Linde on cloud nine after Durban heroics

From missing the team bus to scoring 48 runs and taking four wickets to help the Proteas overcome Pakistan, saying all-rounder George Linde had an eventful day would not be an exaggeration.

The hosts, whose Test teammates wrapped up a 2-0 series win against Sri Lanka a day earlier, gained the early advantage in the three-match series when they defeated Pakistan by 11 runs on the first KFC T20 international in Durban on Tuesday.

After electing to bat first, they then endured a mini-collapse that saw the loss of three wickets for just 28 runs.

David Miller and stand-in skipper Heinrich Klaasen combined to add 43, of which Klaasen scored just 12, as Miller turned on the style in front of his home crowd.

The Dolphins man shared 33 with Donovan Ferreira and 31 with Linde before perishing for 82 from 40 balls, hitting four fours and eight sixes in the process while taking SA to 135/6.

At the fall of the left-hander’s wicket Linde, a southpaw when batting, took on the responsibility of accelerating the innings, hitting four sixes and three fours before he was dismissed for 48 from 24 balls as SA finished on 183/9.

With the ball, Linde then went on to take four wickets for 21 runs, including three wickets in the 18th over, to help SA over the line.

Earlier, the time on his clock for some reason had been set back by 15 minutes, he said.

He made his way down to board the bus and get a good seat, only to realise it had already left.

“No-one realised that I wasn’t on the bus, they thought I had already got on, but luckily there were police escorts who took me to the bus.

“It was [an embarrassing situation] but [given the performance] maybe I will be late for the bus in the next game as well,” Linde joked.

It was Linde’s first appearance in a Proteas T20 side since July 2021.

He said it was a great feeling to be back and put in a performance like that, because it had involved a lot of hard work and game time at domestic and franchise levels in the past 36 months.

“I have been through a tough time, but the last year has been very good.

“I do feel like I deserve this opportunity, it came at the right time and I am pretty chuffed with myself for getting here.

“I had a nice long break away from the game in the winter, spending six months away from cricket was good because it brought back that fire in me.

“I always had the hope of returning to play for the Proteas, and if it didn’t happen, I would still have been proud of my career,” he said.

Asked to rank his Kingsmead heroics among his other performances in the national colours, Linde said it was pretty high on the list.

“I have been playing good cricket this entire season [domestically], so I was very relaxed, I don’t feel like I have to prove anything to anyone.

“I believe in myself and my skills, so if it doesn’t happen on the day, it just wasn’t meant to be, but I know how hard I worked to get this opportunity,” he said.

The Proteas play two more matches in two days when they take on the tourists on Friday and Saturday in Pretoria and Johannesburg, both starting at 6pm.