Proteas will benefit from learning new styles in SA20

Saturday’s two Betway SA20 matches showed that high scoring “bat-a-thons” are not the only form of entertainment in the T20 format. 

Both matches were played on slow and turning pitches that demanded greater skill and thought from the batters, adjustments from the quick bowlers, and proved helpful to the spinners.

The result of each game was in doubt until the final two overs, keeping sell-out crowds at Boland Park and St George’s Park enthralled despite boundaries not being as frequent.  

Of the 30 batters dismissed across the two matches, 23 fell to spinners, and two of them — Bjorn Fortuin and Aaron Phangiso — are among the top wicket-takers in the competition so far. 

Both Jos Buttler of the Paarl Royals and Faf du Plessis, skipper of the Joburg Super Kings, acknowledged a different style of play was required in such conditions. 

For the Proteas’ new limited-overs coach Rob Walter, who no doubt tuned in from New Zealand, it would have been pleasing to see how the SA players have attempted to adapt and the lessons they will heed from the kind of matches played in Paarl and Gqeberha. 

“It was slower than expected and favoured slower bowling,” Super Kings seamer Gerald Coetzee remarked after his side’s last-over win at St George’s Park.

Coetzee is well known for propelling the ball at speeds topping 140km/h but made the required adjustments and was rewarded with figures of 4/24.

“We assessed early that the wicket was slightly slower. So it was important to take pace off, aim to hit the top of the stumps and try not to be too predictable,” he said. 

With the World Cup being played in India later this year and the possibility of the Proteas participating in a qualifying tournament to get there on what is expected to be low and slow tracks in Zimbabwe in June, the kind of skills and thought processes needed on Saturday will prove beneficial for all the players. 

Phangiso put aside the controversy surrounding his suspected illegal action to pick up 4/20 and win the player of the match award in Gqeberha. “This is one of the toughest games I’ve ever played,” he said.

Phangiso’s action has been reported to the league’s independent bowling action panel. Because that investigation will take seven days, he was allowed to play on Saturday and said he was grateful for the support he received from loved ones. 

“This is one of the best performances I’ve put in given the circumstances. With the support of family and friends, I got through it, so this [player of the match] award is dedicated to them,” he said.