Australia rivalry brings the best out of Lungi Ngidi

HAVING picked up his second ODI five-wicket haul and also his second against Australia on Friday, Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi described the tough nature of the rivalry against Australia as one that tends to bring out the best in him. 

Ngidi's five-for, together with Matthew Breetzke’s 78-ball 88, ensured that South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Ngidi highlighted how playing Australia is tough and how it tests one’s character and mental strength.

However, the fast bowler rose to the challenge when South Africa needed him most, especially after Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of the series due to injury.

“Look, it's always a tough challenge. The guys always put you under pressure. I mean, I think we've seen throughout this series, Marsh (Mitchell) and Head (Travis) up front have really put us to the sword,” Ngidi told the media on Friday. 

“So, I think it was just a test of character today and it usually is a test of character against Australia. So, just staying strong mentally and trying to fight back. Today there was a bit of assistance.

“So I felt like that's probably going to be my best effort and I just try to utilise that as best as I could. But it's more a mental battle every time you play Australia.”

Ngidi emphasised that the entertaining nature of the rivalry between South Africa and Australia will continue for many years to come.

“It’s always a battle against Australia, it’s always competitive. I think you've seen from the T20 series how it's up and down. They win, we win, and they win again. It's always a good competition.

“So, I guess when we go into the ODIs, it's no different. We try to put our best foot forward and like I said, it's a test of character because we were put under pressure from the T20s.

“We had the opportunity to win a series tonight. So, just mentally stepping up and finishing it off, I think it's just a great rivalry that's always been there and it's going to continue for many, many years.”

Undoubtedly, best wicket that the 29-year-old bagged on Friday was the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne. Ngidi set the right-handed batter up with a series of in swingers before bowling an away swinger outside off stump, one that took the batter’s outside edge which was safely caught behind the stumps.

Ngidi told the media that they knew before hand that Labuschagne had a weakness outside off stump.

“We do our video analysis and things like that. We've seen, even from the Test Championship, it seems outside-off with the ball shaping away seems to be something effective towards him,” he said. 

“He does leave very well but there is that thing of you need to score runs at some point in ODI cricket. So, you're probably going to feel outside-off and just trying to keep it simple and just plug away at that length and that line. I guess it went according to plan.”

The third and final ODI of the series is set to get underway at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay at 6.30am SAST.