Proteas off to a flying start
Tahir’s five-wicket haul sees Black Caps skittled in T20 tour opener
PROTEAS’ bowling coach Charl Langeveldt had put his young charges on notice prior to departing for New Zealand.
Despite taking all 10 Sri Lankan wickets in three of the five ODIs played at home, Langeveldt still rated his bowling unit at 50%.
He was particularly upfront about the fact that there was still a new-ball vacancy alongside Kagiso Rabada leading up to the ICC Champions Trophy.
Langeveldt would have left Eden Park after yesterday’s T20 78-run demolition of New Zealand a much happier man and filled with plenty of fresh optimism leading into the start of the five-match ODI series in Hamilton tomorrow.
The irrepressible Imran Tahir may deservedly receive all the accolades for his career-best 5/24 that skittled the Black Caps for just 107 in response to South Africa’s 185/6, but it was undoubtedly the performance of the pace bowlers that allowed the Proteas to get their tour off to a flying start.
With young Rabada being eased into New Zealand by being offered a much-deserved break last night, captain Faf du Plessis entrusted the new ball to Chris Morris and Dane Paterson. It was a risky decision, with Morris renowned for being inconsistent, while Paterson was playing only his second full T20 International after a disappointing debut at Newlands a couple of weeks ago.
With Langeveldt’s words ringing in their ears the pair raised their level of performance considerably, especially Morris who struck a double blow in his second over. But it was not just the wickets that would impressed “Langes” but also the intent and purpose with which Morris hit the crease and got the ball to zip through off a pacy Eden Park surface through to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.
And when their spells were completed, the pressure was maintained by rookie allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo who grabbed three wickets for good measure. He accounted for the dismissal of New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, who pulled a short delivery straight to Wayne Parnell on the square-leg boundary.
Test and T20 skipper Du Plessis was certainly impressed with the effort of his bowlers.
“I thought everyone bowled really well. Obviously Immy was the standout but I thought our seamers were really good. “We have an extremely young bowling unit. They are eager to buy into whatever is necessary on the day. They are so fresh that they pretty much buy into everything that is required. They were very crisp.
“Chris Morris with the new ball, a relatively new job for him, bowled with good heat.”
New Zealand, especially the batsmen, have a fair knowledge now of what is expected of them during the one-day series. They will have the experience of Ross Taylor and Dean Brownlie tomorrow, but even that may not be enough to counter the brilliance of the planet’s premier white-ball bowler, Tahir.
The leg-spinner was exceptional at Eden Park with his concoction of googlies and will relish having another crack at the Black Caps at Seddon Park.
“Immy is a big reason why we’ve had the success we’ve had,” Du Plessis said. “He’s a massive weapon. Even if teams get off to a good start, we know that the chances are of him coming on and stopping the game are pretty high. He’s just so consistent. He doesn’t bowl many bad balls any more.”
Tahir was ecstatic with his maiden T20 five-wicket haul.
“It’s a very special feeling. Every wicket I take for South Africa is a special feeling. I just want to express myself,” Tahir said.
The Black Caps would have been aware of Tahir’s progress before the rout, but having now succumbed to it there are even greater dangers ahead with the five-match One-Day International series looming.
The first ODI is set for Hamilton’s Seddon Park tomorrow.
Tahir is certainly not going to let up but he respects the fact that the Kiwis will welcome back more experienced batsmen like former captain Ross Taylor and Dean Brownlie.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Tahir said of the ODI series. “It’s always a challenge playing against these guys. I’m looking forward to it.”
But Du Plessis knows that even after dispatching the world’s premier-ranked T20 side with relative ease – with batsmen like Hashim Amla (62 off 43 balls, 9x4, 1x6) showing good early form too – there is an entirely different challenge awaiting the Proteas in the one-dayers.
“When two really good teams go at each other, you want to put a peg in the ground to show the brand of cricket you are playing.
“That’s what we did. But obviously Sunday (tomorrow) is a brand-new start, and we have to make sure we start over again because they are a quality one-day side,” said Du Plesiss, who will hand the captain’s armband to AB de Villiers for the ODIs.