Proteas eye another win
EDDIE Leie and Aaron Phangiso are great chums, and the competition for a spot in next year’s T20 World Cup is driving a good-natured battle between the pair which will continue to play out this afternoon and in the coming months.
While South Africa’s starting limited overs spinner, Imran Tahir, is still on a break, Leie and Phangiso keep upping the stakes in what can be viewed as a fight for one position – that of support spinner – in the squad for next year’s T20 showpiece in India.
It was effervescent leg-spinner Leie who provided the star turn on his debut in Chittagong against Bangladesh last month when he picked up 3/16.
On Friday night, with New Zealand opening pair Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson bossing the opening passage of the T20 International at Kingsmead, Phangiso wrested the initiative back for South Africa, which ended in a sixwicket win for the home side.
Phangiso picked up the Man of the Match accolade for his 2/29, but those figures barely tell the tale of the role his four overs played in achieving the crucial turnaround for the South Africans.
Williamson and Guptill had smashed 56 runs in the Power Play, helped by a listless opening from the South African seamers. Phangiso came on in the eighth over and dismissed Williamson with a crafty piece of bowling, and from there on South Africa gradually assumed control.
“I enjoyed getting the ball there under pressure. I enjoyed the confidence the captain showed in me to give me the ball at that stage,” said the leftarm slow bowler.
He may not get a chance to repeat those heroics at his former home ground, SuperSport Park, today, as Leie is owed a chance to display his wares.
South Africa’s coach, Russell Domingo, had said when the team for the series was announced that the hosts would be rotating the duo, so New Zealand can prepare for some wrist spinning in Centurion this afternoon.
The make-up of that 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup is far from decided, but it will be unlikely that South Africa will take three frontline spinners – not with JP Duminy also available. So Leie will have to show that his Chittagong performance was no flash in the pan.
Meanwhile the captain, Faf du Plessis faces a fitness test before this afternoon’s match.
Du Plessis sat out the first match after hurting a tendon in his left knee. He was treated yesterday by the physiotherapist and was still feeling “sore”.
In the event of Du Plessis missing out today, South Africa would have to continue with Morne van Wyk at the top of the order alongside Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers at No 3. Ideally they want De Villiers opening with Amla, as will be the case for the World Cup, but with the side having so much cricket over the next eight months – and Du Plessis crucial for all three formats – it is prudent they practice caution.
Today’s match starts at 2.30pm. SQUADS South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Eddie Leie, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Morne van Wyk, David Wiese
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Doug Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Doug Bracewell, Grant Elliot, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McLenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Ross Taylor, Ish Sodhi, Ben Wheeler, George Worker
Steven Smith would take over as captain of the Australian Test team following the retirement of Michael Clarke after the fifth Ashes Test against England, the country’s cricket board said on Friday.
Opening batsman David Warner will be Smith’s deputy in the Test and one-day international formats, Cricket Australia announced.
Clarke announced his decision to quit international cricket after England won the fourth Test at Trent Bridge last week to regain the Ashes.
Smith, 26, was expected to take the role, having previously led the team when he replaced the injured Clarke as captain for three Tests during the home series against India.
National selector Rod Marsh said Australia had no doubt Smith was the right man for the job.
“We have had a clear succession plan in place for the captaincy, with Steve Smith gaining valuable experience leading the Australian Test team while Michael Clarke was recovering from injury last season,” Marsh said.
“When Michael made his decision to retire last week, it was a straight forward decision for us to nominate Steve as his successor.” –- Reuters