Cricket: De Lange derails New Zealand apple cart

South Africa Sounds Finer!

-DR. ABDUL RUFF

----------

The multi-format cricket series between South Africa and New Zealand have begun with T20 matches. 

South Africa performed the ultimate anti-choke as 21-year-old Marchant de Lange defended six runs off the last over in third T20 to clinch the Twenty20 series 2-1.

However, South Africa had to struggle to defeat an ordinary New Zealand in T20 series in Auckland New Zealand on 22 February.

Bowlers Botha and de Lange finally derailed the NZ dreams.

In the first T20, NZ overwhelmed South Africans but in the second T20 SA became too serious about a win and won it. NZ was fully focused on the “danger man” Hashim Amla and got his priceless wicket but that was not quite enough. 

Maybe, the NZ boys, like many other teams falsely do, thought if Amla falls entire SA team would collapse. But that was not to happen. In the third T20, NZ had an edge over SA but they lost it in their bating. Later the sudden bogging down towards the end has probably cost New Zealand the game and the series.

Over-confident of victory over NZ, South Africa approached easily, looked unserious; they dropped easy catches, badly missed run outs, but still managed to maintain pressure on the batsmen. It is not too easy to defend 160 odd on these grounds, which makes it even more special.

South Africa wins an absolute thriller.  The game, according to NZ players and others, was very much in NZ hands for majority of the evening but South Africa bowlers and fielders were well composed and continued to apply pressure on the depleted NZ.  They were cruising along even when they were losing wickets, but lost their way in the last few overs.

South Africans played with the psyche of Ryder got stuck on 49 for quite a while, building pressure on himself and allowing South Africa a slight chance. Then Botha bowled a dream 19th over; Botha gave 3 runs and took the wicket of Ryder, which made the last over more tensed- 7 runs from 6 balls. De Lange followed it up with a brilliant last over, and although he threatened to undo all the good work with that no ball, maintained his calm and finished it off.  The free hit did not help the NZ.

The last 2 overs tilted the game in favor of SA, although tensed drama in the last over with a no ball served by the bowler almost revived the fast sinking NZ batboys back to victory, but the bowler de Lange was very cool to deny that win to NZ. That de Lange, who has a big match temperament, bowls a no ball in the last over is absolutely unbelievable!

It is tough batting first and assessing what's a good total but SA made 160 and could defend it.

Final credit to de Lange - he maintained his calm and bowled the last ball requiring 4 for win just outside off, denying any run. Southee made some room and looked to go over the on side but failed to make contact. This is New Zealand's first T20 series loss since 2009, where they lost to Pakistan in the UAE.

Botha is the Man of the Match for his spell of 4-0-20-2. He donates his MoM fee to a local charity. Botha said the boundaries are short but I thought that if we could hit good lengths, it will make it tough for the batsmen. He stressed that Hashim's catch in the last over was very important, not just the catch, the batsmen also crossed for 2 runs so it was important. One good over with the bat or ball could change games completely, but the bowlers hold the key. 

For all the SA bashers, this is just the beginning and the Black Caps would cry louder.  NZ would be facing more troubles. Some of the big names will come back into the SA team for the ODI and tests, making the SA team more formidable. It’s only going to get harder for the New Zealanders as the tour goes on.  SA will let kiwis know where they belong when they face a quality team like SA.

SA skipper want to win big ICC events, so we'll look to take it to the World Cup.