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Miller: I'm getting more comfortable as a 'keeper

Cape Town - David Miller says he has embraced his role as South Africa's backup wicketkeeper for the 2019 World Cup.

Quinton de Kock will always be the first-choice gloveman for the Proteas, but the decision has been taken to go to the World Cup without a specialist backup. 

For that reason, Miller has been identified as the man to take over from De Kock should the situation arise in England. 

De Kock has been struggling with a niggling finger injury over the past few months and while it is not expected to hamper his performance at the World Cup, the South African brains trust has identified Miller as the wicketkeeping cover. 

He kept at different times during the final two ODIs against Sri Lanka, but on Tuesday at Newlands Miller was given the gloves for the duration of Sri Lanka's innings in the opening T20I and he looked largely comfortable. 

"I've prepped pretty well, to be honest," Miller told media after the match.

"It's a new challenge that I've been asked to do and I'm not going to turn it down. It's quite a relief and I'm pretty happy with how it went.

"It's not a natural thing. I've been a keeper in the past growing up but it's not professional cricket.

"I'm feeling as comfortable as I can feel. I think the more I work on it the more comfortable I will feel."

Chasing 135 for victory, South Africa very nearly choked from a position where it seemed nearly impossible that they could lose. 

A Super Over was required to get them over the line in the end, with Miller scoring 13 runs in that crunch over while he also top-scored with 41 (23) in the chase. 

"I think it was a tough wicket at the end there. It was a serious collapse that we had, but in saying that they bowled really well with those slower balls and I don't think we adapted well enough," Miller said.

"At the end of the day I think we were lucky to get into the Super Over and I think we can learn from it."

The second T20I takes place at Centurion on Friday.

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