South Africa and Australia will meet for three T20Is at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead this month and the next. Here are five intriguing facts about the arch rivals’ T20Is records in Durban.
Marsh back in Durban
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh is the only player remaining from Australia’s last T20I at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead in Durban. Batsman Steven Smith would have been another, but was recently sidelined by injury. Marsh was Australia’s second-highest scorer with 35 and claimed the key wicket of Proteas batsman Rilee Rossouw in that match seven years ago. Australia lost. Marsh will captain the tourists this time.
De Kock delivers in Durban
Opener Quinton de Kock has the Proteas’ most T20I runs at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead. De Kock has collected 141 in four innings, including 2020’s 65 off 22 balls against England. He reached 50 off 17 balls against the English – South Africa’s quickest T20I half-century at the time. Interestingly, three of the 45 fastest half-tons in the history of T20I cricket have been scored in Durban. India’s Yuvraj Singh has the other two. One was from 12 deliveries, against England in 2007. Another was from 20 deliveries, against Australia in the same year.
Ngidi good to go again
With the rested Kagiso Rabada not playing this series against Australia, fast bowler Lungi Ngidi is South Africa’s leading T20I wicket-taker at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead. Ngidi has three wickets in one match to Rabada’s four in two. All-rounder Wayne Parnell also has three T20I wickets in Durban. But Parnell has been selected for September’s ODI series against Australia, not the T20Is.
Seven left from 2020
Seven of the XI from South Africa’s last T20I at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead, against England in 2020, have been named in the squad for this series against Australia. This includes the top four batsmen from the fixture three years ago – de Kock, fellow opener Temba Bavuma, the left-handed David Miller and right-handed Rassie van der Dussen. The other three are Ngidi and spinners Bjorn Fotuin and Tabraiz Shamsi.
Yesteryear’s neutrality
Hollywoodbets Kingsmead was a neutral venue for Australia’s World Twenty20 (since renamed T20 World Cup) fixture in 2007. The Aussies lost despite fast bowler Mitchell Johnson’s key brace of wickets and opener Matthew Hayden’s half-century.
