South Africa’s fielding coach Wandile Gwavu was seen fielding in a rare incident in international cricket during his team’s tri-series clash against New Zealand in Pakistan.
The Proteas faced the Kiwis in the second match of the tri-series at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 10, Monday. In a rare sight, the fielding coach Gwavu had to take the field during the second innings when the Kiwis were running away with the game.
Gwavu stepped on the field of cricket as South Africa were short of players in their first match of the tri-series against the Kiwis. The Proteas had only 12 players named for the opener with several first-choice and Champions Trophy players missing out due to the recently-concluded SA20.
Heinrich Klaasen and Keshav Maharaj are set to join the team ahead of their second match against Pakistan on Wednesday, February 12. South Africa will have their complete squad with them soon in Pakistan. The current squad has six uncapped players.
Notably, in an ODI between South Africa and Ireland last year, the Proteas had fielded the batting coach JP Duminy as a substitute fielder as many players were down due to illness.
Coming to the match between New Zealand and South Africa, the Kiwis defeated the Proteas pretty easily with Kane Williamson slamming his 14th ODI hundred. Asked to chase 305, the Blackcaps gunned down the total with six wickets in hand and eight balls to go.
Williamson got to his ODI hundred after more than five years. The former New Zealand skipper slammed 133* from 113 balls as he led his team to a clinical victory over the Proteas. He also breached the 7000-run mark in ODI cricket during his stroke-filled knock.
The former Kiwi skipper has created history as he has become the fastest New Zealand batter to reach 7000 ODI runs and second-fastest overall. Coming into the clash against the Proteas, Williamson had 6868 runs in 158 innings and needed 132 runs to breach the 7000 mark. He achieved the feat as he slammed a winning four to Senuran Muthusamy when one run was required for the win.
Fastest players to 7000 ODI runs:
1 – Hashim Amla: 150 innings
2 – Kane Williamson: 159 innings
3 – Virat Kohli: 161 innings
4 – AB de Villiers: 166 innings
5 – Sourav Ganguly: 174 innings