Nathan Ellis Reflects on T20I Series Against South Africa and Dewald Brevis' Explosive Performance
Ellis Discusses His Battle with Brevis
In Cairns, Australia, on August 16, Nathan Ellis, the Australian fast bowler, shared insights about his encounters with the dynamic Dewald Brevis during the recent T20I series against South Africa. He acknowledged that his success against Brevis has not come without challenges.
During the crucial third T20I, Brevis once again showcased his batting prowess, causing trouble for the Australian bowlers, including Ellis. He managed to dominate Aaron Hardie and Josh Hazlewood but fell short against Ellis for the second time.
In their two meetings, Brevis faced Ellis five times, scoring only three runs and losing his wicket on two occasions. After the first innings, Ellis mentioned that his time spent with the 22-year-old at Chennai Super Kings during the IPL helped him recognize Brevis' talent and the potential threat he poses.
“I’ve had some time with Brevis in the IPL at Chennai. I know the talent he possesses, and the rest of the team witnessed that a few nights ago. Getting him out was a significant moment for us. He’s tough to contain; he seems much more confident than when we last faced each other,” Ellis remarked in an interview with Fox Sports.
Similar to his performance in the second T20I, Brevis, nicknamed 'Baby AB', set a new record for the fastest T20I fifty for South Africa against Australia. Displaying an array of impressive shots, he reached his half-century in just 22 balls, marking the quickest in the format for South Africa.
Brevis surpassed his previous record of 25 balls set earlier in the week during the second T20I in Darwin. Before his remarkable achievements, the record was held by former Proteas player JP Duminy, who scored a fifty in 31 balls back in 2009. Brevis also set a new record for the fastest fifty against Australia in Australia, breaking Ravi Bopara's 23-ball record from Hobart in 2014.
His explosive innings came to an end when Ellis deceived him with a short, slow delivery. Brevis attempted to pull the ball but was caught by a sprinting Glenn Maxwell, ending his innings at 53 runs off 26 balls.