Like most teams South Africans prefer to chase down targets in ODIs – they believe they can successfully chase down any target given to them, yet during 2nd ODI -post match interview – their captain AB De Villers was concerned chasing a very small target. He was cross on himself for throwing his wicket away when only 16 runs were required to win.
Their overall record shows high success rate while chasing. (61.70%), and it is almost the same this year(62.50%). Their top players career stats justifies second batting, as their average/strike rate is slightly better while chasing targets.
Below is their career stats.
| Career (overall) | Avg | St.rate | Career (2nd bat ) | Avg | St.rate |
| Fa Du Plessis | 35.48 | 85.81 | Fa Du Plessis | 37.45 | 93.63 |
| De Villiers | 51.21 | 95.60 | De Villiers | 57.23 | 92.41 |
Progression and Role play
I have picked middle order batsmen from both teams to analyse their role play and inning progression in each phase.
South Africa batted second in all 5 games v/s Australia(period of two series). This is how they have performed in these series.
A) Fa Du Plessis. In 5 games he scored 378 runs, and his role play is 798 runs. It means 66.83% of South African runs came when he was at the crease.
B) Abraham De Villiers: In 5 games he scored 327uns, and his role play is 568 runs. 47.57% of South African runs came when he was at the crease.
Australia
They batted first in all the 5 games. Instead of an opener I have picked two middle order(who played all 5 games). Australian openers have been very successful in building score, hence their middle order role-play runs would not as high as South Africans.
George Bailey:
In 5 games he scored 205 runs and his role play was 400 runs. 31.25% of Australia’s runs came when he was at the crease .Bailey has an interesting outing. Few times he batted early in their innings (before 30th over) and during that period he was very slow to progress, with a strike rate of less than 50/ and no boundary at all!. However he is completely different after 2nd Power play. He really goes after every bowler.
Mitchell Marsh: In 5 games he scored 195 runs and his role play was 337 runs. 26.32% of Australia’s runs came when he was at the crease. Like Bailey is unstoppable post 40th over.
All data is updated at end of 2nd ODI at WACA- (16th Nov, 2014). Here is a link to meaning of all indices and formulas. http://allthatcricket.com/?p=1489
