JP Duminy believes that the Proteas are ‘one good performance away’ from creating the momentum needed to turn things around.
The Proteas started their World Cup campaign poorly, losing to England in the opening fixture and followed this up with a defeat to Bangladesh.
They have left very little room for failure if they aim to make the semi-finals. In order to get there, they will need to go on an incredible run of form. It starts with India, who they face on Wednesday.
‘I don’t think we are far away. We were 21 runs short and we can identify areas where we could have made that up whether with the bat or the ball,’ said Duminy.
‘We are one good performance away from creating a bit of momentum.’
The Proteas seemed overwhelmed by the chase to their target of 331 runs. Yet, they fell only 21 runs short.
Duminy explained why the Proteas failed to reach their desired target.
‘Partnerships are always going to be crucial, particularly when you are chasing a big total,’ he added.
‘You need guys to step up and score hundreds, and as a top six we haven’t done that. Pretty much everyone got in, but thirties and forties are not going to cut it.
‘At the end of the day, it comes down to partnerships, and we fell short.
‘Honesty has always been one of our pillars. It’s about understanding where we can improve.’
READ: Five takeaways: Proteas vs Bangladesh
Duminy also urged his teammates to lift their spirits in the field.
‘Something we thrive on is our body language and creating a presence in the inner ring. That is something we can get better at,’ Duminy continued.
‘If you are going to win a tournament like the World Cup, you need good strong characters in the group.
‘We are up against it, so we are going to need each and every individual to be a leader in their own game. We can’t be moping and hanging our lips on the ground until Wednesday.
‘We need to understand how we can improve. When you are playing in a tournament like this, there is always going to be external pressure, but it’s about embracing that.’
Despite the difficulties facing South Africa, Duminy still remains upbeat.
‘There is a relaxed calm feeling about it. There’s a lot of pride in performance, individually and as a team,’ he said.
‘It’s about putting the performances together and understanding how we are going to get better.’
READ: Du Plessis vows to fight on
Photo: Supplied by ICC
