Ken Borland

Despite being struck before the game by the controversy of the BLM directive and Quinton de Kock’s withdrawal from the team, the Proteas bounced back at the T20 World Cup on Tuesday as they beat the West Indies by eight wickets with 10 balls to spare.

De Kock pulled out of the game because he decided not to follow the Cricket South Africa Board’s directive, issued on the morning of the game, that all players must take a knee to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

It left an already under pressure Proteas batting line-up missing their star player, but they responded brilliantly to chase down a tricky target of 144.

Aiden Markram belted a matchwinning 51 not out off just 26 balls, including four towering sixes, to see South Africa home, Rassie van der Dussen providing stout support with his 43 not out off 51 deliveries. The pair added 83 off just 57 balls in an impressive display of just how far both of their games have advanced in T20 cricket.

Earlier, Reeza Hendricks, opening the batting in place of De Kock, hit a bright 39 off 30 deliveries to give South Africa a positive start after captain Temba Bavuma ran himself out for 2 in the first over, chancing a single to mid-on, from where Andre Russell scored a direct hit with a fine piece of fielding.

South Africa had won the toss but looked in disarray in the early stages of the West Indies innings, no doubt shellshocked by CSA’s directive and De Kock’s subsequent withdrawal.

There were lapses in concentration as Van der Dussen misjudged a boundary catch when Evin Lewis had just 12 and replacement wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen fluffed a straightforward catch from Lendl Simmons.

Lewis was explosive, hammering 56 off 35 balls before left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj finally claimed South Africa’s first wicket in the 11^th over, with the score already on 73.

But the Proteas were inspired thereafter, and slowly put the West Indies in a stranglehold.

Maharaj (4-0-24-2) added the wicket of Nicholas Pooran (12) and Kagiso Rabada (4-0-27-1) returned to bowl Simmons for a painstaking 16 off 35 deliveries.

Anrich Nortje was magnificent throughout, taking one for 14 in his four overs, while Dwaine Pretorius was superb at the death, taking three for 17 as he bowled the 18^th and 20^th overs.

The West Indies staggered to 143 for eight and, having been thoroughly rattled at the start of the game, South Africa went into their run-chase in high spirits.

“Oh no it’s raining again!” would have been the united cry of all North-West Dragons fans as their team was surely denied a place in the CSA Provincial T20 Knockout final by the weather in Kimberley on Thursday afternoon.

Having bowled superbly to restrict the much-fancied Free State Knights team to just 127 for seven in 19 overs, earlier rain having chopped an over off the innings, North-West openers Eben Botha (21* off 8) and Wesley Marshall (20* off 7) had smashed 42 runs off just 2.3 overs when the rain returned.

And unfortunately the showers were severe enough for the match to be called off with No Result, North-West being left to ponder what might have been as they only needed another 88 runs off 99 balls with all 10 wickets intact for a place in Friday’s final against the KZN Dolphins.

Unfortunately for the Potchefstroom-based team, Free State advance instead due to them having a higher nett run-rate in the tournament as a whole.

Free State had earlier elected to bat first, but struggled to 91 for six after 16 overs as North-West captain Nicky van den Bergh made adroit use of his bowlers to pick up regular wickets, three of them falling to Eldred Hawken.

Paceman Chad Classen created the initial pressure by conceding just 17 runs in his four brilliant overs, and left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy then turned the screw with exceptional figures of two for 12 in his four overs.

Knights captain Pite van Biljon tried to hold the innings together with his 29, but it was only thanks to an incredible 29 not out off just 12 balls by Gerald Coetzee, after the first rain delay, that Free State made it to 127.

Given the blazing start North-West made to their innings though, it would surely not have been enough if the rain had not intervened.

The Bulls have lost a leader in Johan Goosen, but captain Marcell Coetzee said on Tuesday that welcoming the player responsible for the Springboks winning the series against the British and Irish Lions back into the squad can only lift the team as they look to finish their first overseas campaign in the United Rugby Championship on a high against Edinburgh on Saturday.

