With a domineering, unbeaten 75 from 44 balls, David Miller re-announced himself as the resident finisher for the Proteas.

It has to be said that there were feelings of apprehension following his lean run in the series against the West Indies, but now there’s a renewed sense of hope, both for Miller and for the team. For starters, Miller maintained his optimism amid a frustrating stretch of games.

“First of all, I’ve never really felt I was out of form,” said Miller in his presser after the 2nd T20I against Ireland. “Yes, I’ve been hard on myself but batting at No 6 is what the team requires from me. I’ve been trying my best to make a positive impact, and it hasn’t quite worked out in the recent games. Thankfully, today it was nice to get the side out of trouble.”

Miller was grateful for the extra practice, as well as the generous backing from the team and the coaching staff. It seems evident that the continuous game time triggered a resurgence inconsistency for the hard-hitting left-hander.

“I’ve been training really hard, and Boucher has been very supportive at all times, and so have the rest of the guys. I’m chuffed to put together a performance like this. We’ve spoken about the ideal formula and approach for the middle order, especially during the death overs.”

Known to be a versatile player, Miller took slightly longer than usual to unleash his aggressive instincts. At the same time, with 5 wickets down early, he had to start off rather cautiously as opposed to taking unnecessary risks. He’s often backed to step on the gas right from the get-go, and he asserted that being the reliable impact player is his utmost goal at this point.

“In T20 cricket, you’ll need to pay attention to strike rates whenever you bat alongside the tailenders. It’s often about trusting your judgment. Yes, the result today was a bonus but more importantly, I’ve tried to stay in the right mindset.”

It was a barnstorming knock – there’s no doubt about that. But then again, he needed support from the other end to make sure he’d be able to provide the much-needed swift finish for the Proteas. And that priceless support came from Wiaan Mulder, who was batting in a T20I for just the third time.

Mulder hit the first six of the game and continued to periodically attack, scoring a handy 36 from 26. Miller began to play his trademark big shots in the 18th over, right after Mulder’s dismissal. The highlight of Miller’s innings were his four sixes off Josh Little in the final over.

“Wiaan batted unbelievably well today, and I’d like to believe that this was the match-winning stand. His knock took a lot of pressure off me, and by the time he got out, it was sort of a role reversal.”

The 58-run partnership between Miller and Mulder kick-started the Proteas’ surge and set up a total that was both competitive and reasonably formidable. The bowlers would successfully defend 159 and script a resounding series victory for South Africa. From both an individual and team perspective, Miller is thrilled to be back among the runs and continue the winning ways.

While some may believe that No 6 may be too low a position for Miller, he’s placed a strong emphasis on doing the needful for the team, irrespective of where in the order he bats.

“I’d love to bat up the order, but we as a team have a greater aim. I’m always a team man, and I’m not too worried about where I bat, as long as I’m able to help out the team with my experience. And I always remind myself of the role that I’ll be playing. I can’t keep telling myself that I’m out of touch. Finally, creating an impact and strike rates are two key things for me.”

Miller’s team-player attitude typifies the Proteas’ need to deliver more consistently. Despite the relative dearth of series wins in T20Is up until the Caribbean tour, South Africa have persevered and finally strung together some of their more clinical performances.

Sure, the bowlers played an integral part in helping defend scores that were adequately good, but there seems to be a gradual rise in confidence overall. Every game presents a learning opportunity, and there’s never a more gratifying moment when the team takes full advantage.