New Zealand win sets up enticing ODI series

NEW Zealand’s series-levelling 32-run win in the second KFC T20 International has set up an enticing match-up for the three-match Momentum One Day International (ODI) series starting at Supersport Park on Wednesday, August 19.

Oxigen Proteas captain, AB de Villiers, rued the soft dismissals which played a part in his team’s disappointing loss, and said they were “dominated for 40 overs” in Sunday’s match.

“I think all round it was a poor day for us,” De Villiers said after the match. “We struggled to get momentum on our side, even though it’s a shorter version of the game, the momentum tends to shift in various directions throughout the game but it stayed on their side throughout the game. The scoreboard says we only lost by a few runs but maybe a partnership or two at the end would have gotten us close but I felt that we were below par with bat and ball.”

The late-winter scheduling of the series brought good crowds in Durban and Centurion, and De Villiers believes the timing will be a good test of the Proteas’ adaption to situations if the calendar remains the same.

“It’s a little bit early to be playing cricket in South Africa but once again it’s a challenge to test ourselves and the way we can adapt in games like these,” he said. “We need to see how we think on our feet and whether we are smart enough as a cricket team to turn games around to win them. We aren’t there yet and we will have to figure that out in the ODI’s.”

Despite being the stand-in captain, De Villiers was satisfied with the progress of the T20 squad ahead of an important season, particularly the performances from some of the upcoming players including Kagiso Rabada, David Wiese and Rilee Rossouw. Rabada showed resolve to come back after an expensive opening spell in both matches and continues to impress during his run at international level.

Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir and Vernon Philander have joined the ODI squad.