India – Albie Morkel celebrated his return to the Oxigen Proteas T20 squad and his 50th international appearance in this format after an absence of almost exactly 18 months with a career best bowling return to help his team to an easy six-wicket win over India in the second T20 International match at Cuttack and a 2-0 series victory.
On a night when the Proteas played close to a perfect match they routed India for 92 in 17.2 overs after winning the toss with Morkel having the best return of 3/12 from his four overs with 13 dot balls. It was only the second time Indian had been dismissed for less than 100 and far and away their lowest total on home turf.
In spite of two disruptions caused by crowd disturbances the Proteas then knocked off the runs for the loss of 4 wickets with 17 balls to spare with JP Duminy finishing off the job just as he had done in the first match.
Had he hit the last ball of the match for six rather than for four he would have taken his aggregate for the series to 100 runs without being dismissed.
Although Morkel was a deserving man of the match he would have been the first to acknowledge the fact that the bowling and fielding effort was very much a team performance. Run outs by Chris Morris and David Miller accounted for India’s top scorers from the first match, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Imran Tahir almost took a hat trick in the middle overs and Kagiso Rabada put in an inspired spell up front.
Faf du Plessis also provided a masterly tactical display as captain. He always had the Indian batsmen on the hop as he used four different bowlers in the first four overs – it was the first time Imran had taken the new ball – and he used Rabada to bowl his four overs in a single spell that earned him an impressive 1/18 from his spell that was complete by the end of the 9th over.
He bowled fast and straight, seldom dropping below 140km/h and topping out at 150 and, as Graeme Smith commented on TV, he put doubt into the minds of the Indian batsmen on a surface that had irregular bounce.
His economy rate for the series to date is the best of all the South African bowlers who have played two matches – 6.25 – which is quite exceptional.
When the Proteas batted, they adopted a good, positive approach, and once Ravi Ashwin had completed his four overs up front (3/24) the issue was as good as settled.
The final match will be played at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Thursday. – ANA