Mysterious Miller MIA will hurt Dolphins

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Cape Town

DAVID Miller would have been the Dolphins’ dangerman in their One-Day Cup opener against the Titans at Centurion on Friday, but Times Media has learnt that he has been withdrawn on Cricket SA orders with an injury that had not been disclosed to his franchise by Thursday afternoon.

The Dolphins have every right to feel aggrieved, especially after losing all four of their Champions League T20 (CLT20) matches in India even as Miller helped take Kings XI Punjab to the semi-finals.

Of course, bigger picture is that Miller is central to SA’s cause. And if we need reminding that only one thing matters this summer, here it comes: it’s the World Cup, stupid.

Which means the One-Day Cup is less a contest in its own right than an opportunity to answer questions that remain over SA’s readiness for the World Cup.

But the view, as expressed by selection convenor Andrew Hudson last week, that there “may be a little discussion around positions and the final balance of the (World Cup) side”, says the dressingroom door is almost closed.

If players not yet in the SA selection frame want to open it, they are going to have to ram it off its hinges.

They have a chance to start doing so on Friday, as well as in Saturday’s game between the Knights and the Cobras in Kimberly, and the Lions’ match against the Warriors in Potchefstroom on Sunday.

The theory that franchise cricket exists to keep feeding players to the monster that is the international game is all well and good, but to people like Titans coach Rob Walter it means walking a tightrope between priorities that are neither mutually exclusive nor wholly compatible.

“Successful sides produce the most Proteas, but you’ve got to look after the pennies to turn them into pounds – you can’t get to international level if you don’t perform,” Walter said on Thursday.

“Our job is to produce Proteas and at the same time develop younger players. It’s not easy to win everything and produce Proteas.”

And it will not be any easier for Walter on Friday, what with David Wiese still nursing a twisted ankle. Allrounder Graeme van Buuren has been added to the squad.

But the Titans will have 170 reasons to be cheerful – that’s how many runs they beat the Warriors by in their first-class match in Benoni on Sunday.

“We would be stupid if we didn’t take momentum out of the way we performed in the four-day competition this weekend, but the Dolphins will be battle-hardened from the CLT20,” Walter said.

Not only does Walter’s Dolphins counterpart, Lance Klusener, have to put up with Miller’s absence, he is also without Ryan McLaren and Jonathan Vandiar, who are injured.

History suggests a tight game awaits on Friday. Of the 22 clashes between the Titans and the Dolphins in this format, four have ended inconclusively.

The remaining 18 are split down the middle – nine wins apiece.