SA's inconsistency concerns ex-players

Johannesburg: South Africa might have won the recent Test series 2-1 against Sri Lanka at home but their "inconsistent" performance has came under attack from seasoned veterans of the game.

Former South African Test batsman and former selector Graeme Pollock told the daily SportsDay that he was at a loss to explain the Proteas' dips in form.

"It was a really solid win against Sri Lanka in Cape Town (last week), but I find it strange that between performances they are capable of putting in a real shocker," Pollock said.

The veterans expressed concern about the Proteas now established pattern of below-par performances against opponents directly after beating them.

He was commenting on the fact that between resounding victories over the visitors in the first Test at Centurion and the third one in Cape Town, the Proteas lost the second one in Durban by 208 runs.

"It's a mystery to me how they can be excellent in one match and so poor in another," Pollock added.

Selector Craig Mathews, also a former Proteas medium paceman, concurred with Pollock that the South Africans should not take their victory over the Sri Lankans as conclusive proof that all was well with the team.

The veterans expressed concern about the Proteas now established pattern of below-par performances against opponents directly after beating them.

In the 2010 season, South Africa had lost to India in Durban after first trouncing them in Centurion by an innings.

"Coach Gary Kirsten has got to be thinking that there is an issue with consistency, but I don't know what the reason for the inconsistency is," Matthews told the daily.

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