Proteas ‘will be fully Aussie soon’, says Maharaj after World Cup warm-up win

Proteas stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj said the squad will not take too much time to find their feet after starting their road to the ICC T20 World Cup with a thumping nine-wicket warm-up win over New Zealand on Monday.

SA conceded just 98 runs dismissing the Black Caps inside 18 overs at Allan Border Field in Brisbane. The Proteas’ bowling attack shone on a pitch that offered assistance to both their seamers and spinners.

In reply, the Proteas needed just 68 balls to chase down their opponents score, losing just one wicket, of Reeza Hendricks for 27, as they claimed a comfortable victory knocking off 100 for 1 with 52 balls to spare.

Maharaj finished with 3-17 in three overs, while left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi claimed 2-6. Wayne Parnell chipped in with 2-8 from two overs, as Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Aiden Markram took one wicket each.

The Proteas were without white-ball captain Temba Bavuma, who the team’s media machine said is still easing back into the fold after missing the final two ODIs of their 2-1 series defeat to India.

Quinton de Kock, whose form seems to be trickling back at just the right time, was also rested and will be available, like Bavuma, for the second warm-up match against Bangladesh on Wednesday.

Maharaj said SA were settling in well in Australia and while they were still adapting to their surroundings, he was confident they would be at full tilt in the next few days.

“It has been a long last three days but I think the guys are starting to find their groove and settling in, still trying to acclimatise to the various time zones, but I am sure the boys will be fully Aussie sooner rather than later,” he said after the match.

While the spin bowlers did most of the damage in the win, Maharaj said the tone was set upfront by the seam bowlers who were called on early.

“I don’t think it [the pitch] was spinner friendly. It was just a bit slow, which allowed us to use the conditions well.

“Whoever was called upon just stuck their hand up and it was also a very disciplined performance in the field.”

On Shamsi getting back among the wickets, after his dry spell against India, Maharaj said: “It is good to see him back to his best and I know he will have a big hand in this World Cup if we are to progress to higher honours.”

Maharaj said he hopes SA, after the series losses against India in the three T20s and three ODIs, can build momentum ahead of their first competitive clash in the tournament on October 24.