By CS Chiwanza.
South Africa trod carefully in extreme conditions before concluding a six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka in their opening game of the T20 World Cup on Long Island, New York on Monday reaching 80-4 in 16.2 overs chasing just 78 for victory.
Quinton de Kock’s 20 from 27 balls will not be remembered as a ‘classic’ of any sort but it was vital in calming nerves and guiding the Proteas to victory on a formidably difficult batting surface. Heinrich Klaasen (19* from 22 balls) applied the finishing touches in the company of David Miller whose unbeaten six included the winning runs.
Reeza Hendricks (4) and Aiden Markram (12) were both caught behind against seaming deliveries before de Kock offered legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga a return catch and Tristan Stubbs (13) was well caught low down at cover. At the fall of each wicket the possibility of an astonishing come-back seemed possible, so torrid were the conditions.
Earlier Anrich Nortje delivered an astonishing analysis of 4-0-7-4 to plunge Sri Lanka to a miserable total of 77 all out after choosing to bat first on a fast, bouncy drop-in pitch at the purpose-built Nassau County Stadium in Long Island.
Kusal Mendis limped to 19 from 30 balls with Sri Lanka crawling to 24-1 in the Power Play before the wheels fell off in dramatic fashion as they crashed to 45-6 in just 11.2 overs with Keshav Maharaj (4-0-22-2) striking twice with successive deliveries.
Ottneil Baartman (4-1-9-1) made the initial breakthrough when opener Pathum Nissanka (3) top-edged a short ball to Klaasen on the third boundary and it led to an astonishing collapse of 5-14 in 21 balls with the entire top order abjectly failing to cope on a pitch offering bountiful encouragement for the fast bowlers.
Kamindu Mendis (11) whipped Nortje to Reeza Hendricks on the square leg boundary and Charith Asalanka (6) departed to the same fielder against the same bowler.
Captain Wanindu Hasaranga promoted himdelf to No 4 and heaved wildly at his second ball from Maharaj to provide Quinton de Kock with a straightforward stumping. Sadeep Samarawickrama missed a crafty ‘slider’ from Maharaj next ball which clipped the top of off stump.
Kagiso Rabada (4-1-21-2) clean bowled Dasun Shanaka (9) and Sri Lanka’s last chance of respectability, never mind a competitive score disappeared with Angelo Matthews when top edged yet another fast bouncer from Nortje to Baartman on the long leg boundary.
Although South Africa fast bowlers capitalised on the conditions there was no doubt they were ‘extreme’ and patently not a fair contest between bat and ball. The innings was all over at exactly midday and the match was over by 1:40pm
South Africa’s second match is against the Netherlands at the same venue on Saturday.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman.
Meanwhile Test head coach Shukri Conrad has scheduled winter red-ball camps in June as preparations begin for the 2024/25 season.
These camps will be held at the Centre of Excellence in Pretoria and will provide players within South Africa’s cricket pipeline the opportunity to build on their red-ball skills in a high-performance environment.
The camps will be overseen by the test support staff, including batting coach Ashwell Prince and bowling coach Piet Botha.
The start of the new season will see the Proteas Men take on West Indies in two test matches along with a preceding four-day warm-up match from 31 July – 19 August in the Caribbean.
South Africa A will compete concurrently against West Indies A in a three-match four-day series.