De Kock wants to play ‘nice and aggressive’

AMONG the numerous selection debates that the Proteas are engrossed in leading up to the World T20 in India next week, the hottest one is undoubtedly over who will open the innings with AB de Villiers.

Because that much is certain: De Villiers will walk out first at the Wankhede Stadium when the Proteas meet England next Friday.

But the crucial question is: Will it be Quinton de Kock or Hashim Amla alongside him?

Considering the intensity of fighting it out for one position ahead of a global showpiece, it would be safe to assume there could be a little tension between the two contenders.

Nobody seems to have told De Kock that though, with the 23-year-old saying yesterday ahead of today’s series decider against Australia that there’s “no beef ” between him and the former Test captain.

Be that as it may, the possibility does exist that one might become quite acquainted with wearing the reserve’s orange bib and carrying water bottles much more than the other.

Either that or face the prospect of having to move down the order if three is going to be forced into two.

It is near impossible that Amla can be utilised anywhere but at the top of the order, which would leave young De Kock with a question-mark hanging over his head.

“I don’t know, hey!” De Kock said when asked how he would react to being asked to bat in the middle-order like David Warner has for the Aussies in this series.

“We’ll just see how things go. I haven’t been there (middle-order) in a while, but I always have a look, assess, make sure the strike-rate is 100 percent, and then at the time it’s needed, have a go,” he said.

“But if it comes my way, so be it – I will try to get the job done, hey.”

There’s not much that separates De Kock and Amla over the course of their respective T20 international careers in terms of numbers.

The dashing young left-hander has struck 564 runs at an average of 28.20 with a strike-rate of 123.14, while Amla has 630 runs at 27.27 with a marginally higher strike-rate of 125.55. Both their averages are higher than that of De Villiers, who has 1 258 runs at 22.87 and a strike-rate of 128.89.

De Villiers’s numbers, though, improve with 239 runs at 26.55, boasting a strike-rate of 145.73, when he has opened the batting in the past.

The idea of De Kock and De Villiers tearing attacks apart is certainly something for T20 enthusiasts to salivate over, especially with De Kock saying it’s almost a gung-ho approach.

“There’s no real master plan. We just walk out and say ‘Okay, let’s try to get off to a good start’. It doesn’t matter who takes it. If we both go at it, then so be it.

“If one of us gets out early, then we’ll just carry on. I guess that’s nice like that, nice and aggressive,” De Kock said.

Newlands may not see such carnage today with the Proteas likely to pair up Amla’s silky touch with De Kock in a bid to test all combinations before departure tomorrow.

Seamer Kyle Abbott, pictured above, will probably get a run too, with all-rounder Chris Morris likely to be omitted.

Neither of these selections should be seen as South Africa surrendering the series, with De Kock stressing that the Proteas are eager to leave SA shores on a high note, especially with today’s opposition being arch-rivals Australia.

“We want to win,” De Kock said. “A series win against Australia doesn’t come easily, to win against them would be great.

“There is a bigger picture with the World Cup coming up in India and the conditions will be different, but we want to finish off well.”

THE independent re-assessment of Highveld Lions left-arm spinner, Aaron Phangiso’s bowling action, has found that his action for all deliveries is within the parameters as laid down by the ICC regulations and his suspension from bowling in CSA competitions is thus lifted with immediate effect.

“It’s a huge relief to be cleared and to have my bowling action passed, it has been a tough and challenging few weeks for me,” Phangiso said.