Proteas looking to whitewash Aussies

Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi says the team are targeting a series whitewash in the final one-day international against Australia at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom tomorrow.

SA took an unassailable two-nil lead in the series with a comfortable six-wicket win in Bloemfontein on Wednesday night and they will be aiming to end off on a high in the final match of the tour.

“It is lovely to be in this position because it gives us the chance to whitewash them, so that is definitely something we want to go for,” Ngidi said.

“It is by no means a dead rubber game as they call it, it is another chance for players to put up their hands and be selected for future SA games.

“A series win and whitewash will give us a lot of confidence, for the players and the coaches, and would put us in a very good position going on to face a good Indian side in India.”

Ngidi recently returned from a long-term injury and has been steadily improving game by game, culminating in his career-best ODI figures of 6/58 in the last match to help restrict Australia to 271 all out.

He was then backed up by exciting youngster Janneman Malan, who put the horror of his royal duck on debut in the first ODI behind him to bat through the innings and end unbeaten on 129 to lead the team comfortably home.

Ngidi and Malan shared the man-of-the-match award.

“I feel very good. It feels good to put in a performance like that having been out for a while, so to come back and be able to perform like that and win a series is just great,” Ngidi said.

“It has been pretty tough for the team lately, so to win the series you could see it put a lot of smiles on a lot of faces so I am very happy at the moment.

“It showed great character and just what type of player [Malan] is,” he said.

“It is unfortunate that in the first game he got a duck, but to respond like that shows what type of person he is and what he can do for SA cricket.

“It is amazing to see the way he composed himself and batted from ball one right through to the end and I think that shows a lot of potential.”

Along with Malan, the Proteas have seen the emergence of Kyle Verreynne, Heinrich Klaasen and Anrich Nortje as serious contenders for permanent places in the team, as well as a welcome return to form for the much-maligned David Miller.

“It’s very nice to have a lot of young players in the team.

“People will say that a lot of the big names have moved on in recent times and a lot of guys are stepping up now and I think it is beautiful for SA cricket moving forward,” Ngidi said.

The Proteas and Australia get their final ODI under way at 10am tomorrow. —