Proteas star Anrich Nortje

Anrich Nortje is back for the Proteas. Photo: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP

RATINGS: How Proteas players performed – Hendricks and Nortje

After the Proteas fell just short of qualifying for the T20 World Cup semi-finals, we look back at how each frontline player performed.

Proteas star Anrich Nortje

Anrich Nortje is back for the Proteas. Photo: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP

In the second part of this ongoing series, we shine a spotlight on how Reeza Hendricks and Anrich Nortje fronted up at the T20 showpiece:

READ | T20 WORLD CUP SEVEN TALKING POINTS FROM SEVENTH EDITION

ANRICH NORTJE (8)

The fiery fast bowler finished the tournament as South Africa’s joint-leading wicket-taker, claiming nine scalps along with Dwaine Pretorius.

It was another reminder of how effectively he has evolved into a highly capable all-format cricketer, with Nortje recording figures of 2-21, 1-14, 2-27 and 3-8 in the Proteas’ first four games at the T20 World Cup.

In all of those games against Australia, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh respectively, the speedster never went for an economy of more than 6.75 – proving to be a truly effective and economical strike bowler.

Unfortunately, his T20 World Cup ended with his worst-figures of 1-34 against England, but such a return in that high-scoring game could not detract from what was an outstanding tournament for the big man. 

PART 1 | HOW PROTEAS PLAYERS PERFORMED – DE KOCK AND SHAMSI

REEZA HENDRICKS (4)

The Proteas being their T20 World Cup campaign opening the batting with Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock, but when the latter withdrew from the second match against the West Indies, Hendricks was drafted into the frontline.

He responded with a crisp 39 runs off 30 balls, and that appeared to inspire the decision to continue backing him to feature in the final three matches.

However, that move ultimately backfired as the right-hander only managed to tally a total of 17 runs from three innings. He has now played 40 T20 internationals with an average of just 27.

For all his talent, Hendricks frustratingly continues to misfire for the Proteas, and unfortunately he wasn’t the man to provide the South African team with the firepower they so desperately needed at the top of the order.

READ | RASSIE’S HEROICS, RABADA’S HAT-TRICK IN VAIN AS PROTEAS OUT OF T20 WORLD CUP