Ken Borland

Proteas stars Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma have always had one of the more calming relationships at the crease and their partnership did the bulk of the work as the Imperial Lions beat the Warriors by four wickets in their opening T20 Challenge match at Kingsmead on Saturday.

Coming together on a troubled 19 for two, Van der Dussen belted four sixes as he scored 64 off 41 balls, while Bavuma cruised to 40 off 35 deliveries as they added 64 for the third wicket to put the Lions well on course for their target of 158.

Seamer Aya Gqamane split the pair but Van der Dussen then added another 58 runs with Delano Potgieter (17).

Gqamane (3-0-20-3) dismissed both of them in the 17^th over  as the Lions eventually wobbled to victory with four balls remaining.

The dominant Lions attack bowled the Warriors out for 157 with Kagiso Rabada simply at another level as he took three for 23 in his four superb overs.

Fellow Proteas Bjorn Fortuin (4-0-18-1) and Dwaine Pretorius (4-0-23-1) were also outstanding, but the Warriors, led by captain Sinethemba Qeshile’s 33 off 28 balls, fought manfully to post a competitive total.

Sisanda Magala ripped through the tail to claim four for 37 and ensure that the Lions would not need to chase more than 8 an over.

Proteas batsman Temba Bavuma said on Friday that the pressure was on the South African batsmen in the first Test against Sri Lanka and the fact that they were able to deliver means they will go into the second Test starting at the Wanderers on Sunday with spirits high.

After a poor bowling display on the first day by the Proteas, Sri Lanka were able to post 396 in their first innings, their highest ever total in South Africa. Batting second on a tricky pitch on which the bounce was only getting more inconsistent, the home side replied with a brilliant total of 621. Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram set the tone with their opening stand of 141 and the middle-order then batted superbly, led by Faf du Plessis’ epic 199, to recover from a wobble that saw them lose three wickets for 20 runs. Bavuma stroked an impressive 71 as he shared a record fifth-wicket stand of 179 with Du Plessis, the key partnership of the match.

“It was a good all-round performance by the team, we were able to bring the game back through strong performances, led by the batting. There hasn’t been a lot of consistency or confidence in our batting so the pressure was on, especially on the senior guys to step up. There was pressure on us because we are quite an inexperienced side and the batting has the Test caps, so the team looks to us to perform, which adds an extra element of pressure.

“Fortunately they were able to step up and Dean and Aiden set us up, before Faf’s career-best knock which was more than magnificent. I was able to set up a partnership with him that led to a winning position and it was nice for myself to get some runs under the belt, to get the confidence flowing. I was happy with the way I went about my business although the opportunity was there to score so much more. Walking prematurely before the umpire’s decision was not my cleverest moment, but it was spur of the moment,” Bavuma said on Friday.

With both Migael Pretorius and Glenton Stuurman released from the squad due to muscle strains, and coach Mark Boucher having expressed his reluctance to not field a spinner, the return of Kagiso Rabada is the sole likely change to the team that won by an innings at Centurion.

“The first-innings bowling was not our best effort but the second innings was much better in terms of discipline, intensity and ruthlessness. Our bowling attack is quite inexperienced but they have a lot of skill, there’s no compromise on that. They are eager and keen to learn. The Wanderers will be quite similar to Centurion, with pace, bounce and lateral movement.

“Our bowlers relish those conditions and the batsmen are used to quick and more bouncy pitches. We are quite courageous mentally in those conditions. Our familiarity with the conditions makes it easier for us,” Bavuma said.

Temba Bavuma is the new captain of the Highveld Lions and the Proteas batsman warned that the franchise is dead-set on returning to their previous status as one of the powerhouses of domestic cricket.

The 28-year-old Bavuma is back at the Lions after just one season away with the Cape Cobras and, linking up with new coach Enoch Nkwe, is the sort of inspirational, high-profile figure who can drive a renaissance in Central Gauteng cricket.

“Enoch’s expectation is excellence and we will do everything in our might to fulfil that. But the players have their own expectations and we want to get back to the levels expected of us, get back to the top. We need to put up a performance and fight for the brand of cricket we want to play. We’re coming!” Bavuma said when he was unveiled as the new skipper at the Wanderers on Wednesday night.

Rassie van der Dussen, the leading run-scorer across all formats last season, has been named as the official vice-captain and Bavuma’s Proteas commitments means that he will have a vital leadership role to play as well.

Bavuma said that his return to the Lions was primarily motivated by personal reasons – his fiancée lives in Johannesburg – but it is clear that even though he left to play at his birthplace, his heart remained with his old team-mates.

“I really missed being part of this team and it was quite painful to watch their performances from the side. As captain, I won’t be doing anything different, I’m there to serve the team and inspire the players to perform their best. I know all the guys, we have a good relationship. But I’m not one to speak a lot, my focus is on just going out and doing what we have to do.

“It’s a massive honour and privilege to be given the responsibility of captain. I played under Alviro Petersen and Stephen Cook and I learnt a great deal from them and will try to live up to their legacy. I will have a strong hand in the culture of the team, how we go about achieving excellence starts there, and we have to do that on a daily basis,” Bavuma said.

https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-citizen-kzn/20180622/282226601449013

Temba Bavuma would love to open the batting alongside Brendon McCullum in the T20 Global League for the Joburg Giants, but as far as copying the Kiwi’s swashbuckling style goes, that’s not how South Africa’s gutsy middle-order Test batsman goes about his cricket.

Big-hitting marquee players like McCullum, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and David Miller will be amongst the star attractions when the league gets underway on November 3, but a team’s success is often decided by how well the batsmen around those stars set up the game for them. Bavuma is able to score boundaries with ‘normal’ cricket shots and is very good at rotating the strike.

“One must understand that there are 11 positions in a cricket team and not all cricketers play the same way, they all bring their own thing to the side. You get the batsmen with x-factor who can clear the boundaries, but then you have the other guys who create the foundation for those batsmen to come in and hit the ball.

“I think that’s the role I’ll play for the Joburg Giants, not trying to emulate Brendon but do what I do, which will allow him and Colin Ingram and Chris Jonker to bat effectively as well. In terms of T20 cricket, I’ve always seen myself as a middle-order batsman and I’ve been relatively successful at that, but I’ll probably play a role up front for the Giants, looking at who we’ve signed.

“I will embrace that and welcome the opportunity because as a batsman you want to be near the top in T20 so that you can bat for the bulk of the overs. I do feel I have the necessary skills to open the batting, but I won’t change my game, I’ll just do what has served me well in the domestic game,” Bavuma said at the Wanderers on Wednesday.

Bavuma is now a Cape Cobras player, but the Joburg Giants have signed him and another local darling in Kagiso Rabada to ensure the people of Johannesburg get behind their team.

“I was born in Cape Town, but everything in terms of cricket happened for me in Johannesburg, so it has a large part of my heart. It will be a massive pleasure to once again represent the people of Johannesburg,” Bavuma said.

https://citizen.co.za/sport/south-africa-sport/sa-cricket-sport/1634361/temba-bavuma-will-stay-true-to-himself-in-t20-frenzy/