SA attack finally dons their mantle as one of the most effective bowling units
South Africa’s attack finally donned their mantle as one of the most effective bowling units around as they set up a comfortable nine-wicket win over Afghanistan at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Saturday.
Having been sent in to bat, with lots of cloud still around after a week of rain and with the pitch sporting a distinctly green tinge, Afghanistan were bundled out for just 125 in 34.1 overs. South Africa finally entered the winner’s circle with few alarms as they cruised to that target in 28.4 of their allotted 48 overs, but, given the smallness of their objective and the magnitude of their task in getting to the semi-finals, one would have hoped for a more domineering display with the bat.
Chasing down their target with a run-rate of just a run-a-ball would have taken only 21.1 overs and would have given their nett run-rate, which could potentially be crucial if they are to sneak into fourth place, a far more significant boost than the way they meandered to victory on Saturday.
Nevertheless, the clinical bowling display gave much cause for optimism.
Openers Hazratullah Zazai (22) and Noor Ali Zadran (32) adopted an aggressive approach to try and escape the pressure another high-quality new-ball spell from Kagiso Rabada put them under. The Proteas may have just started to grow frustrated – Beuran Hendricks seemed to be deviating from the excellent lines and lengths he started with – when rain stopped play with Afghanistan on 33 without loss after 5.5 overs.
After a 25-minute delay, Hazratullah eventually fell to a slog-pull off Rabada soon after South Africa decided to have a midwicket boundary rider and Chris Morris then backed up Rabada with an excellent spell of five overs for 13 runs. He trapped Rahmat Shah lbw for six but was unfortunate not to get more wickets.
A longer rain interruption then delayed play for 65 minutes with Afghanistan on 69 for two after 20 overs. When they returned, Imran Tahir and Andile Phehlukwayo donned the executioners’ robes and ripped through the middle-order as they took four wickets for eight runs.
Tahir struck with his first ball, skipper Faf du Plessis having forecast that the Afghanistan batsmen could struggle against him because they have never faced him before, Zadran being comprehensively bowled by the big-turning googly, basically the veteran bowler’s stock ball. Asghar Afghan was caught-and-bowled for 0 in the same over.
Rashid Khan scored a plucky 35 off 25 balls before he too was dismissed by Tahir, who grabbed the man of the match award with figures of four for 29 in seven overs. Morris gained some belated reward for his brilliant bowling to finish with three for 13 in 6.1 overs, but Phehlukwayo (8-1-18-2) and Rabada (8-1-36-1) were both excellent too.
Afghanistan bowled well up front and Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock were understandably cautious. But their inability to go for the jugular in the team’s interest when there was no chance of South Africa losing the match, fed into all the old barbs about Proteas insecurity and the lack of a fearless approach.
De Kock eventually found his fluency and helped himself to eight boundaries in his 68 off 72 balls, but Amla lurched along in first gear, finishing on 41 not out off 83 balls. Andile Phehlukwayo hit the winning runs – a six straight down the ground into the River Taff – to finish on a run-a-ball 17 not out.