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Proteas captain Quinton de Kock admits that other batsmen scoring runs in the ODI series against Australia has taken a lot of pressure off of him.
De Kock is opening the batting, keeping wicket and captaining the side and, throughout the summer, has often had to carry the side from a run-scoring perspective in the shorter formats.
In the ODI series against the Aussies, though, he has carded scores of 15 and 0 but runs from other members of the top order have helped give the Proteas an unassailable 2-0 lead with just one clash remaining in Potchefstroom on Saturday.
Heinrich Klaasen has made runs in both ODIs - 123* and 51 - while newcomer Janneman Malan's 129* in the 2nd ODI was one of the great South African knocks in recent memory.
With De Kock struggling against the pace of Mitchell Starc, who has clean bowled the South African captain three times on this tour, runs from elsewhere have been welcomed.
"It's good to see some of the boys coming in and scoring runs," De Kock said on Friday.
"I think it's important that happens. You can't always rely on one person. These new guys coming in and scoring runs is great to have and it takes a lot off my back.
"I still feel like I'm batting well, obviously Starc is just giving me one or two problems."
The good news for De Kock is that Starc will not play on Saturday as he returns back to Australia to watch his wife, Alyssa Healy, play in the final of the Women's T20 World Cup on Sunday.
That doesn't change anything for South Africa, though, who are desperate to secure a series whitewash and win the series 3-0.
"We want to win the series 3-0. It would be a good boost for the team. We've worked really hard and for us to not come up with another win would be disappointing," De Kock said.
Play starts at 10:00.
- Compiled by Lloyd Burnard
