Proteas go 1-0 up T20 Series as Ngidi stars on debut

THE Standard Bank Proteas unveiled the latest jewel in their fast bowling crown when Lungi Ngidi took a superb 2/12 to help bowl his side to a 19-run victory over Sri Lanka in the opening KFC T20 International match at SuperSport Park on Friday evening. It was technically a T10 match as persistent rain reduced the contest to a 10-over a side match, making it even more of a lottery than would otherwise have been the case. Although the South African victory was set up by the fourth wicket stand of 51 in 3.1 overs between David Miller (40 off 18 balls) and stand-in captain Farhaan Behardien (31 not out also off 18 balls) and then consolidated by the two experienced spinners, Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso, the clincher came from Ngidi when he took 2/4 in the 8th over. Apart from his ability to extract pace and bounce – he topped out at 141km/h – he showed the ability to become an excellent death bowler as did Andile Phehlukwayo who only conceded 7 runs in the final over to close out the match. Both Ngidi and Phehlukwayo only turn 21 in March while Kagiso Rabada is barely a year older. The performance of the two 20-year-olds must have given enormous satisfaction to CSA selection convener, Linda Zondi, who has done more than most to identify Black African talent in the KwaZulu-Natal area. Ngidi was named KFC Man of the Match. He was one of five players to make his T20 debut for the Proteas and all of them contributed in one way or another. Mangaliso Mosehle, the stand-in wicketkeeper for Quinton de Kock, hit a six off the only ball he faced while Jon-Jon Smuts and Theunis de Bruyn both batted with enterprise to lay the foundation for the Miller-Behardien fireworks that followed. At the end of the day 19 runs is a significant margin of victory for a game in this format with most contests going down to the wire and the Proteas will take a lot of confidence to the second match at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Sri Lanka were a lot more competitive and comfortable in this shortest format of the game and were well set up to chase the above par target of 127 by the opening stand of 59 in 5.1 overs between Niroshan Dickwella (43 off 19 balls) and Dhananjaya de Silva (27 off 16 balls). They, in fact, led the Proteas after the three-over power play (40/0 as against 37/2) and again at the halfway stage (59/0 as against 56/3). Imran then took 2 wickets in the next over and Phangiso chimed in with one as Sri Lanka lost 3 wickets for 15 runs and they were not able to put together another partnership of note.