Chastened Proteas rope in familiar face to help cure bowling woes ahead of World Cup

The Proteas have officially roped in a former national head coach to get its misfiring attack primed for the 50-over World Cup in India starting next month.

White-ball mentor Rob Walter on Sunday confirmed that Eric Simons will be South Africa's bowling coach in the short-term, spanning the five-match ODI series against the Australians starting next week as well as the showpiece tournament. 

The seasoned 61-year-old's involvement is timely after an inexperienced bowling group was hammered by the Baggy Greens batters in the T20 series in Durban, where the Proteas succumbed to a 3-0 series whitewash on Sunday.

READ | Dominant Australia take T20 clean sweep over Proteas

Simons, who represented South Africa in 23 ODIs, was in charge of the national side from 2002 to 2004 - notably at the helm for the 2003 World Cup fiasco on home soil - and boasted a 58% and 55% win percentage in Tests and ODIs respectively.

He did, however, receive a 2011 World Cup winner's medal as bowling consultant for India and is a longtime coaching stalwart of the Super Kings T20 franchises.

"Eric has been joining us throughout the winter and will be with us for the ODI series and World Cup," Walter said following the five-wicket loss at a packed Kingsmead.

The Proteas had been employing Rory Kleinveldt in an interim capacity previously and roped in Dolphins assistant Quinton Friend for the week in Durban.

The bowling firepower is expected to be significantly bolstered for the 50-over stuff as front-liners Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje both return, while currently injured duo of Wayne Parnell (shoulder) and Sisanda Magala (knee) are on the mend.

Walter, nonetheless, didn't shy away from the horrors endured by the raw attack that did duty in the T20s, which