We knew chasing was tough – Farhaan Behardien
Jun 8, 2016 at 11:04 PM
The trend of low scoring games in the ongoing tri-series continued as South Africa defended a low total with complete ease to register a victory with a bonus point. On the slow and low wicket of Guyana, the Proteas scrambled across to 189-9 in 50 overs. For any other ground, that would seem a completely mediocre total, but not at Guyana.
The South African bowlers seemed up for the challenge and got the better of Australia. The Kangaroos were bowled out for 142 to hand South Africa an easy win. The hero for the Proteas was none other than batsman Farhaan Behardien, whose effective knock, in the end, made all the difference. Behardien hung with the tail to get his side to a defendable total, and in the end, his knock of 62 had a massive impact on the game.
Post the game, Behardien stated that he always knew that chasing would be difficult at Guyana. “I thought it was one of those wickets where there was quite a lot happening,” Behardien said. Finchy (Aaron Finch) played an unbelievable innings considering the conditions. But we always felt that we were in the game. We went with quite a bold game plan with three spinners, and it paid off on a wicket that offers some assistance for the spinners.”
“The chat was to hang in there and we had a score to bowl at,” Behardien said. “We knew that the Aussie team is full of confidence but we knew that 190 would be tough. They didn’t struggle too much getting the score the other night against the West Indies but it was tough. Today, the first eight overs, Parnell, and Kagiso bowled really well and got those three wickets which put Australia on the back foot. So the chat halfway through was that we had given ourselves a chance and if you bowl really well, which we did tonight, we can win the game and I’m very glad that we did. It’s not easy beating the Australian team,” he added.
Behardien was full of praise for debutant chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi, who dismissed Glenn Maxwell. “He brings new energy to the group. He made his debut today against the world champions so we had chucked him in the deep end straightaway,” Behardien said. “I played with him at the Titans, my state franchise side, in South Africa. There’s a little bit of mystery to him.”