Modest Morkel happy with his part
Untouchable: SA take T20 series with one to go
ALL-ROUNDER Albie Morkel, awarded man-of-the-match for his excellent bowling figures which helped South Africa beat India by six wickets on Monday, said that a few months back he thought he would never get the opportunity to play for his country again.
South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead by winning the second Twenty20 International of the threematch series on Monday, the last of which will be played at the Eden Gardens tomorrow (Thursday).
Chasing India’s total of 92, South Africa crossed the line with six wickets in hand. JP Duminy top-scored with an unbeaten knock of 30; Morkel returned with figures of 4-0-12-3.
“I think a couple of months ago, I thought I would never get the opportunity to play for South Africa again – this is my 50th cap. I’m just happy to have played a small part in the series win. Fielding plays a massive role in T20 cricket,” Morkel said at the postmatch presentation ceremony.
“I arrived on Friday, during the first T20. One practice session, but it’s nice, it often works out that way – not too much thinking, just come in and play,” he said.
The 34-year-old all-rounder added: “We got two of their big guns with two fantastic run-outs. We got wickets anyway, but throw in those run-outs, and that really put us on top.”
Proteas T20 skipper Faf de Plessis also heaped praise his bowlers.
“Look, it’s an easy job to be a captain when your bowlers perform like that. I reckon it’s the best bowling performance we have had as a T20 team,” du Plessis said, also at the presentation ceremony.
Praising his fast bowlers as well as the spinners, he said: “Albie Morkel, it’s his 50th game, we are really proud of him for playing that many games. He was really clever with his lines. I thought there was great variety in those first six overs.
“Imran Tahir, I’m not sure he’s ever bowled in the first six. My thinking was just to try and get wickets. You never try and be too predictable as a bowling unit. Kagiso Rabada bowled four overs on the trot. He bowled really fast,” said Du Plessis.
Meanwhile, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he believed his team must play good cricket and bounce back in the third and final match of the T20 series.
“I don’t think we played good cricket. In the batting department, we just wanted to address run-outs and losing wickets in pairs. We didn’t improve on that. Overall, we didn’t bat well at all. It’s important to address what went wrong. You get performances like these, what’s important is how you bounce back,” Dhoni said.
“The calling needs to improve. At times you want to take a chance against the fielder.
Quicker
“Sometimes you have to keep the dew factor in mind, because the ball will go to the fielder quicker,” he said.
The skipper praised the team spinners for trying their best against the visitors. “There were not enough runs on the board. One thing is for sure, our spinners are bowling well, and that has been our strength.
Chance
“In the coming games, it is important to give some of the other guys a chance – we have some time before the World T20,” he said.” Amit Mishra is bowling really well, but looking at their batsmen, the incoming delivery is something the left-handers are good at. That’s why we went with two off spinners,” Dhoni said.
Morkel added that he expected India to come back strongly in the last T20 match in Kolkata.
“They are a world-class unit, we know what they can do.
“The series is done now, but I expect them to bounce back in Kolkata,” Morkel said.