Big-hitting lefty pulls Proteas out of the fire
David Miller pulled South Africa out of the fire in their T20 World Cup Group D clash against the Netherlands on Saturday night, to guide them to a narrow four-wicket win.
New York’s Nassau County International Cricket nearly hosted yet another Dutch upset over the Proteas in World Cups, which would have brought the tally to three following wins in the last T20 tournament, as well as in the ODI tournament.
And this time, the Proteas would only have had themselves to blame.
Chasing a foeitog score of just 103/9 on a wicket that probably deserved to see more runs, the Proteas were kniediep innie stront at 12/4 in the fifth over.
Because it was a pressure game against a team that has had their nommer recently, fans would have been forgiven for starting to think about that “C” word.
Choking, get your head out of the gutter.
It looked pretty bleak after opener Quinton de Kock (0) was run out on the first ball of their innings without facing a ball.
His opening partner Reeza Hendricks (3) joined him back in the hut in the next over when he was clean bowled after missing a forward defensive shot.
Captain Aiden Markram (0) was ook ’n nul op ’n kontrak on the day when he was caught behind down leg. When Heinrich Klaasen (4) was caught after a pull shot went wrong, SA needed a hero.
That’s when Miller (59* off 51 balls) and Tristan Stubbs (33) double-teamed the Dutch with a fifth-wicket partnership of 55 before the latter mistimed a shot in the 17th over, leaving Miller to take SA home with the lower order.
When he finished the match with a six off the second-last ball of the 19th over, Keshav Maharaj, who was yet to get off the mark, was at the other end.
Earlier in the clash, SA’s bowlers did their bit to help the team, with Ottniel Baartman starring with his figures of 4/11 in four overs – three of those wickets coming in the final over to restrict the Dutch.
Marco Jansen (2/20) and Anrich Nortje (2/19) were also among the wickets as the Proteas, who play Bangladesh today, moved to the top of the group’s standings.
Daily Voice