Mark Boucher: Need more ‘aggression’ from South Africa bowlers in T20 World Cup

The fast bowlers including Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Wayne Parnell shared seven wickets between them in the three-match T20 series, in which South Africa lost 2-1.

FILE PHOTO: South Africa head coach Mark Boucher during practice at the Old Trafford in Manchester on August 23, 2022. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

South Africa head coach Mark Boucher on Tuesday said his bowlers need to be more aggressive in the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia on pitches that will suit their seamers.

The touring South Africans suffered a crushing seven-wicket loss to India in the third one-day international in New Delhi as they went down 2-1.

India skittled out South Africa for 99 in the series decider but it was the bowlers' performance in the second match that bothered Boucher after they failed to defend 278 and let go of a 1-0 advantage in the three-match series.

"Australia will suit our fast bowlers a lot better," Boucher, who will step down as the national coach after T20's showpiece event, told reporters.

"We have got some good pace, some good bounce in our attack, so we need to keep the aggression there. I think the last one-day game we played there wasn't enough aggression."

The fast bowlers including Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Wayne Parnell shared seven wickets between them in the three-match T20 series, in which South Africa lost 2-1.

Rabada, who was rested for the final ODI, and Ngidi took seven between them in the 50-overs matches while Nortje returned figures of 0-15 in his five overs in New Delhi.

But it was India pace bowler Mohammed Siraj who stood out with his four wickets in the last two matches and was named man of the series.

"Surprisingly India's bowling attack in the ODIs bowled with far more aggression than what we did," said Boucher.

"We did chat about it and the way Anrich Nortje bowled tonight was a positive sign for me, especially going into conditions where that will be quite effective."

Boucher, a former wicketkeeper-batsman who played 147 Tests and 295 ODIs in a glittering career that ended in 2012, said the team will take lessons from the loss into the big tournament in Australia.

"I think we have taken some lessons and we have had good chats behind closed doors to speak about things that we can get better at," said the 45-year-old Boucher.

"That will stand us in good stead going forward to Australia where the conditions are completely different. It's disappointing to lose but we have a massive competition in front of us and that is what we are gearing up for.

"Keeping the guys mentally and physically fresh is going to be vital for the management and myself to monitor."

South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma who missed the final two ODIs after falling sick, will open their World Cup campaign against a qualifying team on October 24, two days after the Super 12 stage begins.