Some of the most watchable contests need not be the most graceful or elegant. As ironies go, the Australia-South Africa battle in the opening Group 1 league match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Saturday was not the prettiest cricket on view but was so intense that it made for great and gripping viewing.
The reason the heart reached out to South Africa even as it went down by five wickets with two deliveries to spare was simple. Having dug themselves into a hole with some poor batting against a balanced attack that Aaron Finch had in his command, South Africa’s fightback with the ball was compelling television.
South Africa pushed Australia all the way in defence of a small total in their T20 World Cup 2021 opener. AP
Of course, Australia were expected to collect the two points on offer for the victory and they managed to reach that goal with a professional approach. But, it is possible to step back from looking at merely the smart manner with which a squad achieved their goal of winning a match and admire the show of character by the vanquished.
No, it is not about glory in defeat. But about the gumption to put up a fight despite having a sub-par total to defend. And about backing one another so much that a target of 119 seemed like 140 on a sluggish track at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. It was the defence by the South Africans that raised the stakes for the viewers.
There was no greater show of intent and character than when Aiden Markram sprinted to his right from long-on and flung himself to complete an astounding catch to see the back of Steve Smith with Australia only two-thirds the way to the target with a little over five overs left. The catch epitomised the tenacity South Africa showcased on the field.
Of course, the pitch in Abu Dhabi was not the most conducive for strokeplay and held out rewards for smart bowling but, without the kind of support South Africa’s bowlers had from the fielders, Australia would have cruised home a bit sooner. With the teams boasting of quality attacks, batsmen had to work industriously to earn their runs.
There can be no doubt that Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are a lethal opening bowling pair and they did the best to make things tough for Australia. But it was the two left-arm spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, bowling contrasting styles, who put their hands up in keeping the Australian batsmen under check to make South Africa look more competitive.
It was fascinating to watch them keep Smith, acknowledged as a fine player of spin, quiet. He took 24 runs off 20 deliveries that he faced from the two spinners in a very captivating passage of play. A wicket each for the two spinners added to the Australia’s challenge and made the game quite interesting.
The ‘old-school’ among cricket fans would have loved it if Bavuma had bowled their eight overs in tandem but the South Africans had to get their fifth bowler Dwaine Pretorius in the frame at some point. To his credit, he kept the foot on the pedal until the final over of the game when Stoinis freed his arms and spoilt his analysis somewhat.
Despite that, South Africa were left wishing that they were able to sustain the show of character on the field till the end. However, stifled enough to make just 9 runs off the first 10 deliveries he faced, Marcus Stoinis blasted 15 runs off the final six deliveries to star in the unbroken 40-run stand for the sixth wicket with Matthew Wade and carry his team across the line.
But consider this. South Africa chose not to pick the experience of the in-form Faf du Plessis and all-rounder Chris Morris in the squad, preferring to select “a new group of players, with new heroes to be made.” To be able to make the strong Australia side scrap hard till the end gives South Africa something to hold on to and not regret the selectorial decision. Not yet.
Of course, there are some tough lessons that South Africa will have learnt in the opening game. A sensible approach to batting was, by and large, conspicuous by its absence. Even Markram who played a good hand in making 40, the top score in the match, will have only himself to blame for losing his wicket with nearly three overs remaining.
South Africa will have realised that the show of character and intensity must extend across the match rather than surface in one half. The Proteas will now have to contend with and beat the powerful England and the mercurial West Indies to be in the race for a semi-final spot from this group. If its batsmen come to the party, they can fancy a longer stay in the Middle-East.