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Cricket SA magazine editor RYAN VREDE rates each Proteas player’s performance in Newlands out of 10.
Temba Bavuma: 2
If Bavuma is to cement its place at the top of Proteas’ T20I lineup, it will have better decisions to make than the one that pulled it off. The thin leg paddle has become common in cue ball cricket. But trying in the first over of the game, as Bavuma did, is disconcerting.
Quinton de Kock: 6
He is the difference between a good score and a winner. In fact, it could be the difference between Proteas competing well in this series and winning it. For that to happen, he needs to hit for most of the overs. He did not, leaving for a well-played 30.
Faf du Plessis: 8
He carried his excellent IPL form into this series, scoring 58 of 40 deliveries. Entries included him taking Tom Curran for 23 in an over. His ability to rotate shots easily as well as his 360-degree scoring potential makes him an invaluable player for the Proteas. However, he came out at a critical stage of the innings and will know he needs to hit deeper to make up for a relatively inexperienced hitting lineup.
Rassie van der Dussen: 6
He had trouble finding the rhythm of the wicket to start, and although he hit a couple of long balls, he never found his rhythm in front of excellent England bowling alley.
Heinrich Klaasen: 5
I never got going. He was relatively good at rotating strike, but failed to produce a rebuttal for the extensive skill of England’s bowlers on difficult terrain. In his prime, he’s a match winner, but he was far from his prime tonight.
Pite van Biljon: 5
He faced only six non-impact deliveries in that time.
George Linde: 8
He was late in the innings and I had to pitch from the start. It hits a massive four and six before being launched. However, he excelled on the ball, firing Jason Roy and Dawid Malan, leaving him 2-2 after two overs. He finished 2-20 in his four overs and showed encouraging control, intelligence and courage in that time.
Kagiso Rabada: 6
Solid and reliable without standing out. His third over, which lasted just seven races, was critical in the final analysis.
Beuran Hendricks: 2
He collapsed as the innings progressed, conceding 28 in his final. That made England return to the contest after they appeared dead and buried. Terrible night.
Lungi Ngidi: 6
He took a wicket with his first (legal) delivery, hitting a great length to get rid of the dangerous Jos Buttler. He showed a good mix of skills but never threatened to take England by storm.
Tabraiz Shamsi: 2
Terribly erratic. I never found its length or line. When he managed to land it, it spun. But he couldn’t land, at least not in dangerous areas, and not enough to upset England’s hitters. Their struggles meant that Quinton de Kock had to turn to Heinrich Klaasen for bowling. His change was 14, compounding the impact of Shamsi’s bad night. Comically, he fired Stokes with a delivery that landed in the middle of the field.
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