T20 World Cup: Miller to the rescue as SA overcome 'mental blockade' against NED with four-wicket win

David Miller came to the rescue with a gritty half-century after Ottniel Baartman shone with the ball by collecting a four-fer as South Africa overcame a mighty scare to defeat Netherlands by four wickets in their T20 World Cup match in New York on Saturday.

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The Proteas had lost each of their last two World Cup meetings with Netherlands and appeared set for a third defeat in a row after getting reduced to 3/3 while chasing a modest target of 104 at New York’s Nassau County International Stadium. Things then went from bad to worse as they lost their fourth wicket with just 12 on the board after the in-form Heinrich Klaasen was dismissed.

Miller (59 not out off 51) would then join forces with Tristan Stubbs (33 off 37) — the only other South African batter to reach double figures on Saturday as the pair got their team within touching distance of the finish line with a 65-run fifth-wicket partnership.

It was up to Miller to ensure no further drama was in store for the Proteas after Stubbs and all-rounder Marco Jansen departed in quick succession, briefly igniting Netherlands’ hopes of pulling off a last-minute heist.

Miller let out a triumphant roar after smashing seamer Bas de Leede for a maximum in the penultimate delivery of the 19th over, helping the Proteas avoid a third defeat against Scott Edwards and Co in as many World Cup meetings, T20 or ODI.

“It was just a good finish in the end,” a relieved Miller said afterwards. “Credit to the Netherlands bowlers - they bowled really well.

“They made it difficult for us to score. But we have got over the line with our tailenders, so I have faith.”

‘Mental blockade’

Proteas captain Aiden Markram said his team had overcome a psychological hurdle with the victory over the Dutch after their previous high-profile losses.

“We knew they were always going to up for a scrap,” Markram said. “It’s a game of cricket ultimately. The history before this game was obviously they beat us. It’s a mental blockade — and we were under pressure again today.”

Earlier, Baartman’s dazzling four-wicket haul helped South Africa hold the Netherlands to a modest 103-9.

Baartman finished with figures of 4-11 off four overs, with Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje both grabbing two wickets to keep the Dutch batsmen on the back foot.

Jansen had the Netherlands rocking in the opening over, getting rid of Michael Levitt caught behind for a duck after a review.

Jansen was involved again for South Africa’s second dismissal, taking a superb one-handed diving catch at first slip after Max O’Dowd edged behind off Baartman.

That left the Netherlands reeling on 15-2 after four overs. They were three down in the following over as Jansen bagged his second wicket, obliterating Vikramjit Singh’s stumps to make it 17-3.

De Leede was the next to fall, caught off Nortje for six runs from a delivery which rocketed up off the wicket.

It got worse for the Netherlands in the 12th over.

First Edwards was run out for 10 after a superb piece of fielding by South Africa skipper Aiden Markram.

Then Nortje bagged another wicket three balls later after Teja Nidamanuru’s leading edge flew all the way to deep third man into the hands of Heinrich Klaasen to make it 48-6.

Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek staged a fleeting fightback before falling to Baartman for 40 and 23 respectively as South Africa’s bowlers reasserted themselves in the final overs.

With AFP inputs