South Africa must pick five match-winning bowlers in their squad if they want to win the T20 World Cup in India next year.
That is the advice of former South African T20 bowler Alfonso Thomas, who is currently working as a bowling consultant for the Titans.
According to Thomas, South Africa can tick all the right boxes when selecting a Twenty20 World Cup squad capable of winning the tournament, but there is one critical condition.
They have to pick five genuine match-winning bowlers first, and subsequently select the rest of their squad. Thomas has been a globe-trotting T20-journeyman who plied his trade in 225 matches, taking 263 wickets during his career.
‘I would be very surprised if the three all-rounders of the Titans, Chris Morris, David Wiese and Albie Morkel, don’t make it into South Africa’s World Cup squad,’ Thomas told the Titans website.
‘Morris is a fantastic bowler, and he has stepped up to the plate every time he has been challenged,’ said Thomas. ‘I like his aggressiveness and competitiveness.’
The fast bowler is at the summit of the bowling averages in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge with 12 scalps in seven matches, at an average of 18.
Thomas believes Wiese, Morkel and Morris can adapt to every surface and different conditions with their repertoire of bowling options.
‘The captaincy of the Titans has positively impacted Albie and has strengthened his belief. He is bowling with zip and is getting late away-movement again. I have not seen him bowl this well in the past few seasons.’
Wiese was good value for South Africa against the West Indies in January by taking 5-23 at Kingsmead, and removed 16 batsman for the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League before an injury side-lined him for six weeks.
He stormed back into contention with a four-wicket haul in his first Ram Slam match for the Titans upon his return to franchise-cricket.
South Africa possesses all the different options to select a final Twenty20 World Cup that can win the global trophy, especially after their 2-0 drubbing of India in India.
But Thomas warned against using bits-and-pieces bowlers. ‘They must select five match-winners with the ball first, as this is the one condition for winning the World Cup.’
