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Ken Borland



Miller & De Kock show their enduring worths, but that must not pull the wool over the eyes of SA management 0

Posted on December 05, 2022 by Ken

Centurion David Miller and Quinton de Kock showed their enduring worths in T20 cricket with a magnificent partnership, but that must not pull the wool over the eyes of the Proteas management as to how many problems the side has following South Africa’s 16-run defeat to India in the second T20 in Guwahati on Sunday.

The Proteas problems began with their bowling, which was awful, allowing a hungry Indian top-order to plunder 237/3 after South Africa had sent them in to bat. It is the highest score the Proteas have ever conceded in a T20 International, beating the 236/6 the West Indies scored when they won batting second at the Wanderers in 2014/15.

Having played two spinners on a seamer’s pitch in the first T20, South Africa then brought in Lungi Ngidi for Tabraiz Shamsi in Guwahati, when the pitch probably suited a second spinner, judging by how well left-armer Keshav Maharaj bowled in taking 2/23 in his four overs.

All the pacemen were poor and were severely punished. They could not find their lines and lengths up front, and then, under pressure, their skills dissolved in a flood of full tosses and short, wide deliveries. A temperature in the 30s and 94% humidity meant there was lots of sweat around to make the ball slippery, but India’s bowlers were far more controlled having to deal with the same conditions.

Openers Lokesh Rahul (57 off 28) and Rohit Sharma (43 off 37) took full toll of the loose bowling to put on 96 in 9.5 overs for the first wicket.

Maharaj dismissed both of them, but there was no denying the thrilling Suryakumar Yadav as he ruthlessly smashed 61 off just 22 balls, while Virat Kohli showed his great class with 49 not out off 28 deliveries.

Kagiso Rabada (14.25), Anrich Nortje (13.66), Wayne Parnell (13.50) and Ngidi (12.25) all had economy rates that were extremely expensive.

It would be dumb to continue to ignore South Africa’s top-order woes, with Temba Bavuma making a seven-ball duck and Rilee Rossouw also making back-to-back ducks as he charged down the pitch second-ball to play a silly shot against Arshdeep Singh. The left-arm quick took two wickets in his first over, having snared three in the first T20.

Aiden Markram scored a free-flowing 33 off 19 balls before spinner Axar Patel knocked over his off-bail with a wonderful delivery.

With South Africa already needing 14.5 runs-per-over, Miller and the struggling De Kock then had some fun as they added an unbeaten 174 in 13.4 overs as the visitors reached 221/3.

Miller was sensational, scoring 106 not out off 47 balls, hitting seven balls out of the park. He fought incredibly hard for the team and showcased his amazing skill.

It will please the Proteas greatly that De Kock is back to something approaching his best as he finished with 69* off 48 balls, an innings which started in battling fashion but ended in a flurry of boundaries.

Magnificent Bulls break stranglehold of Leinster 0

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Ken

A magnificent performance by the Bulls saw them break the stranglehold of Leinster on the Celtic league as they stunned the European powerhouses 27-26 in their United Rugby Championship semifinal in Dublin on Friday night.

For the first time since 2017, Leinster’s usually bulging trophy cabinet will be empty and it will be the Bulls who advance to the URC final following a display for the ages in which they showed massive physicality and some marvellous attacking touches.

Having spent the week talking about how much they admire Leinster, who won the URC’s predecessor, the Pro14 for the last four years, the Bulls showed they were up for a fight from the start with mighty defence keeping Leinster out for 11 phases on their tryline.

Leinster did take the early lead through hooker Dan Sheehan’s try after a Ross Byrne grubber through caused chaos, and the Bulls struggled initially against some marginal refereeing calls that went the way of the home side.

But hooker Johan Grobbelaar’s masterful work at the breakdowns and eighthman Elrigh Louw’s massive carries sparked the Bulls and in 10 magical minutes in the second quarter they scored two tries to take a grip on the game.

Following a Grobbelaar turnover, Louw put in two great runs to put the Bulls on the front foot. The chance seemed wasted when fullback Canan Moodie, who had looked dangerous with ball-in-hand, tried to dot down with one hand and dropped the ball. Fortunately the Bulls had advantage and the tap-and-go penalty brought a marvellous moment of deception as Louw carried but then flipped the ball to Grobbelaar running the other way and he forced himself over for the try.

Then the Bulls attacked from deep through Moodie and Vorster, winning a ruck penalty. Chris Smit put the ball in the corner, Louw charged off the back of the lineout, and then made a strong carry from a ruck, before Marcell Coetzee went over for the try.

Leinster were down 7-17 but fought back through a try by midfield maestro Robbie Henshaw to trail 14-17 at halftime.

The pressure only mounted on the home side as the Bulls dominated the opening exchanges of the second half, only some streetwise tactics at the ruck preventing a try being scored. Leinster cleared their lines but conceded a scrum penalty. It had been the one area of the game where the Bulls had previously suffered much misfortune.

What followed was a terrible, decisive blow against Leinster. A massive rolling maul thundered to their line from 25 metres out, the referee going straight to a penalty try and yellow-carding lock and captain James Ryan.

The Bulls led 24-14 and then withstood fierce pressure from Leinster in their 22, stealing a couple of crunch lineouts five metres from their line.

