The Proteas have already shown in the Cricket World Cup that they are a different side when they bat first in the ODI format.
Judging by their decisions at the toss, the Proteas don’t have a complex about chasing, but they are clearly much better with a score on the board.
The Proteas have won three and lost three in ODIs where they have chased this season, that is against nine wins in ten ODIs where they have batted first.
It is odd to see such a marked difference in performance from the batters, in particular when batting second versus batting first.
While it is true that batting second brings a unique pressure, many teams prefer it as they know exactly what they need to do with the bat and how quickly they need to bat.
It doesn’t seem to help the Proteas, whose recent fancy for batting first has also coincided with showing that they can really pile on the runs when they operate without the strictures of a chase.
The Proteas have eight 400-plus totals in ODI cricket, and two of them have come in this current year. No other side has passed the 400 mark more often.
When they are able to pile on the runs, it also has the added impact of giving the bowlers some leeway and with that comfort, they have stood up and performed.
They have also shown greater resilience and composure in the face of adversity when they are batting first.
It might be just a matter of time before teams realise that the Proteas chasing problems mean that they should consider rethinking the strategy of almost always chasing in the white ball formats when winning the toss.
If the Proteas are to turn things around in their chasing form, it will be Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller who hold the keys.
The experienced finishers are the men who might be required to do a lot of heavy lifting in a chase.
Klaasen already has an unbeaten ton in a successful chase this season which is something no other South African can boast.
The loss to the Dutch could be erased by wins over top sides, but the Proteas shouldn’t forget their batting lessons.
Without deep batting, a lot more is expected of the batters coming in at five and six. The makeup of the team won’t change enough to alleviate that pressure, and Miller and Klaasen need to do the job.
