Tristan Stubbs conceded that the poor start for the Proteas, as they were reduced to 42/5 batting first, cost South Africa the game, in the opening T20 International against the West Indies, in Tarouba, on Friday.
Stubbs, though, together with Patrick Kruger helped the Proteas post a decent total of 174/7. Stubbs top-scored with a knock of 76 from 42, while Kruger was the first to attack with 44 from 32. Together the duo put on 71 in 8.1 overs, before Stubbs batted with the tail to help SA post a total over 170.
The West Indies, however, blew South Africa away when they came into bat as they smashed 84 in the first eight overs before they lost their first wicket. Openers Alick Athanaze (40 from 30) and Shai Hope (51 from 36) bludgeoned the young Proteas attack to wrestle the momentum away from SA.
Nicholas Pooran then came in at number three to smash an unbeaten 65 from 26 to see the West Indies to a seven-wicket win with 2.1 overs to spare.
Tristan Stubbs conceded that the poor start for the Proteas, as they were reduced to 42/5 batting first, cost South Africa the game, in the first T20I against the West Indies.
— IOL Sport (@IOLsport) August 24, 2024
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Those first six overs
“I think being five wickets down for not much, you’re not allowed the freedom to go and play because you want to put a score on the board,” said Stubbs.
“Then once myself and Pat got going, with a nice partnership … then you can play a few more shots. But being 40/5, it's really about being positive but still trying to put a good score on the board.
“We probably didn't identify the conditions early enough, and that first six overs put is behind the game.”
Proteas skipper Aiden Markram, meanwhile, said if his side had posted a slightly higher total they would have had a better chance in the contest.
“We saw the ball coming on well [later in the evening]. Because of that we probably came up a few short. We would've liked 20 [runs] more and the wicket was tacky upfront and the wicket then got better and better.”
It was not all doom and gloom, as there were some words of praise for 18-year-old Kwena Maphaka (1/25), in his first game as he became South Africa’s youngest-ever debutant.
“Maphaka has a lot of X-factor and is really young. He has hunger when you speak to him off the field and he wants to win games for SA.”