Shimron Hetmyer came out all guns blazing batting at Number 3 tonight and put on a batting masterclass in Centurion. Shimron Hetmyer looked in total control of proceedings and posted 75 runs off 42 balls before Rutherford finished things off in style getting 57 off 24 balls to power West Indies to 221/4 in 20 overs. Romario Shepherd did his bit as well while others had a rare off-day today for the West Indies.
South Africa also struggled but it was that man again Keshav Maharaj who shone through with the ball with figures of 2/22 in 4 overs while others chipped in as well who struggled a tad as West Indies posted a challenging score on the board for South Africa to chase this down under lights.
Shai Hope falls cheaply but West Indies gets off to a rollicking start in powerplay
Put into bat first, Brandon King and captain Shai Hope came out to bat for West Indies while Kagiso Rabada had ball in hand for South Africa. Hope got off the mark with a boundary with a pull over mid-on for a boundary. Marco Jansen took the ball from the other end. He provided an early breakthrough for South Africa as he got rid of Hope for 4 off 7 balls with a boundary to his name as the appeal for caught behind was turned down initially and then reverse to OUT after successful usage of DRS.
Shimron Hetmyer came out to bat next at 3 promoted up the order as he got off the mark with a streaky boundary as he went for the pull shot and got a top edge over fine leg for a boundary. Rabada continued as Hetmyer took him on first by throwing his hands and went past backward point region for a boundary and then went again by clipping it to the left of square leg for a boundary. Jansen continued as Hetmyer crunched the ball past cover point for a boundary.
Anrich Nortje came into the attack next and was welcomed by King for a boundary through the drive through extra covers. King again went after Nortje by lofting the ball over mid-off for a boundary. King was not done yet as he launched Nortje over deep cover point for the maximum. King then looked to smash the ball down the ground but the thick outside edge flew over short third man for a boundary. King then launched it very quickly as he lofted it over covers for the maximum. 24 runs off the first over from Nortje.
Kwena Maphaka came into the attack to bowl the last over of powerplay. Hetmyer welcomed him with a boundary with a flick away to the left of deep square leg for a boundary. King then came onto strike as he swivelled and helped it on its way over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Maphaka gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side. West Indies were off to a flier at 68/1 in 6 overs at the end of the powerplay with King unbeaten on 33 off 15 balls while Hetmyer is with him on 26* off 14 balls.
Brandon King & Shimron Hetmyer drive home the advantage but West Indies hit back with a few wickets in the middle phase of the game
Keshav Maharaj came back into the attack post the powerplay as King hit him by rocking back and cut it hard to the right of point for a boundary. Aiden Markram came into the attack next as Hetmyer welcomed him with a boundary by smashing it down the ground over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Hetmyer then heaved Markram by slog sweeping it over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Maharaj continued and bowled a decent over.
Nortje returned and welcomed him back with a boundary by Hetmyer as he tried to pull and got a top edge into the gap between deep fine leg and deep square leg for a boundary. Hetmyer then smashed Nortje by pulling it over deep square leg for the maximum as he reached his fifty in 29 balls. The 100 came up for the West Indies as well in 9.4 overs. Hetmyer was not done yet as he went inside the line and helped it over deep fine leg for the maximum. Hetmyer hit Nortje by flicking it away past square leg for a boundary.
At the halfway stage, West Indies were 115/1 in 10 overs with Hetmyer unbeaten on 63 off 31 balls while King was unbeaten on 41 off 22 balls when players took the Drinks Break. Kwena Maphaka came back into the attack as King punished the full toss down the ground past the bowler for a boundary. Rabada continued and finally provided the breakthrough for South Africa as he removed King for 49 off 30 balls with 5 fours and 3 sixes to his name as he miscued this one straight to Stubbs at long-on. Rovman Powell came out to bat next.
Maharaj came back into the attack and bowled a miserly over. Marco Jansen came back into the attack and bowled another miserly over. Maharaj continued and knocked Powell over for 2 off 8 balls as he came down the track and got a thick outside edge that rattled back into the stumps. Sherfane Rutherford came out to bat next. Maharaj had another wicket in the over as he removed Hetmyer the form batter for 75 off 42 balls with 8 fours and 3 sixes to his name with Brevis taking the catch at deep point. Romario Shepherd came out to bat next.
West Indies were 145/4 in 15 overs with Rutherford unbeaten on 2 off 2 balls while Shepherd was unbeaten on 0 off 1 ball.
Sherfane Rutherford finishes things off in style as West Indies post a massive 221/4
Aiden Markram returned to the attack as Rutherford charged and sliced it away over deep point fielder for a boundary. The 150 came up for West Indies in 15.4 overs. Jansen put down a tough chance running in from long-on and hurt his right hand but got up soon. Maphaka came back into the attack as Shepherd picked the full toss and deposited it over midwicket region for the maximum.
Rutherford got into the act as he pumped it over third man for the maximum. Jansen returned as Rutherford smacked him with a pull over midwicket for the maximum. Rutherford went again and hammered it over leg side for the maximum. Rutherford then pumped Jansen with an inside out drive over backward point for a boundary. Rutherford hammered the bowler again by crunching through the covers for a boundary. Rabada came to bowl the 19th over as Rutherford showed deft touch as he opened the bat face to send it to third man fence.
The partnership reached 50 between the two players. Rutherford unfurled another brutal drive through covers for a boundary as the 200 came up for West Indies in 18.3 overs. South Africa were penalised for slow over rate as Nortje bowled the final over of the innings. Rutherford went straight as an arrow over the sight screen for the maximum as Rutherford got to his fifty in 21 balls.
Rutherford pulled Nortje by swatting the ball towards long leg fence for a boundary. In the end, 15 runs off the last over as well as the West Indies finished with a mammoth 221/4 in 20 overs. 17 extras given by the fielding side as Rutherford remained unbeaten on 57 off 24 balls with 5 fours and 4 sixes to his name while Shepherd was unbeaten on 17 off 10 balls with one four and one six to his name. 17 extras given by the fielding side.
Keshav Maharaj was a cut and above the rest for South Africa as he finished with figures of 2/22 in 4 overs. Kagiso Rabada finished with 1/35 in 4 overs while Marco Jansen ended with 1/39 in 4 overs. Anrich Nortje went for a whopping 59 runs in 3 overs. Kwena Maphaka went for 39 runs in 3 overs. Aiden Markram the captain bowled 2 overs for 19 runs. This meant that South Africa needed 222 runs to win off 20 overs to clinch the series here itself 2-0 with one game left.
Who’s Winning, South Africa or West Indies?Â
West Indies had a great powerplay and last 5 overs to post a massive 221/4 on the board. The West Indies stuttered in the middle phase from overs 11-15. But all in all, a great effort by West Indies to put this score on the board. South Africa will have to bat extremely well to win this game from here. Advantage West Indies for now but things can change as we go along in the second innings.
Let’s wait and watch how the chase unfolds at Centurion.
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