AB batting position poser

Debate rages as to swashbuckling De Villiers’ ideal spot to slay opponents

IF YESTERDAY’s mauling of a BCB XI in Fatullah is anything to go by, South Africa’s One-Day International captain, AB de Villiers, will at least bat in the top three in the opening Twenty20 Inter national against hosts Bangladesh tomorrow.

With Test skipper Hashim Amla being rested for this T20 series, De Villiers joined Quinton de Kock to open the innings at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium and there were significant signs yesterday that this could potentially be an explosive partnership.

De Villiers’s position in the batting order in limited-overs cricket, especially in T20s, has long been a point of conjecture. Ex-players and television pundits were jumping up and down last year in frustration during last year’s World T20 in Bangladesh when it came to which number De Villiers was occupying in the batting order.

Proteas coach Russell Domingo, ar med with data gathered by team video analyst and statistician Prasanna Agoram, often struck a defiant pose in defending the decision to have De Villiers often come in lower down.

Domingo’s belief was that the actual number De Villiers came to the crease was not the telling factor, but rather the position of the game.

His critics, however, argued that No 3 was best suited to De Villiers’s unique talents due to the fact that he could control the match situation if he had the majority of balls to face, instead of walking to the crease with only a limited number of overs remaining.

To be fair to Domingo, though, De Villiers has not projected the same self-confidence in his T20 game that he exudes so brilliantly in the other formats and it is only after a decision to bat higher up for his Indian Premier League franchise, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, that the results have been more consistent.

It seems now that the Proteas, too, have had a re-think in their camp.

Having only been set 100 for victory after South Africa’s bowlers – particularly Kyle Abbott (2/2) and David Wiese (3/13) – gave the Bangladeshi batsmen the hurry-up before left-ar m spinner Aaron Phangiso (2/19) produced the finishing touches, De Villiers and De Kock wasted no time in getting the job done.

Both played with freedom and scorched 10 boundaries between them as they exploited the powerplay.

Although the quality of bowling will be of a higher standard tomorrow when South Africa come face-to-face with Bangladeshi teenage pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman for the first time, it is refreshing to see a Proteas opening combination able to maximise the opening six overs when only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

De Villiers blitzed 25 (4x4) off just 19 balls, although De Kock was even quicker in compiling his 35 (6x4) from only 24 balls (6x4).

The pair set off for the dressingroom – retired out – after seven overs having put on 64 to allow JP Duminy and David Miller to get some batting time.

The left-handed duo closed off the match in explosive style to provide the near-capacity crowd with some form of entertainment.

“It’s good to get a win like this. It is satisfying,” said Phangiso after the resounding victory.

“The guys have been working hard in the heat, to see Quinton bat the way he batted is very good as he hadn’t played in a while.”

Phangiso was more coy when asked where De Villiers was likely to bat – “I am not God, I can’t predict these things” – and concerned by the lack of turn in the Fatullah pitch.

“It was tough to bowl, there was no turn, you have to bowl a bit quicker.

“It was a bit difficult, you had to think on your feet,” the left-arm spinner, who plays for the Highveld Lions, said.