Morne Steyn arrived in Edinburgh on Tuesday, via an overnight flight from Frankfurt, with the Bulls confirming that flyhalf Goosen was headed in the opposite direction, flying back to South Africa to have scans on the knee he injured in last weekend’s momentous win over the Cardiff Blues.

“Johan is a real character and a good leader in the team, and we are bleeding for him,” Coetzee said. “But now we have Morne here, who won the British and Irish Lions series, he has fantastic experience that you just can’t buy.

“It’s going to be awesome to have him with us this week, what a character he is and a legend of Bulls rugby. He is consistent in all he does and I’m sure he’s going to bring energy and enthusiasm that will lift the team.

“Chris Smith also showed his character and resilience when he replaced Johan, I thought he had an excellent game and he carried that flyhalf mantle really well,” the Springbok loose forward added.

Last weekend’s impressive comeback win against Cardiff was vital for the Bulls after they started the competition with chastening defeats against Leinster and Connacht. It’s their last week on a tough tour to a brand new environment, but Coetzee said the Currie Cup champions are hungry for another win this weekend.

“The mood is a bit more positive now after the win, but we want to be consistent. There’s definitely some new energy, we know it’s our last week on tour and there’s plenty to play for.

“We want that same mindset as in the second half against Cardiff when we gave it everything and the passion and character of the team came out.

“We just want a successful end for the tour, having come into a whole new tournament not knowing what to expect. We are still quite a young group, but we are growing by the day.

“Hopefully things are right now and we must make sure we don’t take a step backwards this weekend. Our performance on Saturday will say a lot about how we have grown as a group and how strong our culture is,” Coetzee said.

“We’ll only be 100% ready as a team in 2022/23 but we will go into the T20 World Cup with quiet confidence,” CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said on Monday.

The Proteas left at the weekend for the United Arab Emirates and yet another tilt at elusive World Cup success. As has so often been the case, form is on their side as South Africa have won their last three T20 series, including wins in the West Indies and Sri Lanka, in similar conditions to what they are expecting in the UAE.

But given the torrid years they have come through, the Proteas are not really being mentioned as contenders for the title. Smith is comfortable with that position.

“Last season there were so many challenges in terms of logistics, Covid, injuries and being in bubbles for the first time, and we kitted out 43 players with 33 of them getting on the field.

“But from the tour to the West Indies in June we’ve seen the performance curve go up and that has been a big confidence booster. As a team, we’ll probably only be 100% ready in 2022/23.

“So we’ll be going into the World Cup as underdogs, but we have enough quality in the team to be quietly confident, it’s about combinations and reading the conditions well.

“We’ve especially seen a big upward curve in terms of playing spin and it’s been great experience for someone like Aiden Markram to play in the IPL – I especially like that he’s batting in the middle-order – while we know Quinton de Kock will be integral and Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje have developed into a great fast-bowling pair,” Smith said.

The former Proteas captain, speaking at the KFC Mini-Cricket National Seminar at Zebula outside BelaBela, said the coming summer will be one not to miss for South African cricket fans.

“India coming here is a huge tour. They have won away from home now around the world but they have never won a Test series here, so that’s going to provide some real added flavour to the series.

“There have been a number of meetings about getting crowds back, we are pushing hard, we are positive and hopeful. We need that investment coming into the game otherwise we can’t run grassroots programs like KFC Mini-Cricket.

“Domestically, we’ll have the Mzansi Super League in February and we’re very happy with how the new structure has gone so far. There was a bit of apprehension at first, but it’s been great to see the Division II teams compete well.

“Players are sticking their hands up and it’s lovely to see the provincial colours back and see that provincialism again. There’ll be kids watching the Limpopo Impalas play today and see that there is a pathway for them to play first-class cricket,” Smith said.