Ngidi admits Proteas were caught napping in Ireland

FAST bowler Lungi Ngidi has admitted the Proteas’ shock ODI loss to Ireland was indeed a wake-up call that couldn’t be ignored.

The Proteas had not lost to hosts Ireland in six previous meetings, but succumbed to a boisterous home team in Malahide in the second game of the three-match series. The visitors have since hit back, though, by crushing their hosts in the subsequent ODI to draw the series before winning both the T20s, rendering today’s final T20I a dead rubber.

“That was a wake up call. Every game in international cricket is important. It had been a long tour and the energy levels were starting to drop a bit.

“The guys might have got a bit complacent. I think that loss sparked a bit of fire in the guys. No team likes to lose,” Ngidi said.

South Africa found a way to win in the T20I series although they were not at their fluent best. The batting unit remains inconsistent, while the bowling relies heavily on the spin of Tabraiz Shamsi to hold everything together.

“I think it has been work in progress, but we are improving. West Indies was very tough coming up against the World Cup champions. They really tested us, but we were able to come out on top there.

To carry that momentum into this series is something I am really proud of,” Ngidi said.

“I think we have figured out processes. I think we are also very fortunate to have someone like Shamsi in our team to bowl around. He makes life a bit easier. We do have a bowling unit to compete,” Ngidi said.

The Proteas have this last fixture against Ireland and a three-match series against Sri Lanka remaining before the T20 World Cup.

It has helped the team’s cause that they spent a lengthy time together in the Caribbean and in Ireland fine-tuning their game plans and combinations.

“I think it has been really key that this group has stuck together and played together. You can see the consistency within the group. It has been a long tour and we haven’t lost any series on the tour. You need to know your combinations and best XI for different conditions. We have done the work.

I think this group has gone along nicely and hopefully we can continue the momentum,” Ngidi said.

“I think the preparation can’t be better than playing the best in the world like we have done. That was a massive boost for us. We still have a bit more cricket before the World Cup, so there is bit more preparation to be done.”

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