Notwithstanding a terrific run in the One-dayers, South Africa captain A B de Villiers says his team was still far from the desired targets but they are proud to beat the world number one team, India. South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead against India after recording yet another convincing win here on Sunday.
“Winning seven out of our last 10 ODIs means we are definitely on the right track. There have been problems for us when it comes to consistency. We have been going through some tough times over the last two years in ODI cricket and sort of building a team.
“We have been sticking with the same players for a while now and we are enjoying our cricket. The results are starting to come through but we are nowhere where we want to be. But obviously, winning the series against the no.1 side in the world is very satisfying. It is something we can really be proud of,” he said.
South Africa put up 281 runs on the board after openers Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla put on 194 runs, bringing up their individual hundreds. The middle order didn’t fire though, unlike at Wanderers, with the captain coming up at number three himself and falling cheaply. It left the task to Ryan Mclaren and Vernon Philander to give them a push in the latter overs.
“Hashim and Quinton have been giving us really good starts, and today it was sort of finished off nicely by the middle and lower order. I was chuffed at how the lower order scored some runs today. Those were very important runs. They just got us over that par score, which I thought was 230-240. 280 all of a sudden looked like really good score,” he said.
“I am hopefully still a wicketkeeper in the Tests,” said the Proteas’ ODI captain, when asked about the form of young Quinton de Kock in particular.
“Quinny is obviously showing he has got the skill and the talent to keep in all three formats of the game. Maybe he still has got to get a bit of experience to gain when it comes to Tests. It is up to the selectors to decide, and the coach and the captain to make that call.”
Embarrassed to overtake Viv: Amla
Prolific South African batsman Hashim Amla (in pic) said he was “a bit embarrassed” to have overtaken West Indian legend Sir Viv Richards’ record of being the quickest batsman to reach the 4000-run mark in ODIs.
During his knock of 100 runs in the second one-dayer against India, Amla became the quickest batsman to score 4000 ODI runs. He achieved this feat at the personal score of 59 runs, in 81 matches, ahead of the 88-marker set by Richards.
“I am grateful for the record. But I feel a bit embarrassed to have it because Sir Viv Richards is certainly the master blaster, the original great batsman,” said Amla, rather sheepishly.
“He is more deserving than anyone else. Fortunately I have met him on a few occasions, so it makes it even more embarrassing. It would be befitting if he was ahead.”
“There is a lot of one-day cricket these days and no doubt someone else will come along and beat that and the game will just carry on,” he added.
SA retain squad for Test series
South Africa have made no changes to their Test squad for the two-match series against India starting December 18, retaining the 15 who drew the away series against Pakistan in October.
Graeme Smith, who was released from the ODI squad to prepare for the Tests, will lead the side in the series starting December 18 in Johannesburg. “We were very happy with the performance of the Proteas in the second Test match at Dubai,” Andrew Hudson, the selection convener, said.
“We see no need to change something that is operating well.”
The South Africans are currently on a roll having beaten India in the first two ODIs of an ongoing three-match series.
The Test squad features four fast bowlers in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Rory Kleinveldt, and two spinners in Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir.
Thami Tsolekile is the reserve wicketkeeper in the side to back up AB de Villiers, who is currently leading the ODI team.
The second Test will be played in Durban, from December 26.
Squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile (wk).