Middle-order batsman David Miller has pointed to his side’s lack of partnerships as the key reason behind the Proteas premature exit from the World Cup.

The numbers are damning.

No player has scored a century. In fact, Quinton de Kock’s pair of 68s is the highest individual score.

The top order have only contributed one century-stand and that came at a snail’s pace when De Kock and the out-of-touch Hashim Amla put on 104 against Afghanistan.

‘As a batting unit, we’ve had starts and we haven’t kicked on and it’s happened throughout the competition,’ said Miller.

‘All the batters have got starts and not finished the job. We haven’t had enough hundred partnerships or fifty partnerships and you’re not going to win games of cricket like that.’

Miller has struggled to kick on from four starts. He made 38 against Bangladesh, added 31 in the losing cause against India, contributed 36 against the Black Caps and another 31 when his side were dumped from the competition after losing to Pakistan.

In all, he has added four 30s and admits some disappointment in not kicking on.

‘I’ve scored four 30s. Two of them have been at the back end, trying to go for it and the other two, I feel like I could have put in two big performances there.

‘On self-reflection, it has been quite disappointing.’

Social media and some sections of the commentariat have questioned his role in the side, but Miller insists he could quite easily have scored big if his luck was better.

‘The margins are really small. It’s a split second here or there when you could be caught. On another day, that could be six,’ he said.