Dewald Brevis is making a habit of this.
For the second successive day, the 23-year-old sensation smashed 75 runs, but this time South Africa converted his pyrotechnics into victory, thrashing Zimbabwe by seven wickets in Saturday’s Twenty20 tri-series clash in Windhoek.
After Friday’s frustrating 18-run defeat to hosts Namibia despite Brevis’s brilliant half-century, the experimental Proteas side delivered the response required against fellow top-tier opposition, chasing down Zimbabwe’s 144/8 with an absurd 38 balls to spare.
And once again, it was Brevis who provided the fireworks that made the difference.
The Brevis show, part two
Batting at No 3, Brevis showed absolutely no mercy to an ineffective Zimbabwe attack, striking an unbeaten 75 off just 32 deliveries in an innings that had the Windhoek crowd on their feet and Zimbabwean bowlers checking their passport validity.
Six sixes. Seven fours. Pure, unadulterated aggression that never allowed Zimbabwe to settle or build any pressure.
The right-hander struck the winning runs in the 14th over, an outside edge for four off Brad Evans that was fitting for an innings built on audacity rather than textbook orthodoxy. When you’re seeing it like Brevis is right now, even the edges find the boundary.
“I’m enjoying it here. It is a lovely ground and the crowd are fantastic. It is great to get a win after we slipped up yesterday,” said Brevis after collecting the player-of-the-match award that was never in doubt from the moment he walked to the crease.
Two days, two player-of-the-match awards, two 75s. Not a bad weekend’s work.
Zimbabwe’s inadequate total
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that looked reasonable on paper but proved disastrous in execution.
They stumbled to 144/8 in their 20 overs, with opener Brian Bennett’s 34 the top score and Tristan Marumani contributing 30. Beyond those two, the innings was a procession of failed starts and missed opportunities.
Duan Jansen was the chief destroyer for South Africa, claiming 3-45 and consistently breaking partnerships just as Zimbabwe threatened to build momentum.
The total of 144 looked light at the innings break. Once Brevis got going, it looked utterly inadequate.
The chase that never was
South Africa reached 146/3 in just 13.4 overs, turning what should have been a competitive run chase into a procession that had all the drama of a net session.
Brevis’s 75 came off 32 balls. To put that strike rate in perspective, he was scoring at 234 runs per 100 balls, the kind of carnage that destroys bowling attacks’ confidence and leaves captains running out of ideas.
The Zimbabwe bowlers simply had no answers. Short balls disappeared over the boundary. Full deliveries were driven through the covers. Anything on the pads was picked off with dismissive ease.
Redemption after Namibia shock
Friday’s 18-run defeat to Namibia stung. The hosts pulled off a genuine upset, defending their total despite Brevis’s first 75 of the weekend.
But credit to this experimental South African side, they responded immediately, delivering the kind of emphatic performance that sends a message to both remaining opponents in the tri-series.
Yes, Namibia caught them cold. Yes, that defeat was disappointing. But write off the Proteas at your peril.
The tri-series picture
Six matches are scheduled before the top two teams meet in the final. South Africa now have one win and one loss. Zimbabwe sit at 0-1. Namibia lead the way at 1-0 after their Friday heroics.
Everything remains to play for, with further round-robin fixtures determining who contests the final and who goes home empty-handed.
Baby AB grows up
Brevis earned the “Baby AB” nickname early in his career due to perceived similarities with AB de Villiers, the legendary South African batter whose 360-degree shot-making and fearless approach revolutionised white-ball cricket.
The comparisons were always going to create pressure, but performances like Saturday’s 32-ball blitz demonstrate Brevis is forging his own identity rather than living in anyone’s shadow.
