Nortje hasn't conceded a maximum in the tournament to date. His performances are a continuation of this form in the IPL with his figures to date here being 15.2-0-70-8 (Average 8.75 and Economy Rate of 4.56)
If Buttler has come in at 5 or 6 yesterday, England would probably have ended up with a similar score, as Buttler only accelerated in the second half of the innings. We were 47/3 at the half way mark with Buttler on 24 off 30 balls.
The one advantage I guess of him opening is that he can get used to the conditions before opening up, but the innings he played yesterday was a finisher innings.
Seb told me a story from his stay and it probably sums things up so far as Aussies attitude to life and to sport. He tells me that everyone is really friendly, when he walks down the street he always gets a friendly smile and if it's a bloke that passes they will invariably say "g'day mate, how are you going?"
Seb was playing his first match on Saturday which is a two day game that finishes the following week. The opposition declared on 300. Seb batted at 4 and got in with only a few balls of the day to go. He described what was going on in the middle as "unbelievable" and that there was shedloads being given out, not just to him as the "pommIe" but also to his partner. At the end of the day Seb's batting partner fist pumped him and then promptly turned round to the bowler of that final over and shouted "and you can fxxx off you fxxxing cxxx". Seb didn't really didn't know how to react!
Two things from that experience. Firstly, one can't help thinking that this was just the warm up to what will be welcoming the two of them next week. The other is that there are certain things that I am hoping Seb will take from his time out there. What his partner said is probably not one of them - as much some bowlers deserve it for what they dish out!
Even after that easy win SA are still miles behind us on NRR so we're surely through. I'll be honest i can't work it out accurately, but i think even if we lost by 100 runs we'd still finish above them.
Comments
https://www.iplt20.com/video/217333/nortje-wins-buttler-battle
Hendricks and de Kock gone
33-3
The one advantage I guess of him opening is that he can get used to the conditions before opening up, but the innings he played yesterday was a finisher innings.
Seb was playing his first match on Saturday which is a two day game that finishes the following week. The opposition declared on 300. Seb batted at 4 and got in with only a few balls of the day to go. He described what was going on in the middle as "unbelievable" and that there was shedloads being given out, not just to him as the "pommIe" but also to his partner. At the end of the day Seb's batting partner fist pumped him and then promptly turned round to the bowler of that final over and shouted "and you can fxxx off you fxxxing cxxx". Seb didn't really didn't know how to react!
Two things from that experience. Firstly, one can't help thinking that this was just the warm up to what will be welcoming the two of them next week. The other is that there are certain things that I am hoping Seb will take from his time out there. What his partner said is probably not one of them - as much some bowlers deserve it for what they dish out!