Leinster did score a long-range try, wing Rory O’Laughlin rounding off a Jordan Larmour break, but veterans Morne Steyn, with a penalty, and Bismarck du Plessis, with a key turnover, sealed a shock defeat for the hosts.

Scorers

Leinster Tries: Dan Sheehan, Robbie Henshaw, Rory O’Laughlin, Cian Healy. Conversions: Ross Byrne (2), Johnny Sexton.

Bulls Tries: Johan Grobbelaar, Marcell Coetzee, penalty try. Conversions: Chris Smith (2). Penalties: Smith, Morne Steyn.

Verreynne does not resemble De Kock, but he proved he belongs at highest level 0

Posted on April 04, 2022 by Ken

Kyle Verreynne is not going to resemble Quinton de Kock nor necessarily fit the perception of what some people believe a Test batsman should look like, but the 24-year-old proved in no uncertain fashion that he belongs at the highest level as his magnificent maiden Proteas century put South Africa in command of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch on Monday.

Verreynne has had a tough time at Test level, scoring just 112 runs in his first eight innings, but he more than doubled that with his brilliant 136 not out in the second innings at Hagley Oval. Going back to the batsman he was before his elevation to Test level provided the breakthrough for the Western Province wicketkeeper/batsman.

“It’s been challenging mentally and Test cricket is the toughest format,” Verreynne said. “My first three series have been on challenging pitches, the wickets for the India series were the toughest I’ve ever batted on and the first Test here was difficult too.

“So you have a lot of doubts and you read what people write about your technique and it’s a challenge. It’s important to keep your self-belief and back your preparation and what you have done in the past.

“In the build-up to this game I did quite a lot of work on my technique and I felt in a really good space, it was just about getting mentally right. I’ve gone back to what I was doing for the last couple of years.

“Footwork has never been a strong point of mine, for me it’s more about my contact points and playing the ball late. Fortunately it worked out and hopefully I’m through that tough phase in my career now,” Verreynne said.

Verreynne praised Kagiso Rabada for his ferocious innings of 47 off 34 balls after lunch on the fourth day that saw the rampant duo hammer 69 runs in eight overs. Not only did their efforts allow South Africa to declare at tea with a lead of 425, but the momentum was carried through into the field, Rabada roaring in with the ball and dismissing both New Zealand openers in his first two overs.

“The third evening was a tricky period for myself and Wiaan Mulder, the stage of the game was such that we just had to get through, and the first 30 minutes this morning were the same, and then we could show more intent.

“KG said he felt pretty good and he would stick around for me to get my hundred. But then it looked like he just couldn’t miss the ball and his innings was a big factor in the energy we took into our bowling,” Verreynne said.

Bavuma makes up for missed ton with 1st Proteas win as captain, despite magnificent Fakhar 0

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Ken

Temba Bavuma narrowly missed out on a century but he enjoyed the greater delight of notching his first win as Proteas captain as South Africa beat Pakistan by 17 runs in the second ODI at the Wanderers on Sunday to level the series, despite Fakhar Zaman’s record-breaking, magnificent 193.

Bavuma was the glue around which the rest of the Proteas batted, his 92 off 102 balls being a masterpiece of determination and intensity as he overcame a tough start by being busy at the crease and rotating the strike well. With Quinton de Kock (80 off 86), Rassie van der Dussen (60 off 37) and David Miller (50* off 27) all contributing well, South Africa posted a sizeable 341 for six after losing the toss and being sent in to bat.

It was tough going again for the first 90 minutes in cool conditions, before the clouds cleared and the pitch flattened out, allowing the Proteas to gain reward for their earlier hard graft. Aiden Markram made a flying start, hitting a couple of imperious sixes as he cruised to 39 off 34 balls, but missed out on making a substantial score when he slapped a back-foot drive straight to extra cover off Faheem Ashraf.

De Kock made a scratchy start, struggling to find the middle of his bat, but he was not lacking in application as he and Bavuma added 114 off 126 deliveries for the second wicket.

Van der Dussen then added impetus with his brilliant innings, which saw 101 added for the third wicket off just 69 balls, Miller then providing the slick finish even as wickets tumbled, Haris Rauf finishing with an impressive three for 54 in 10 overs.

Pakistan, needing to mount the second biggest run-chase behind the famous 438 game, made a promising start as Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam added 63 off 56 balls for the second wicket. But the visitors were then rocked by another ferocious burst from fast bowler Anrich Nortje.

He claimed the key wicket of Babar for 31 and then removed another dangerman in Mohammad Rizwan for a two-ball duck. Making liberal use of the short ball, Nortje then bounced out rookie Danish Aziz for 9 to reduce Pakistan to 85 for four.

Pakistan were kept in the game though by a quite extraordinary innings by opener Fakhar, who made the highest ever score in an ODI chase and the biggest on South African soil.

He reached his century off 107 balls and by that stage it seemed it would be a valiant losing effort. But the South African bowlers were then put to the sword by the left-hander, as he plundered 93 more runs off just 48 deliveries, hitting 18 fours and 10 sixes.

He was eventually run out in the final over by a superb direct hit by Markram from long-off and a brilliant piece of deception from wicketkeeper De Kock, who motioned that the throw was going to the bowler’s end, causing Fakhar to continue ambling back for the second run.

Rabada was the other South African paceman to shine, taking one for 43 in his 10 overs.

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