PROTEAS MUST FORGET ABOUT SA20 AGAINST THE WEST INDIES IN PAARL

SOUTH Africa’s T20 cricketers have to forget about their SA20 alliances bitter vinnig, as they gear up to face the West Indies in the colours of the Proteas at 6pm in Paarl on Tuesday.

Captain Aiden Markram and his manskappe wrap up their preparations for this year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka with three home matches against the West Indies – the second one played in Centurion on Thursday and the final one at the Wanderers on Saturday.

Of tonight’s match and the quick turnaround following the SA20 which concluded at the weekend, Markram wysed: “Yeah, it’s exciting, the boys are still coming in drips and drabs at the moment, so I think it’ll be good once we’re all connected and we’re all together. We’ll most likely only be in Joburg, but it’s nice to link up before you get on a plane and go.

“I think there’s a bit of a positive in doing it that way, so a nice series to get back into the groove of things. Obviously, it is a bit different to the SA20, but I feel like everyone’s in a really good space, informal conversations in the buses and stuff, and everyone’s sort of feeling that same good energy that the guys are in a good space.”

Markram discovered some gevaarlike form during the latter stages of the SA20, Ryan Rickelton finished as the top-scorer and Tristan Stubbs led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape over the line with a clutch undefeated half-century under pressure in the final.

Markram added: “Yeah, quite a few of the guys have done well, and are showing some really good signs. So, you’d much rather be in that space as a team than maybe sitting with a few guys who have been struggling, so we’re blessed that the boys are looking really good, and I can take that confidence now to India and Sri Lanka.”