South Africa vs. New Zealand: Winners and Losers from 2nd T20
New Zealand claimed a 32-run victory against South Africa in Centurion on Sunday, meaning the hosts had to settle for a 1-1 series draw.
The Black Caps won the toss and opted to bat first, leaving South Africa chasing leather for the first few overs. Although the hosts did pull things back in the latter stages, New Zealand’s effort with the bat was far better in this match than it was on Friday. They plundered their way to a score of 177 in 20 overs, and what should have been a cool and composed chase from South Africa turned into a haphazard approach more befitting of an ICC knockout match.
Here are some winners and losers from the match. Feel free to add yours in the comments section.
Winner: Martin Guptill
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Martin Guptill has found some form. He was one of the Black Caps' best batsmen in the two T20s and if he keeps this up, he's surely working himself into contention for the World T20 in India next year.
Winner: South Africa's Bowling in the Latter Part of the Innings
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Much like on Friday, South Africa's bowling up front was dubious. On both occasions, they managed to pull things back and put pressure on New Zealand. It's something that has been lacking in the South Africa team in recent times—now they just need to sort out their bowling up front. That they managed to pull things back without having any of the experienced guys in the side is a good sign for the future.
Loser: Morne van Wyk
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You have to feel a little bit sorry for Morne van Wyk. He has been in and out of the limited-overs team since before the World Cup this year. Van Wyk is a massively experienced player and would offer great value to the side at a World tournament, but selectors do not want him to be more than a temporary solution.
You’d have thought if he does well in this series it would be very difficult to ignore him, even if he simply goes as a specialist batsmen, but he hasn’t quite found form this series and will probably not do much more than fill a gap for the time being.
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Winner: Kagiso Rabada
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Kagiso Rabada still makes some elementary mistakes, but there doesn't seem to be a match that goes by in which he doesn't find himself on a hat-trick. Each passing game will be a massive confidence booster for South Africa’s young superstar.
Winner: The South Africa Supporters
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Despite the fact it’s winter, it’s not exactly freezing in South Africa at the moment. But the fans still deserve some credit for coming out and supporting their team. Although the matches haven’t been sold out, there have been some good crowds for the very early-season matches—games that haven't even featured New Zealand’s best players.
Loser: South Africa’s Approach
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South Africa’s chasing approach was really poor. Dodgy shot selections, a dubious batting order and seemingly batting without any real plan cost the team. Take nothing away from New Zealand, they were great and their bowlers constantly turned the pressure screws, but South Africa were poor in their response. The more the pressure built, the less South Africa knew what they were doing.
Winner: Adam Milne
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Adam Milne had a really impressive series and showed he’s a good young prospect for New Zealand. With good pace and some crafty plans, Milne is going to be a key player during the one-day series.
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