Feature

Debutant Rossouw's golden run-out

Plays of the day from the third ODI between Zimbabwe and South Africa in Bulawayo

Firdose Moonda
Firdose Moonda
21-Aug-2014
Elton Chigumbura pulls Ryan McLaren  •  AFP

Elton Chigumbura pulls Ryan McLaren  •  AFP

The comeback
When Marchant de Lange last played an international match, in March 2012, cricket was hard work. New Zealand made him toil for wickets, and he was part of a last-over heist in a T20 and had a tough day of Test cricket. On his return, the highest level could not have seemed easier. With his first delivery, short of a length and just outside off, de Lange had Richmond Mutumbami stuck in his crease and prodding awkwardly. The ball kissed the shoulder of the bat and carried to second slip, where the debutant Rilee Rossouw took the catch.
The wicketkeeper's wicket
Wicketkeepers sometimes appeal for a catch to dissuade the umpire from calling a wide, and that is what Quinton de Kock seemed to be doing when he went up for one that slid down Malcolm Waller's leg side. The bowler, de Lange, did not seem interested in the appeal and in his nonchalance he did not see Waller walk or umpire Owen Chirombe raise his finger. Replays revealed Waller had gloved it so de Kock deserved as much credit for the dismissal as he will get on the scorecard.
The pull shot
Zimbabwe did not have many worth remembering until Elton Chigumbura got going towards the end of his innings. His eyes widened with every slower bouncer Ryan McLaren bowled and when the fourth one came, they grew to saucer-size. Having just hit McLaren over the sightscreen, Chigumbura cleared his front leg and smashed the ball over deep midwicket. As the ball landed among the trees, Zimbabwe were not in the best situation, but Chigumbura had a moment to savour.
The anti-climax
Rilee Rossouw has been waiting to play for South Africa for seasons. About four of them. He was finally picked to tour Sri Lanka last month and spent the three ODIs on the bench. For the first two matches in Zimbabwe, it was the same. When he finally made his debut, South Africa chose to bowl, and so the wait to bat began. After all that time, when Rossouw got to the crease, Quinton de Kock took first strike in South Africa's chase. It was only midway through the first over that de Kock took a single and Rossouw found himself on strike. He was so anxious to get his first run that he took off the moment bat hit ball. But Rossouw had hit his first delivery to Waller at mid-off and the fielder's pick and release was swift and accurate at the non-striker's end. Rossouw was short and all that waiting had not amounted to much.
The Midas touch
Since this tour began, almost everything John Nyumbu has touched has turned to gold, and his Midas touch was on display one more time for the Bulawayo crowd. When de Kock swept Sean Williams, he seemed to have timed it well enough to find the boundary, but Nyumbu cut it off. He was at short third man and had to dive to his left, but Nyumbu did it athletically enough to earn the applause of his home fans and a wry smile from de Kock himself.

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent