NEW DELHI: South Africa’s batting coach JP Duminy made an surprising return to the sector in the course of the third and ultimate ODI in opposition to Eire in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Identified for his distinguished worldwide profession earlier than retiring from all codecs of cricket in July 2019, Duminy was known as upon to fill in as an alternative fielder because of fatigue and warmth exhaustion affecting a few of South Africa’s gamers.
The extreme desert warmth left a number of of the staff’s common fielders struggling, prompting the staff to search for quick reinforcements.
Whereas it is uncommon for a coach to step onto the sector in an lively sport, Duminy’s expertise and health made him a really perfect candidate to briefly fill the hole.
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His presence on the sector added an attention-grabbing piece to the sport, exhibiting his willingness to step up for his staff even in a non-playing capability.
Having misplaced their earlier two video games, Eire, in the meantime, put up a robust struggle of their ultimate ODI of the collection, with Paul Stirling main the cost by smashing 88 runs.
His partnership with captain Andy Balbirnie (45) helped Eire to a much-improved whole of 284/9, their highest of the collection.
Harry Tector additionally contributed a helpful 60, whereas Curtis Campher’s quickfire 34 off 36 balls supplied a lift within the center order.
Regardless of Eire’s improved batting show, South Africa’s bowlers, particularly Lizaad Williams, made essential breakthroughs.
Williams was the choose of the bowlers, taking 4 wickets for 56 runs in his 10 overs.
Ottneil Baartman and Andile Phehlukwayo supported effectively, with two wickets every, making certain South Africa remained aggressive within the match.
Duminy’s impromptu stint as a fielder, nevertheless, was the spotlight as his enduring reference to the sport and the lengths to which the staff was prepared to go to adapt to difficult circumstances had been on full show.
