“If it’s in the V- it’ll be out on the tree. If it’s delivered in his arc, it’ll be out of the park!” The above isn’t a cricketing poem, as such. Not really. Nonetheless, it’s become sort of a famous cricketing lexicon
with which we fans and observers describe the usual modus operandi of one of cricket’s most talented and damaging lower order hitters who’s become a bit of a legend (in his own right). David Miller is what he’s called. And operating akin to a killer comes naturally to him.
Of course his mode of operation is to make food with the cricket willow, which when wielded coolly and methodically by the trailblazing South African seems to function more like an assault rifle than a cricket bat!
And it’s exactly what one got to see off David Miller in the little we’ve got to see him in action at the Indian subcontinent.
A few days ago, he unleashed a series of customary easygoing hits to score 39 off just 23 deliveries when South Africa most needed in their big total against Canada. They’d end up scoring 213. But Miller’s late inning impetus from down the order took the Proteas took them right on top.
Not that a lot changed a few hours later. The opposition and date changed. Not the venue. And it’s a menacingly long ground at that isn’t it- the Narendra Modi stadium. I’m Gujarat.
But David Miller, the easy going veteran of the game was at it. Wasn’t he?
After being responsible for shaking the confidence of the Canadians, he was back at it, powering shots and big strikes with usual gusto. Only this time, the Afghans ran into South Africa’s defiant protector at the lower order.
And in came that vital, and in the context of the game, perhaps even game changing unbeaten 20 off 15 shone in South Africa’s cause. The team complied 187. The win by a big margin is what they seek.
But one must remember that in a game of tiny margins and huge surprises, its timely cameos like the one Miller fired against Afghanistan’s bowlers that come to matter.
Well, today, on February 10, he’ll want that. So will his team and legions of fans around the world.
