Stubbs upbeat on match-winning performance

Being unbeaten at the end was Tristan Stubbs’ main goal as he steered the Proteas to a thrilling three-wicket, series-levelling victory against India in Gqeberha on Sunday. 

The middle-order batsman again showed expert levels of concentration and determination as wickets tumbled around him, striking 47 runs from 41 balls including seven fours to guide the Proteas to their target of 125 with three wickets and six balls to spare. 

It was not an easy chase for the hosts, with Stubbs having to watch Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy take a career-best haul of 5/17 in his four overs, a feat that nearly derailed the Proteas’ run chase after India posted 124/6 batting first. 

The Warriors’ man admitted to the complexity of the situation in the middle with India’s slow bowlers using the conditions to their advantage and stemming the early flow of runs. 

“It was tough, both of them were doing just enough to beat you [the batsmen] on either side, so it was not easy to even come in and rotate the strike, let alone take them on. 

“They are two of the best spinners in the world and when they are on [form], it is tough, I think they got the better of us in the middle period by using their skills. 

“The way my game is at the moment, a run-a-ball knock is a lot easier than just striking it [from ball one]. 

“As someone who bats in the middle order, the goal is always to get the team over the line and being not out at the end,” Stubbs said.

Asked what he felt they missed in Durban, given their much-improved bowling performance at St George’s Park, Stubbs pointed to their wicket-taking and tight bowling display, particularly during the power play and middle overs. 

He said it was a surface that required batters to play cricket shots as opposed to conventional T20 thinking that called for batsmen to clear the boundaries from ball one. 

“It was your normal St George’s wicket, a little slower than other venues but still a good wicket to bat on if you play good cricket shots. 

“When the spinners were bowling, it was staying low and you couldn’t get under it, so it was quite hard to rotate [the strike], and playing shots were even more difficult,” the right-hander said. 

Stubbs has represented the country in all three formats and has rarely missed a game since making his debut in each. 

“I enjoy the longer format of the game because you can spend more time in the middle without feeling like you need to make a play every ball. 

“I enjoy the graft of batting [for long periods] and I believe longer form cricket naturally helps your T20 game and the batsmanship,” he said.

With the series at 1-1, the deciding match will be contested in Centurion on Wednesday, starting at 5pm.