Markram's team enter the next phase of the competition with a 100% record after four matches in the group stages, but have not yet played to their full potential.

It has primarily been the top-order batters that have struggled, particularly due to the seam bowling conditions encountered in New York before the spin-friendly surface in St Vincent and the Grenadines for the last match.

But Markram, who has led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to consecutive Betway SA20 titles, believes the Proteas are looking to peak at the right time.

“Yeah, still striving for that close to perfect game. I thought our bowlers so far throughout the comp have been really good for us and potentially bailed us out of jail once or twice,” Markram said.

“But it's understandably so. Conditions have been quite tough for us with the bat. And like I said at the start, now it's a fresh start for us. 

“Specifically, if you speak as a batting group, we get the chance to get to new conditions, hopefully slightly more batting friendly for us, and a good time for us to start peaking and finding some form moving forward in the competition.

The Proteas batting group, Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, will be eagerly hoping for batter-friendly conditions in the T20 World Cup Super 8 phase

“You try to time your run perfectly. Obviously, things don't work out perfectly, but if we can start putting complete games of cricket together moving forward, give ourselves a crack to get into semi-finals and knockout cricket and then you kind of know you're just one or two good games away from doing something really special.”

While the totals were below-par in the US due to difficult batting conditions, the Super Eight phase will be played entirely in the Caribbean.

It was already noticeable in the last few group matches in the West Indies that batters have found life more comfortable, particularly Durban's Super Giants superstar Nicholas Pooran, who smashed 98 to steer the Windies to 218 - the highest total of the tournament thus far.

Markram is certainly hoping the change of venues will inspire his batters to rediscover their mojo.

“Hopefully it's on the side of new conditions and a lot of excitement and buzz around that but guys are only human,” said Markram. 

“If you've not been scoring runs, you tend to maybe search for your first 5 - 10 balls of an innings. 

“But it's about backing the fact that if you get through that phase, hit a couple of good shots, and it automatically brings that feel-good factor back to you and sort of just run with it from there. 

“So hopefully the conditions are better to bat. I think they're still going to be challenging but potentially the opposite side of the scale in terms of it might spin a bit more now and obviously in New York there was none of that so - but having the game and the plans and the options from a batting unit point of view in your locker, but more importantly feeling the bravery and the courage to bring them out if needs be if the wicket is turning like that.”

The Proteas have never faced the US in a full international match, but the co-hosts boast a distinct South African flavour with former Free State duo Andries Gous and Shadley van Schalkwyk in their lineup. 

USA will feature two South Africa-born players in Andries Gous and Shadley van Schalkwyk

Gous, in fact, is the leading South African-born batter at this T20 World Cup with 102 runs in three matches at an average of 34 and 132.46 strike-rate.

Furthermore, there are plenty of Proteas such as Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Ryan Rickelton (all Seattle Orcas), David Miller (LA Knight Riders), Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje (both MI New York), Markram (Texas Super Kings) and Marco Jansen (Washington Freedom) that have participated in the Major League Cricket.

SQUADS FOR ANTIGUA

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (captain - Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Ottniel Baartman (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Gerald Coetzee (Joburg Super Kings), Quinton de Kock (Durban's Super Giants), Bjorn Fortuin (Paarl Royals), Reeza Hendricks (Joburg Super Kings), Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Heinrich Klaasen (Durban's Super Giants), Keshav Maharaj (Durban's Super Giants), David Miller (Paarl Royals), Anrich Nortje (Pretoria Capitals), Kagiso Rabada (MI Cape Town), Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town), Tabraiz Shamsi (Paarl Royals), Tristan Stubbs (Sunrisers Eastern Cape). Travelling reserves: Nandre Burger (Joburg Super Kings), Lungi Ngidi (Paarl Royals).

USA squad: Monank Patel (captain), Shayan Jahangir, Andries Gous, Nitish Kumar, Steven Taylor, Harmeet Singh, Corey Anderson, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Jessy Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nosthush Kenjige.

 Start: 4:30pm (SA time)

All images: ICC/Getty