The Proteas will have a more relaxed week and can start looking ahead to the Super Eight phase of the T20 World Cup, though they have one more group game to tackle against the United Arab Emirates.
That fixture on Wednesday in Delhi has been rendered meaningless by South Africa’s dismantling of New Zealand on Saturday night, with the Proteas assured of a top two finish in Group D. Because the Super Eight groups are based on seedings — done before the tournament — and not where teams finish, the Proteas already know they will be returning to Ahmedabad for a match next Sunday, against co-hosts India.
Aiden Markram’s players answered a few questions about themselves in that seven-wicket victory against the Black Caps. The bowlers were more disciplined than they were in the first two matches and the seamers — Marco Jansen in particular — will have greater belief in their variations on batter-friendly surfaces.
It was Jansen’s dismissal of Mark Chapman at the end of the 14th over, with a well disguised slower ball, which proved to be the decisive turning point on Saturday night. Talk of slower balls has increased in volume as bowlers try to find ways to navigate batter-dominant conditions.
“If a guy is teeing off and trying to take you down, then you must try and play with his swing a bit and you can do that through a change of pace,” Markram said.
“There will be phases in the game where it can be tricky with our fast bowlers because when they hit a length hard, if anyone can find something it is them. It is a fine balance to try and manage, but the secret tonight was that there was a lot of conviction about what they were feeling, that gut feel. We went with that.”
Other than Lungi Ngidi and Corbin Bosch, neither Kagiso Rabada nor Marco Jansen are comfortable bowling slower balls. They may not like it, but they do understand that to discourage opposing batters from lining them up, they have to adjust their speeds on Indian pitches.
Jansen claimed 4/40, taking three of those wickets in the power play — two with conventional quick deliveries, while New Zealand opener Finn Allen was outfoxed by a full, slower delivery, which he drove to Markram at mid-off.
“It’s tough from a batters point of view when bowlers can mix pace and also line. When wickets are good you need to find a few things that can work and ultimately you need to get it right in the middle.”
Rabada produced his best performance in the tournament, conceding 27 runs, and though wicketless, bowled with much better intent and avoided delivering no-balls.
In fact the extras, such a feature in the first two matches in which South Africa conceded 28, was down to only one on Saturday, and that was a leg bye.
Having restricted New Zealand to 175/7, Markram led a stunning charge in the Proteas’ power play and eventually finished with an unbeaten 86, an innings that contained a glorious array of shot-making from the South African captain.
You can’t preach to the boys and then not do it yourself
— Captain Aiden Markram
“I won’t be a proper slogger, I’ll do it differently to other guys, but with the intent to still get the team off to a flier,” said Markram, who hit eight fours and four sixes.
“You can’t preach to the boys and then not do it yourself. We’ve seen how T20 cricket is moving forward, we have been lucky to get really good wickets so far and when those two things marry you really need to take it on upfront.”
After the roller-coaster that was Afghanistan, Markram was delighted to have a more normal match against New Zealand. “Tonight was slightly easier to deal with mentally,” he said.
“The other afternoon, you want to win games like that because it goes a long way for the changeroom and the vibe. But it’s a lot more comfortable putting in more clinical performances. The aim is always to be like it was tonight.”
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