DURBAN – Standard Bank Proteas all-rounder, JP Duminy, anticipates another highly competitive series against India in the upcoming six-match Momentum One-Day International (ODI) series starting at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Thursday.
There isn’t much that separates the two teams on the ICC ODI rankings – South Africa leads India by one point at the top of the table – and the intensely contested Sunfoil Freedom Series has given a sample of what to expect in the limited-overs formats.
Duminy has been in sparking form for the World Sports Betting Cape Cobras in the Momentum One-Day Cup, and has been instrumental in leading the team to a home semi-final tomorrow - scoring 416 runs at an average of 52. The all-rounder says he is relishing the opportunity to transfer the form into the upcoming series, which he believes will be ‘closely fought’.
“They are a phenomenal team,” Duminy said ahead of the squad’s practice in Durban on Tuesday. “You have seen over the years that they have managed to compete in all conditions around the world. You don’t expect anything less from them in South African conditions. They have some new faces, a few young players, but with a lot of talent.
“I certainly think so,” he said of the competitive nature of the series. “You are going to find that in white-ball cricket we will be closer competition. Even though we won the first two Test matches, India competed. That is what you want to see from high-profile teams. India are the No.1 ranked Test nation in the world, you expect nothing less from them. It’s going to be a highly competitive series both in the ODI’s and T20’s.”
Duminy expects favourable conditions for the batsmen, and predicts a high-scoring aggressive brand of cricket from both the teams. He highlighted the need for a good start to the series, with the quick turnaround of matches leaving little room to fall behind.
“I think it’s going to be more batting friendly,” he said of the conditions. “They are going to be high-scoring games across the country, which will bring the teams together. The key fundamentals for me in one-day cricket is partnerships with ball and bat. The team who gets that right will have the best chance of victory. It’s going to be a well-fought series, and close, it’s going to be interesting.
“The key for us is to start well,” he added. “If we have a good game here at Kingsmead we can gain confidence moving forward. It will be different with six ODI’s this time around, you have to win four matches to guarantee the series.”