Ton-up Bavuma’s brilliance provides glimpse of Proteas’ new way

Temba Bavuma has taken it upon himself to direct the Proteas in their quest to be brave, positive and more assertive.

Speaking before the start of the series against England last week, the SA captain was asked to explain this new method his team would play, and offered an answer that can be summed up thus: “Wait and see”. 

On Sunday in SA’s five-wicket win at Mangaung Oval, after he stroked Moeen Ali through extra cover and then turned to his teammates, Bavuma punched the air, pointed to his name on his back and thumped the badge on his chest. “This is me, I have heart. Don’t doubt it and this is how I want us to play,” was the message. 

Bavuma’s third ODI century included some of the finest ball-striking of his career. It propelled his side to a five-wicket victory that wins them the series against the world champions, gives the quest for automatic World Cup qualification a major boost and provides proof of this new style. 

On a personal level it’s been a trying time in the limited overs formats for Bavuma in the past 12 months. His position in the 50-over and particularly the T20 teams has been under the microscope. He returned from Australia last November after SA’s embarrassing exit at the T20 World Cup a broken man. 

However Bavuma always clinically reflects and dissects his own game — and as captain his team’s. There was time to do so because of another painful episode — being overlooked for the SA20. While others have performed and thrilled packed grounds in that tournament, Bavuma spent time with his family.

What he wanted wasn’t word but deed to prove to himself and the country at large that there was still an important role for him to play, certainly in the 50-over game. 

Took advantage

In Friday’s 27-run win to SA in the opening match he scored at a strike rate of 128 for his 36, giving the innings early impetus. He did something similar on Sunday, but then instead of a reckless dismissal as happened last Friday, he stuck it out, hustling singles and twos.

He didn’t settle into a singular rhythm and instead took advantage of anything remotely short by pulling with authority and cutting with power and precision. 

This was the third-highest run chase in SA and it needed an aggressive approach. England had powered their way to 342/7, with 60 of those runs coming in the last four overs because of poor death bowling.

The English, in particular young Harry Brook, playing just his second ODI, deserve credit for absorbing the pressure the Proteas had exerted with the new ball, before turning the momentum of the innings in their favour. He scored 80, Jos Buttler an unbeaten 94, while Moeen Ali with 51 and Sam Curran (28 off 17 balls), took advantage of the Proteas’ inaccuracy in the last few overs.

It meant SA had to get ahead of the required run rate and keep their foot down. 

They did that with Bavuma and Quinton de Kock sharing an opening stand of 77, which was followed by a 97-run second-wicket partnership between the skipper and Rassie van der Dussen. 

Bavuma’s 109 was scored at a strike rate better than 100, but his dismissal did open the door for the tourists. Then another element of this new approach was seen in the manner in which David Miller with 58 off 37 balls and Marco Jansen with 32 off 29, coolly closed down the target with five balls left.