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Proteas defeat West Indies in record T20 run chase

cricket26 March 2023 16:12| © MWP
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It was a day of records at SuperSport Park, Centurion, as the Proteas chased the biggest target in T20 international cricket. Set a huge 259 runs to win, they got home by six wickets, reaching 259/4 with seven balls to spare to square the three-match series at 1-1 heading into the deciding clash on Tuesday at the Wanderers.

Needing to score at 12.90 to the over to overhaul the record 258/5 set by the West Indies, Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks set the afternoon on fire as they posted an astounding 152 for the first wicket in a mere 10.2 overs. They took 13 off the opening over and reached 50 in 2.4 overs. The hundred came in 5.3 overs and the powerplay produced a staggering 102/0, the highest score in a T20 powerplay by a test playing nation.

De Kock was brutal and magnificent. He reached 50 in 15 balls and his maiden T20 international century in 43 balls (9x4, 8x6), departing soon after reaching the milestone, caught by keeper Nicholas Pooran after top-edging a delivery from Raymon Reifer.

Hendricks was equally as sublime, getting to his 50 from 22 balls and going on to 68 from 28 balls (11x4, 2x6). Rilee Rossouw marched to the wicket and proceeded to hit his first three balls for four, six, six and then slapping the fourth to Brandon King at mid-off for a quickfire 16.

David Miller (10) holed out in the deep and it was left to skipper Aiden Markram with an undefeated 38 from 21 balls (4x4, 1x6) and Heinrich Klaasen (16*) from seven balls, to create history.

Seven bowlers were used by the West Indies, Jason Holder (1/48), Odean Smith (1/36), Reifer (1/42) and captain Rovman Powell (1/27) having success in an afternoon of carnage.

Earlier, the West Indies, having been asked to bat, recovered from the early loss of King (1) to post their highest ever T20 international total, thanks to a superb 118 from 46 balls by Johnson Charles (10x4, 11x6) who shared a second wicket partnership of 135 with Kyle Mayers who smashed 51 from 27 balls (5x4, 4x6). Powell contributed 28 from 19 balls and at the end of the innings, Romario Shepherd carved an undefeated 41 from 18 balls.

Marco Jansen was the best of the six bowlers used with 3/52 in four overs and Wayne Parnell claimed 2/43 in his four overs.

It was a day for the batsmen with a total of 517 runs scored in the two innings. The West Indies innings produced 22 sixes and 17 fours while the Proteas cleared the boundary 13 times and added 29 fours.

Powell was disappointed in failing to defend a more than useful total. “That’s the nature of the game and it wasn’t our day besides the efforts of our batsmen, especially Johnson Charles. There’s all to play for in the deciding game but I am proud of the team and for what they achieved,” he said.

Markram was happy to have levelled the series but appreciated his team needed to do it all again. “Quinny’s knock was unbelievable and Reeza showed his class. It was an incredible game of cricket but there is still a game to play where we will have to go back to start and produce the good to win the series,” he said.

SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton De Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram (capt.), David Miller, Heinrich Klaassen, Marco Jansen, Wayne Parnell, Sisanda Magala, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi.

WEST INDIES: Kyle Mayers, Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell (capt.), Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Jason Holder, Sheldon Cottrell, Akeal Hosein.

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