SACricketmag.com’s KHALID MOHIDIN rates the Proteas’ performances in the second T20I at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom.
The Proteas completed a comfortable six-wicket win by successfully chasing down Zimbabwe’s 132-7 in 15.4 overs.
On paper, it was a brilliant result, although they lost four wickets on the path to victory, which suggests that they made a meal of a chase that should have been simple on the flat batting surface, especially with the quality in the side.
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The top order did all the hard work to get themselves in, but poor shot selection denied them an opportunity to take the Proteas over the line for the loss of fewer wickets.
The bowlers were brilliant once again as their combined effort set up the Proteas’ win by handing their batters a simple target to chase.
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Quinton de Kock – 5
Considering the low total they chased, De Kock’s 26 got the Proteas started nicely. He looked comfortable at the crease, showing great movement and timing for his three fours and a six. His rating, however, drops drastically due to his inability to stick around and see the hosts over the line. His dismissal was due to a lack of reading Brandin Mavuta’s length ball. De Kock expected turn and, in his attempt to play the ball with the spin down the leg-side, he chopped it into his stumps.
He was safe behind the stumps again, his one-handed leaping catch to dismiss Elton Chigumbura (six) summing up his solid performance with the gloves.
Rassie van der Dussen – 3
Playing in his natural position at the top of the order, Van der Dussen hit a four and a six for his 13. Unlike his innings at Buffalo Park, however, he didn’t take his time at the crease before letting loose. He went after Zimbabwe instantly and as a result, nicked off Chris Mpofu in the third over, who picked up the wicket of the Lions man for the second time in the series. A lost opportunity to tighten his grip on a place in the squad.
Faf du Plessis – 3
The Proteas skipper started off strong, finding boundaries with ease, until a misjudgment saw him walk back to the pavilion to leave his side in a slight spot of bother. His shot selection for his dismissal was puzzling: Sean Williams’ length ball angled in at off-stump and Du Plessis attempted to push it through the off-side. The ball spun slightly and found the gap between his bat and pad, crashing into his off-stump.
JP Duminy – 8
Duminy proved why he is essential to the Proteas’ limited-overs sides. After the Proteas were reduced to 58-3 off 7.2 overs, the 33-year-old soaked up the pressure and took his side home comfortably. He scored an unbeaten 26-ball 33 that included smart rotation of strike and clean-hit boundaries (three fours and a six). His performance was highlighted by his consecutive boundaries off Mavuta at the start of the 12th over – Duminy showed innovation to paddle sweep a slider inches away from the keeper’s left and followed this up with a T20-like slog over deep mid-wicket for six.
Heinrich Klaasen – 5
Klaasen’s knock was a cameo instead of a match-winner. He scored 22 and played his role in the Proteas’ recovery, but a common trend has occurred where the Titans man has failed to see out a run chase. His attempted slog sweep found deep mid-wicket after briefly entertaining the crowd with two pull-shots for six in the 10th and 11th overs. He lost his wicket in the 12th over, with the Proteas needing 31 runs to win.
David Miller – 7
Miller wasn’t left with much to do at the scene of one of his greatest triumphs. He came in, hit a 13-ball 19 that included four fours, and saw the Proteas over the line. His rating is applicable considering he did exactly what was required of him as a number six batsman. He also took a sensational catch to dismiss Peter Moor, who sent a catch rocketing into the sky. Miller completed the catch in textbook fashion, running in from the boundary to get underneath the ball at long on without breaking eye contact until he had nestled it safely in his palms.
Robbie Frylinck – 8
The all-rounder never had the chance to bat but he bowled really well. Frylink took 2-20 and was crucial in muffling Zimbabwe’s powerful start by dismissing Hamilton Masakadza (21) after he had slammed Lungi Ngidi for two sixes and a four in the third over. Frylink struck in the fifth over after replacing Ngidi. The Proteas built up the pressure by squeezing Zimbabwe’s scoring rate and Frylinck drew Masakadza out for a slog, only for the ball to nip in and crash into his leg-stump. This helped to get the Proteas off to a comfortable start.
Andile Phehlukwayo – 7
The all-rounder took no wickets but was a valuable asset to his side by throttling the visitors. He finished his four overs with figures of 0-15 and an excellent economy rate of 3.75.
Dane Paterson – 8
The Cobras speedster brought his form from the 4-Day Franchise Series into his performance for his country. Voted Man of the Match on the night for his 2-22, Paterson got the Proteas the start they desired. His first wicket came from a beautiful length delivery that angled in at Solomon Mire’s off-stump, and the dangerous opener was beaten for pace as the ball crashed into the off-stump.
His second wicket was a mirror image of his first, this time removing the dangerous Williams, who had smashed his way to 41 off 28 balls. Paterson cramped the left-hander for space as he attempted to flick the ball away but, instead, watched his leg-stump tumble.
Lungi Ngidi – 7
After an expensive start that saw him go for seven runs in his first over and then smashed for 16 runs off his second over, Ngidi came back and took 2-13 in his second spell. He finished with figures of 3-36 after picking up Zimbabwe’s last two wickets – Moor and Chigumbura.
Tabraiz Shamsi – 6
The spinner started off well and took 1-13 in his first three overs. Identical to the last ODI and the first T20I, Shamsi then took a beating in one devastating over. Williams went after the left-arm spinner and smashed him for three sixes and a four. He went for 24 runs in his final over and finished as the Proteas’ most expensive bowler once again, with figures of 1-37.
Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
