Proteas sew up T20 victories

The Proteas clinched the international KFC T20 series against Pakistan, winning the second of three matches, at Bidvest Wanderers on February 3 by seven runs.

The final game will be played at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.

The Proteas were sent in to bat after Pakistan won the toss and posted 188 runs in the final over to hand the visitors the task of making 189 in their innings.

Stand-in captain David Miller led from the front and gave a sterling exhibition of his power-hitting game, while Babar Azam from Pakistan responded with a batting master class of the highest order. Miller celebrated his captaincy debut by being named KFC Man of the Match, but the result almost paled into comparison with the entertainment that was provided.

Miller smashed an unbeaten 65 off 29 balls with four fours and five sixes to set Pakistan a highly competitive target of 189. In the process he scored South Africa’s fastest T20 International half-century against these opponents.

Azam then proved himself equal to the challenge as he responded with 90 off 58 balls with 13 fours and one six. Apart from the fact that he was batting with a protective helmet, he looked every bit the part of a modern-day Sir Viv Richards as he played risk-free cricket for most of his innings.

With him at the crease, Pakistan appeared to be cruising to victory, having scored 70/1 in the power play, and his dismissal with 42 runs required sparked a collapse that saw Pakistan lose six wickets for 33 runs and fall agonisingly short of their target.

They needed 15 off Andile Phehlukwayo’s final over, but he defended it superbly and picked up two wickets into the bargain.

The Proteas had an unsung star and a new hero in 20-year-old debutant Lutho Sipamla, who pulled the attack together after the initial Pakistan onslaught, bowling four one-over spells. In the end he conceded just 23 runs, which was a match-winning effort in a high-scoring encounter.

He showed excellent control and a very cool head as he mixed up his pace and varieties and enabled his fielders to block the Pakistan scoring strokes – something that is not always easy at Bidvest Wanderers.

The Proteas had a second debutant in Janneman Malan, who could also be satisfied with his first effort (33 off 31 balls, three fours and two sixes).

In the meantime the Proteas women’s side held their nerve and secured a two-wicket series-clinching victory over Sri Lanka after Suné Luus set them up with a second career five-wicket haul at Bidvest Wanderers on Sunday. The nail-biting encounter saw the hosts take their victory with one ball to spare as they claimed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Luus’ 5/14 in 3.4 overs was not even her career best; she took a sensational 5/8 against Ireland at the 2016 ICC Women’s World T20 in India. Today, however, she helped bundle out the visitors for 105 with two deliveries to spare after the home side won the toss and put them in to bat first. Shashikala Siriwardene and Chamari Atapattu were the leading run scorers with 38 (33 balls) and 20 (29 balls) respectively, while Marizanne Kapp wreaked havoc up front, ending her spell with 3/17.

South Africa’s reply got off to a flying start thanks to captain Dané van Niekerk who struck a scorching 33 from 19 deliveries, including six boundaries and a six before getting caught and bowled by Achini Kulasuriya (1/24) in the fourth over.

The hosts then went from 57/4 in 11 overs to 97/8 thanks to a batting collapse that saw only Lara Goodall (17), Nadine de Klerk and Tazmin Brits (10) reach double figures. Eighteen-year-old de Klerk was impressive in her resolve, returning not out for 15 runs while the pressure mounted as she watched wickets fall around her. It was only fitting that she should also hit the winning runs in the end.

The third and final T20 will take place at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday at 1pm.

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