Head coach Donovan Miller has lamented the Jozi Stars’ poor start to the 2019 Mzansi Super League ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

The Stars, who are the reigning champions after beating the Cape Town Blitz in last year’s inaugural final, have lost three consecutive fixtures this season.

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They’ve been defeated by the Blitz twice and the Giants once, ensuring the last position in the 2019 tournament’s six-team standings.

‘It hasn’t been the start we wanted. In terms of preparation, team spirit and camaraderie, we have all of that,’ said Miller.

‘We practise well, we say the right things in team meetings, we do all the planning in terms of these games, but the players just haven’t managed to put it together in all three departments.

‘On occasion we’ve batted well in games, but it’s not consistent as we showed against the Blitz in Cape Town. The senior guys just didn’t step up and that cost us another loss.’

Miller praised fast bowler Gerald Coetzee, who debuted with two key wickets in the second defeat by the Blitz, and pondered the presence of Chris Gayle. The hard-hitting West Indian has managed just 35 runs in three innings this month.

‘We have to look at it as every player is equal in this team. We made a good decision by bringing in a young man like Gerald for the last game and I was impressed with him,’ he added.

‘But we now have to make some other decisions. Chris is a world-class player and we all know he can turn it on at any time, so that’s also something we have to consider.’

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