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Dolphins favourite Miller, 23, smashed an unbeaten 72 to be easily Yorkshire’s best contributor as they failed by 10 runs to chase down Hampshire’s total of 150 for six.
Miller was left stranded after an eventful 46-ball stay, which included five sixes and five fours, as his side ended on 140 for eight in the English domestic T20 showpiece.
As David Hopps of Cricinfo put it: “(Hampshire) survived his cudgelling assault to win the trophy for the second time in three years ... on a slow, grabby surface.
“Quite how South Africa can overlook a batsman of such ferocious power for World Twenty20 (in Sri Lanka next month) will be hard for anybody who witnessed his innings to understand.”
Miller ended the tournament as its leading six-hitter.
But, when he had reached only seven, Hampshire thought they had snared the danger-man when Miller’s compatriot, the veteran former Test star Neil McKenzie, appeared to have caught him at short midwicket.
The incident was “sent upstairs” for TV review but the evidence was declared not conclusive enough for the left-hander to be given out.
Hampshire were reportedly irked, and McKenzie was quoted afterwards as saying: “I definitely did take it. I pride myself on being one of the more honest guys around.”
Miller has played 16 ODIs and eight T20 internationals for the Proteas, without quite managing to set the world alight; his last appearances for South Africa came in October 2011.
But it is good news for the longer term, all the same, that he appears to be fast regaining his clean-striking mojo, and he may just find himself among “standby” resources as a result for the World T20.
*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing
