‘I am very stoked’: David Miller celebrates career-best ODI century
· Citizen
David Miller played a starring role for the Proteas as he hit his highest ODI score to help them clinch a second straight win over Australia, in the Pink Day match at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Miller, at 37 years old, is into the twilight of his career, but proved he still has his power game, as he slammed 142 off 93 balls (with nine sixes and 12 fours) to help the Proteas reach 365/9 batting first, which was too much for the visiting Aussies as they fell 32 runs short.
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It clinched the series win for the Proteas ahead of the final ODI in Potchefstroom on Wednesday, after they triumphed in the first ODI in Durban last Thursday by 67 runs.
Proud Miller
Speaking after picking up his Player of the Match award, Miller said he was delighted with the score, which bested his previous highest score of 139 against Bangladesh in 2017. He bashed his eighth ODI century, and his third against Australia, who he has taken a particular liking to over his 180-match one-day international career.
“It was a great feeling scoring 142, I am very stoked. It was against Australia too, so it was nice to tip one over them. They are so competitive, they are always at you, they bring out the best in the guys, they are world class players and it’s good to compete against the best in the world,” Miller said.
“So it was a great day out, and I am just very chuffed to get over the line and put in a good shift for the team.”
Speaking about the 156-run stand for the fourth wicket with captain Temba Bavuma, Miller said: “It was a great partnership. Temba is just so solid and he has done really well, it was an incredible knock from him and we just tried to ride the wave.
“It (the pitch) was a little bit sticky and had slow bounce, so we just tried to kind of get into good positions, keep feeding each other with the strike and then move up the gears and try take it (the partnership) deep.
“It was one of those (partnerships that take time), but one day cricket is so long, so you’ve got a lot of time and it was really cool to have a good partnership with him.”
Bavuma support
Bavuma made 103 off 116 balls for his sixth ODI century, and third against the Aussies, with his last three tons all coming against them.
The skipper said he was happy to contribute and proud of the effort of his spinners, especially part timer Aiden Markram who bowled his full 10 overs.
“It’s always nice to contribute with the bat and I had more of an opportunity (to settle in) coming in just after the first ball. I was able to take my time and build partnerships with Quinton and all the other guys. So it’s always nice to contribute to the team,” said Bavuma.
“It was very valuable (having Markram’s spin available). Obviously with him turning the ball away from the left handers, and the conditions offered a lot more for spin than we expected for him and the other spinners.”
Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh, who again helped get his teams chase off to a rapid start with a quickfire half century, as he did in the first ODI, said he was bitterly disappointed with the loss which ended their hopes of keeping the series alive.
“It was really disappointing. We came here with the attitude of making sure it was 1-all today going into that final game (in Potchefstroom). Fair play to South Africa, I thought they played really well and outplayed us again,” said Marsh.