Wayne Parnell and the rest of the Proteas’ bowling attack were suitably chuffed with their collective display in the third one-dayer against New Zealand on Saturday, as they rolled the hosts over for just 112, to set up a massive 159-run victory.
“Ya, it was right up there,” Parnell enthused about the clinical bowling performance.
“It was about starting well, after we managed to post quite a decent total. Those first 15 overs were very key for us,” he explained.
As he looked the bowling effort, Parnell heaped praise on a pair of players who could be said to be vying with him for a spot in the first-choice XI.
“I thought Dwaine (Pretorius) and Andile (Phehlukwayo) were exceptional. That spell that they bowled together was amazing. I think it was something like eight overs, three or four wickets, for about ten runs.”
It certainly was an exceptional display of control, by two players still learning their craft, and staking a claim for more regular work. It broke the back of what little the Kiwis had left, and emphasised the depth that the Proteas are developing with the ball.
That same duo, along with Parnell, have also grown into useful contributors with the bat, and it was Parnell’s turn on Saturday, as his 35 off 32 balls lifted the Proteas to a competitive 271.
“AB didn’t have a total in mind, but when I spoke to the coach on the bench, he mentioned 240/250,” Parnell said of his frame of mind when he joined his captain at the crease.
“I just thought if I can get AB to the last 4-5 overs, then we know how dangerous he can be. “It was about trying to build a partnership, and take pressure off him,” Parnell added.
The left-hander, enjoying a revival in national colours, welcomed the growing sense of rivalry within the camp, as he pointed out that it made for a better squad.
“Competition is always healthy for the squad. Whoever has come in has done the job. When you bowl, you just try and replicate things that worked for the New Zealanders. We obviously had scoreboard pressure, and the wicket was pretty decent. Andile and Dwaine’ partnership (with the ball) was very key,” he reiterated.
Even amidst the scramble for places, Parnell has maintained his trademark wit, remarking that he may have made runs in his last outing, it hadn’t always been a walk in the park.
“You don’t always get it right – I got a duck in the last game!,” he chirped.
The bigger picture, which encompasses the Champions Trophy and beyond, to the 2019 World Cup, where the Proteas want to take their strongest unit possible.
“We have 14-15 guys who have played, so if I sit out, I know the next guy will do well. We just have to work hard, and put in the performances,” he explained.
Parnell added that the nature of one-day cricket dictated that the team become a lot more flexible, so having a variety of bowlers was also very useful.
“We want to get combinations for certain fields or wickets. So if a wicket allows for an extra spinner or paceman, we can change it without affecting the performance,” he explained.
As they look to the fourth one-dayer, Parnell said they were braced for the hosts to come back at them.
“We expect New Zealand to bounce back again in Hamilton. It is a completely different match out there.”
The fourth match of the series is on Wednesday, in Hamilton, starting at 2:30am, South African time.