We didn’t assess quickly enough – Behardien

Standard Bank Proteas captain, Farhaan Behardien, admits that the batsmen struggled to adapt to the slow and spinning conditions in their three-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the second KFC T20 International at the Bidvest Wanderers on Sunday. Behardien (27) and opener, Heino Kuhn (29), were the only batsmen to make meaningful contributions in challenging conditions and against a three-pronged spin attack, but the lack of a substantial partnership and wickets falling at regular intervals stunted the push for a defendable score. The Proteas’ total of 113 all out was their lowest T20 score at the ground, with the uncharacteristic conditions playing into the hands of the visitors’ attack. Behardien is proud of his bowlers for taking the low-scoring match to the last over, particularly the contribution from Lungi Ngidi, who continues to impress in only his second T20 international match for South Africa. Ngidi countered the spin-friendly conditions with aggression and pace to finish with outstanding figures of 4/19 in his four-over spell. The squad will travel to Cape Town on Monday ahead of the series-deciding third KFC T20 International at PCC Newlands on Wednesday. AB de Villiers passed a fitness test on Sunday and has been added to the squad for the third match.