Having previously looked at the top-order options for the Proteas, it is time to turn the spotlight to the middle-order and allrounder options as they look to settle on an XI which can be victorious at the T20 World Cup in Australia.
MIDDLE ORDER OPTIONS
- David Miller
2022 stats: Innings: 10; Runs: 283; Average: 57; Strike Rate: 186; Highest Score: 106*
David Miller has had an unforgettable 2022 in T20s. In the Indian Premier League, he smashed 481 runs in 16 innings at an average of 69 and a strike rate of 143 to help the Gujarat Titans win the title in their first season.
In the 2022 Caribbean Premier League he had impactful knocks as captain as he averaged 57 and struck 156 per 100 balls as he led the Barbados Royals to the final. Miller’s 106* off 47 balls in a losing cause against India on 4 October 2022 was truly something to behold and has confirmed what was already known: David Miller is in peak form.
- Tristan Stubbs
2022 stats: Innings: 6; Runs: 142; Average: 28; Strike Rate: 192; Highest Score: 72
Tristan Stubbs made his international debut against India in June but never got the opportunity to bat. That opportunity only came in the first T20I against England on 27 July. He came in when the Proteas had already lost all hope, still requiring 149 off 62 balls. However, that didn’t faze the youngster one bit as he blazed eight sixes in his whirlwind knock of 72 off only 28 balls. The Proteas lost, but a star was born.
In the Hundred, where he smoked Tabraiz Shamsi for four sixes in a row, he proved that he could also be a handy option with the ball as an offspinner.
Stubbs has proven himself an athletic fielder with a couple of brilliant catches against England and India. Stubbs brings the balance in the middle order that the Proteas require.
- Heinrich Klaasen
2022 stats: Innings: 7; Runs: 202; Average: 34; Strike Rate: 162; Highest Score: 81
Heinrich Klaasen has found himself on the outskirts of the side, mostly thanks to the arrival of Tristan Stubbs, but he has done his chances of making the XI during the World Cup no harm by his performances this year.
His highest score of 81 came against India off only 46 balls. He managed this despite coming in at a score that read 29/3 after 5.3 overs. The last T20I match Klaasen played was against Ireland in Bristol on 5 August 2022 where he struck 39 off only 16 balls.
Klaasen has shown himself to be one of the best players of spin in the squad and having played most of his cricket on bouncy pitches on the Highveld, is a very handy option to have in Australia.
ALLROUNDER OPTIONS
Two weeks ago a strong case would have been made for Dwaine Pretorius to be part of the starting XI at the T20 World Cup. However, he has since been ruled out due to a fractured thumb which will leave the Proteas light on batting depth. None of the current allrounders can match his strike rate of over 160. Trying to fill those No 7 and eight spots might prove to be tricky.
Let’s have a look at the options.
- Wayne Parnell
2022 stats: Bowling - Innings: 8; Wickets: 11; Economy Rate: 8.2; Batting – Innings: 4; Runs: 49; Average: 25; Strike Rate: 78; Highest Score: 24
While Wayne Parnell is certainly capable with the bat, he has not proven to be the type of batter who strikes lusty blows at the backend of an innings. He might be able to do a rescue job, but for someone who is likely to come in at No 7 in the absence of Dwaine Pretorius, he will need to have a much bigger impact than his strike rate of 78 for 2022 suggests.
With the ball Parnell has looked a much-improved player since his return from England, as he has been able to swing the ball up front and execute his yorkers better than SA’s other bowlers at the death. Parnell also brings variety to the attack as a left hander and will have a big role to play in Australia.
- Keshav Maharaj
2022 stats: Bowling - Innings: 13; Wickets: 13; Economy Rate: 8.1; Batting – Innings: 4; Runs: 56; Average: 19; Strike Rate: 112; Highest Score: 41
Keshav Maharaj might not be a fully-fledged allrounder, but he is capable of wielding the willow and might be called upon to do so during the tournament. He is a candidate for the No 8 spot in the line-up, though in the absence of Pretorius that does seem a slot too high.
On the bowling front Maharaj has continued to show his capabilities as an all-format bowler, as was best highlighted in his match defining figures of 2/23 in four overs in the second T20I against India where they made 237/3.
Maharaj has not lost one of the five matches in which he has captained the T20I side, which must be kept in mind should the need arise for him to make the step up during the World Cup.
At the time of writing, no replacement has been confirmed as the replacement for Pretorius in the main 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup. Andile Phehlukwayo and Marco Jansen are the frontrunners to replace him, but neither have had the ideal preparation to make the step up.
Jansen has only played one T20I in his career, in which he took one wicket and conceded 38 runs.
Phehlukwayo has only played 3 T20I’s this year and picked up five wickets while conceding 11.4 runs to the over.
Taking everything into consideration, the middle order might look something like this
5. David Miller
6. Tristan Stubbs
7. Wayne Parnell
8. Keshav Maharaj
Whatever decision the selectors go with, it is clear that it has been made more difficult by the absence of Pretorius.