‘It’s really cool’: Big-hitting veteran David Miller still standing up for Proteas

David Miller celebrates his century for South Africa during their T20 World Cup match against India in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Picture: Matt Roberts/ICC/Getty Images Nearly 16 years after making his international debut, David Miller says he is pleased to still be making valuable contributions to the national cricket side. Since May 2010, Miller has played 315 limited overs games forSouth Africa, including 137 T20 Internationals.

As a middle-order batter, in the short format he has contributed more than 50 runs on only 11 occasions, but the 36-year-old veteran has made a name for himself by repeatedly digging the Proteas out of trouble. And he stood up again on Sunday, bashing 63 runs off 35 balls to lead a fightback, playing a key role in setting up adominant 76-run victoryover defending champions India in a Super Eight match at the T20 World Cup. Following a top-order collapse, he was well supported by Dewald Brevis (45 off 29) and Tristan Stubbs (44 not out off 24), but it was Miller who anchored the recovery.

Though he acknowledged it was a team effort that saw them crushing the tournament favourites (the SA bowlers were also superb), he was relieved to prove that he could still deliver when the Proteas needed him under pressure. “Obviously we don’t want to be in trouble, but I do find the positive out of it and it allows me to make a play,” Miller said after being named Player of the Match. “So yeah, it’s really cool to be able to put in a performance like that.” When the chips were down and the national squad were relying on him, Miller said he tried to lean on his experience and focus on getting the basics right.

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“I’ve been playing the game for a while now, and when there’s high-pressure moments in front of a big audience like tonight, it’s about making sure that you really stick to the simple things and the basics and do that really well,” he said. “My intent always has to be up, making sure that I have limited movements when the ball is bowled so I’m nice and still. I focus on my breathing and running hard… in the heat of battle, those are the things that I clutch to.”

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