David Miller Should Take Momentum from His Maiden Century to the World Cup

It's taken 55 innings in a career spanning five years, but David Miller has finally scored his maiden one-day international century.

Miller's 130 off 133 balls was the stand-out effort of the South African innings. With Hashim Amla rested, and with Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers both getting out cheaply, South Africa needed somebody to make a statement.

Miller was that man on Sunday, and it could not have come at a better time. During the one-day series against the West Indies, South Africa had hardly been tested, and Miller hardly had time to bat. In the first match, he scored a very useful 70, but threw his wicket away cheaply. In the two matches that followed, Miller’s services weren’t required.

Miller is usually used as a “finisher” and does not often get the opportunity to play an anchoring role. He has batted at five just nine times in his career, but he averages 49.00 batting there, with 249 runs in total.

The bulk of those runs have come in this series. His 70 in the first innings and his unbeaten knock on Sunday both came when Miller batted at five. While the stats might be somewhat convoluted, the way he constructed his innings against the West Indies on Sunday showed that Miller can be more than “just a finisher.”

While it is rare that all of South Africa’s key men fail at once, it is important that they know that there is somebody lower down the order they can rely on to get them into a more competitive position. Miller lifted the Proteas from 76-4 to 262-8, and while they ultimately lost due to a horrific death-bowling effort, Miller’s contribution with the bat was vital in their World Cup preparations.

The current series against the West Indies serves as a springboard for fine-tuning and testing combinations. That is the reason why he has been promoted up the order for the duration of the series. South Africa needed to know that they have a player who is adaptable to float around the middle order.

Lack of consistency has plagued Miller’s international career since he made his debut, which is why this period is so crucial. He has never averaged above 32.00 in a calendar year. His most successful year to date was 2013, when he scored four fifties, 544 runs and averaged 32.00. If he can carry this momentum to the World Cup, South Africa will be in a much stronger position as a team.

The man himself agrees. He said at the post-match press conference that he’s been in a good head space for last few months and always felt as though his first big score was just around the corner.

He said: "It was a massive boost. I have been feeling confident over the last few months, but it was really nice to finally get the hundred. I believed over the last six, seven months that I can score a hundred, so it was a great feeling to score the first one."

With the shackles now finally broken, Miller and South African fans will hope that this was just the first of many.

All quotes and information obtained firsthand.