Miller: Proteas must be ‘nice and clinical’
LESS than a week ago, the doomsayers were preparing the eulogy of South African international cricket.
The overall feeling was that it had lost its place in the modern world, that it was overtaken by the future, and its only relevance of a World Cup was fast becoming secondary too.
But suddenly, there is tangible optimism. Frowns have been replaced with smiles, and from being no-hopers, the whole place is alive with self-belief again.
Successive victories over double world white-ball champions England have provided everyone with hope.
The Proteas’ World Cup fate is suddenly in their hands once more. The 20 points gained propelled the Proteas to 79, pushing Sri Lanka (77) down to 10th and the West Indies (88) within their sights.
And that is why today’s third one-day international in Kimberley (1pm start) is no dead rubber.
Any thought of squad rotation after the series was clinched in Bloemfontein should be shelved, for a 3-0 clean-sweep of England would not just be an emphatic statement that the Proteas have been resuscitated, but the addition of a further 10 points would immediately relegate the West Indies to the lottery of the qualifiers.
“We have always stepped up against the stronger teams, and England are a formidable force. For us to do well against them is always a pleasing thing,” David Miller said yesterday.
“We’re here to win … we want to win the series 3-0. It’s really important to be putting the right people on the park, but our squad is incredibly strong – we’re always producing great cricketers in South Africa.
“Whoever does play, I have no doubt that we’re going to have a full-strength team. To be nice and clinical would be the cherry on top.
“I am excited about this team. I know we haven’t been as successful as we have wanted to be in the ODI stuff for the last two years, but that doesn’t take away from how good the players are.
“It is an exciting time, and if we are able to pull it together, we can compete with the best in the world.”
The optimism beaming through Miller was comprehensible, even more so because the captain Temba Bavuma is also back in form and leading from the front.
It certainly feels that the pieces are all coming together at just the right time.
“That was one of the most exciting innings I’ve seen,” Miller said. “Not necessarily because Temba scored a hundred, but because of the way he did it. He batted phenomenally well.
“He put the pressure on the bowlers from the word go and kept that tempo, so it was a matchwinning knock.
“Temba’s been working really hard on his game, and his innings was just outstanding. The maturity he batted with was so good to see, and I’m very chuffed for him.
“He would have taken great learnings out of that, and I think he showed everyone and himself that he can score at a very healthy runrate with just normal cricket shots.”
The most likely change to the Proteas line-up could see Quinton de Kock being rested, after the wicketkeeper injured his finger during England’s innings at the Mangaung Oval.
De Kock was cleared to bat, but it is unlikely that he will want to risk aggravating the finger.
Heinrich Klaasen is expected to continue behind the stumps, with either Janneman Malan or Kimberley local Reeza Hendricks being drafted into the line-up.