Markram And Jansen Stand Out As Proteas Remain Unbeaten Against Black Caps In T20World Cups
The Proteas produced a ferocious batting display, continuing their unbeaten record against New Zealand in T20 World Cups, winning their fifth game against the Black Caps as they romped to a seven-wicket victory while chasing 176 in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
This was also the first successful chase in nine games in this World Cup, as Aiden Markram guided his side to a resounding victory with a wonderful display of batting mastery, scoring an unbeaten 86.
South Africa won the toss and opted to send New Zealand in to bat first with one change to the side – Corbin Bosch replacing George Linde.
With both sides winning two from two and both dispatching Afghanistan, this was a relatively low-stakes encounter with pride at stake more than anything else. Had the Proteas lost to Afghanistan in their double super-over victory days ago, the situation might have been different, but the South Africans seem to have built a resolve and strong temperament for the clutch situations.
The Proteas have never previously lost to New Zealand in a T20 World Cup, winning the previous four encounters between the two sides.
Openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen started tentatively until Allen blitzed the third over by Lungi Ngidi for 18 runs – followed by 17 off Marco Jansen.
Seifert welcomed Jansen with a six over long-on before top, edging him on the next ball, through to Quinton de Kock in an attempt to go over cover, with the score on 33.
Jansen swung the momentum in the favour of the Proteas, getting the struggling Rachin Ravindra for 13 before picking up the key wicket of Allen for 31 as he failed to get the elevation required to clear mid-off.
When Keshav Maharaj bowled Glenn Phillips, the Black Caps were stuttering on 64/4. Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell resurrected the innings and picked up the pace nicely despite a slow start. At 121/4 after 12 overs, New Zealand looked set for a monumental score again.
Jansen came back into the attack and took his first four-for in his T20I career, dismissing the dangerous Chapman two short of what would have been a well-played 50 and ending their 74-run partnership.
Mitchell followed just three runs later, as both batters who were set as the closing overs approached were now back in the dugout.
Corbin Bosch claimed the wicket of Mitchell Santner as New Zealand lost momentum at the close – limping to 175 – scoring a mere 44 runs in the final seven overs.
NEW ZEALAND – 175/7
Mark Chapman 48 (26 balls), Daryl Mitchell 32 (24 balls), Finn Allen 31 (17 balls)
Marco Jansen 4/40 (4 overs), Keshav Maharaj 1/14 (3 overs)
South Africa were like a hare out of a trap, allowing the New Zealand bowlers no respite, asserting their dominance from the get-go.
The Proteas got to fifty in three overs as they decimated the bowling before Lockie Ferguson bowled de Kock with a leg-cutter, although much of the damage had already been done.
South Africa ended the powerplay scoring a staggering 83 runs, which also saw de Kock pass 3000 T20I runs.
Ryan Rickelton kept the foot on the accelerator as he watched his captain get to fifty off 19 balls – the fastest half-century by a South African in T20 World Cups, going past de Kock’s 21 balls.
Rickelton fell to an exquisite Mitchell catch on the long-on boundary before Dewald Brevis scored a scratchy 21 off 17.
Markram was joined at the crease by the ever-reliant David Miller, and the two negotiated the remainder of the chase with relative ease, quite becoming of their experience, with Miller sealing the win with an emphatic six over deep mid-wicket.
A statement victory for South Africa, whose batting line-up looks beautifully balanced and set up in such a way that if a couple of guys don’t come to the party, there are others to pick up the slack.
SOUTH AFRICA 178/3
Markram 86* (44 balls), David Miller 24* (17 balls), Quinton de Kock 20 (14 balls)
James Neesham 1/15 (2 overs)
