White-ball success for Conrad, but there's batting work to do

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South Africa's men's ODI series win over Australia, clinched with a game to spare, was a testament to their white-ball prowess. However, beneath the surface, there are concerns about their batting performance.

Lungi Ngidi was the star of the show, taking 5/52 with his variations of pace and a stunning return catch. His performance helped dismiss Australia for 193 in 37.4 overs, securing a comprehensive victory.

The win marked South Africa's fifth consecutive series win over Australia in the format, with the Australians slipping to their third straight defeat. Despite being the current World Cup holders, Australia have struggled against South Africa, who also beat them in the WTC final at Lord's in June.

Ngidi attributed their success to a mental battle, saying "it's always a tough challenge; they always put you under pressure. It was a test of character today. It usually is against Australia."

The win was South Africa's first white-ball success since Shukri Conrad took over as coach, and it's clear that his approach is working for some players. Matthew Breetzke has been in fine form, with a lowest score of 57 in his four ODI innings.

However, other batters are struggling. Tristan Stubbs' 74 on Friday was his first 50 in 14 innings, but he also dropped two catches. Ryan Rickelton's 71 off 55 in the first T20I was too laboured, and Aiden Markram's form has been inconsistent. Tony de Zorzi has gone 15 innings without making a half-century.

Conrad's approach to coaching is to give players more autonomy, allowing them to bowl what they want and play the conditions. This has worked well for Ngidi, who has taken 13 wickets in the series. However, it remains to be seen if this approach will translate to the batting department.