Share

SA’s T20 batting taking shape

Cape Town – The Proteas will, virtually needless to say, still have the oppressive matter of that major-tournament jinx hanging over them when they compete in the next ICC World Twenty20 tournament in India in March.

But some seven months out from it, they look pretty near to nailing down the stable, correct batting personnel to potentially be among the best contenders on the willow-friendly Subcontinent.

South Africa played some really admirable cricket for the last 75 percent or thereabouts of the first T20 international against New Zealand at Kingsmead on Friday, winning by six wickets with 13 balls to spare - which devotees of the format will know is an even more comprehensive margin than it may seem on paper.

It was also the Proteas’ third wide-margin T20 triumph in a row in the space of a few weeks after they had clinched the away Bangladeshi series 2-0 in July.

Their only real hiccup was in the initial stages of the Black Caps’ innings - after the tourists had been sent in by acting captain AB de Villiers - when they leaked 56 runs without a scalp in the six-over powerplay, and then the 100 ominously appeared on the board for the loss of only one wicket after 12 overs.

It seemed at that point that a dangerous NZ total of 180-plus was possible ... but it was also roughly the time that South Africa pulled themselves together at a rate of knots and then never significantly relaxed the pressure for the rest of the contest.

The New Zealanders were eventually curtailed to 151 for eight, with left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso and wily medium-pacer David Wiese applying mid-innings brakes with commendable force and skill, which also seemed to fire up SA’s initially suffering main seamers to finish light years better than they started.

The Proteas’ chase of a much more moderate target than was once on the cards seldom, frankly, looked a fussed one, and two major developments went a long way to ensuring that happy phenomenon.

One was the restoration of Hashim Amla not only to the T20 team for the first time in well over a year, but also the front of the order.

It made such sense to coax him back to service in this format, given the stability and calmness he automatically provides, but also because his style of accumulation should be so important in Indian conditions when the world event comes around at season’s end.

Rotating the strike with ease to allow more explosive hitters around him every chance to prosper, Amla shared 50 partnerships with both De Villiers and Rilee Rossouw: he had lovely patches of extravagance himself every now and then, but generally speaking was prepared to be the unglamorous yet ultra-trusty anchor.

He would have been slightly irked to succumb to an inelegant, lofted heave just two runs short of a personal half-century and with victory only five runs away - it meant he has still (and unusually) not passed 50 since May 29 when he got to that landmark for Derbyshire against Lancashire. But he nevertheless looked strongly as though his appetite for crease-hogging is returning.

As for De Villiers, commentator and former SA captain Kepler Wessels was among those celebrating his deployment at No 3 on Friday night.

This A-lister of global strokeplay has been tried in every berth in the top six for the Proteas at T20 level, where a little unfathomably his record (average 22.54, top effort from 60 games still just 79 not out) remains so notably inferior to his stellar Test and ODI stats.

But if first-drop seems increasingly the right slot for him, he only advanced his case at Kingsmead where he romped to 33 off 21 deliveries to ensure there would be relatively little run-rate pressure at the back end of the chase.

As for the left-handed Rossouw at No 4, he actually eclipsed De Villiers for blistering strike rate as he almost nonchalantly smashed 38 off 20 balls.

The tall Free Stater, on a good day - pleasingly rather more often now - is fast becoming one of the best limited-overs “musclers” of a cricket ball you will see anywhere.

Much has been made of the Black Caps arriving for this early-spring tour with a depleted squad, but remember that the Proteas missed some blue-chip names at Kingsmead too, including in Du Plessis (a late withdrawal with a knee problem) and JP Duminy two batting regulars in the T20 environment when available.

Looking ahead to that next global T20 tournament, it looks increasingly likely that outsiders - though Quinton de Kock is nicely on the rebound - may struggle to break into a top seven comprising such surnames, not necessarily in this exact order, as Amla, Rossouw, De Villiers, Du Plessis, Miller, Duminy and Wiese.

Unless someone suffers a hideous slump, I believe the Proteas ought to run with these guys as the batting fulcrum for the next few months, in a quest to establish continuity and build confidence. They should see further palatable fruits along the way in doing so ...

*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE