New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): Former India spinner and head coach Anil Kumble believes the variety offered by South Africa’s pace trio, featuring Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi, makes them a dominant force even in the non-friendly bowling conditions evident in the ongoing Champions Trophy.
On Saturday, the unbeaten South African side sunk England to stay at the top of Group B and storm into the semi-finals. The Proteas kicked off their campaign with an emphatic 107-run victory over Afghanistan.
Rain washed away their second fixture, but they went on to cap off their group stage campaign with a 7-wicket triumph over the Three Lions.
South Africa forced England to bundle out on 179 and Afghanistan on 208, the two lowest totals in the ongoing edition of the Champions Trophy.
“I think one good thing about South Africa is that all three of their fast bowlers that played today – of course, Mulder is the one who bowls the middle periods – but if you look at the three tall fast bowlers, all of them are really tall. And all of them are different,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day show.
Rabada, Ngidi and Jansen have combined to take 11 scalps in two matches, making them one of the most prolific pace attacks across the tournament.
“Their angles are very different. Rabada is very classical, whereas Ngidi is pretty awkward to face with his action, and Marco Jansen comes at such height. So, all three are very different. So that’s the nature you want in a one-day. That’s the variation,” he said.
“Even on a flat track, it’s not easy for the batters to line up because all three are very different. And that’s something that South Africa can certainly feel [confident about]. They have this kind of quality and variety going into the business end of the tournament,” he added.
Jansen, a lanky left-arm pacer, spearheaded South Africa’s pace attack against England on a placid Karachi turf. He thrived on his bounce and removed England’s top three in the powerplay in the first innings to put his side in complete control.
“I think he’s still very young, although he has played quite a lot of cricket. He has certainly matured. I’m sure these three wickets [will give him confidence], and also, you can see his athleticism in the field with all those catches. He has improved a lot with his batting as well. He has contributed with the bat on many occasions for South Africa,” Kumble said.
“So in that sense, he’s a complete package for South Africa at No. 7 or No. 8. And with the ball, with the new ball, he can bring the ball back in. He’s tall, so it’s not easy for the batters to just get under him,” he said. “We saw that with Phil Salt; it just took off. It was quite steep, the bounce, and he couldn’t get over it. You need that variety in your bowling attack, and that’s something that South Africa have in plenty,” he added. (ANI)
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