The Proteas learning from their mistakes

South Africa have brought themselves back after a convincing victory in the second match at Sophia Gardens.

This was a particularly great effort by David Miller’s men keeping in mind the thumping the bowlers took in the first match. The South African bowling and fielding showed a marked improvement after the disappointing show in the first match.

Wily Tabraiz Shamsi showcasing his wizardness

What are the reasons behind the turnaround?

1. David Miller’s better understanding of the match situation: Much like the first match, the pitch in this match also looked like a batting heaven. Though South Africa posted a big total of 207 runs on the board, England got off to a flying start and were in the hunt in the initial stages of their innings.

England were stationed at 43 for 1 after the end of 5 overs and the platform was being laid for the big chase. Miller read the plot very well at this stage. He used his two spinners in tandem for 8 consecutive overs, thus not providing enough pace for the batters to work with.

The masterstroke from the proteas captain is evident from the fact that the two spinners picked up 4 (Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran) wickets for 64 runs in 8 overs on a batting-friendly wicket. 

2. Planned bowling from the Proteas’ bowlers: There was an evident change in the approach of the South African bowlers in this match. A conscious effort was made by them to keep the ball away from the arc of the English batters and not provide them with enough pace. This proves that they learned from the mistakes of their previous match where they were a tad fuller than required. 

A comparison of the lengths of the South African bowlers in the two matches will give us a clearer picture.

The figure makes it clear that lengthwise the South African bowlers have consciously tried to stay away from the English batters in the second match.

3. Better defensive bowling: Well the South African team showed that it is not always about attacking the stumps in cricket. They understood the conditions and adapted accordingly.

The fact that they tried to stay away from the English batters is also evident in the lines they bowled in the two matches. After being thrashed in the first match they quickly adapted a better defensive strategy and were rewarded immediately.

A comparative analysis of their lines in the two matches will give us a better idea.

South Africa showed the presence of the most essential skill in cricket in modern times, adaptability. They learned from their mistakes in the first match and bounced back strongly in the next. 

The series between the two teams is poised perfectly with only one match remaining. With great anticipation for another enthralling contest, the cricketing fraternity will turn on the coverage for the next match.