"Getting more experience batting at four": Matthew Breeztke ahead of third ODI against India

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 5 (ANI): South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke said that he is getting more experience now at batting at the number four. Breetzke made this remark on the eve of the third ODI of the three-match series against Team India.

Breetzke has been pushed down to the number four slot with senior South African players Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock and the captain Temba Bavuma playing at the top three in ODIs.

Breetzke scored a well-deserved half-century in South Africa's historic chase of 359 runs during the second ODI against India. His knock and Aiden Markram's century helped the Proteas to level the three-match ODI series 1-1.

"Obviously, I'm just getting more experience now batting at four, which I'm starting to feel a little bit more comfortable in the role. So that helps, and I think the more I play at number four and in this role, hopefully the better I'll get," Breetzke said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

The Proteas batter Breetzke has notched up 449 runs in nine innings at number four, at an average of 56.12, with five fifties and a Strike rate of almost 95 in ODIs.

Breetzke also opened up about building the innings during the first ODI in Ranchi, which India won by 17 wickets.

"Obviously, the first game there was a little bit of trouble that we were in, so I had to sort of build the innings and then in the second game it was about just managing the guys that were coming in," Breetzke said.

"We lost obviously Aiden [after his century] and then I had to sort of manage [Dewald] Brevis there and then just managing those guys and letting them bat around me, they've got the explosive power - it was just about really looking to build a partnership with them," he added.

Breetzke also highlighted the depth of South Africa's batting line-up and added that there's a lot of confidence in the group as they head into the final ODI of the three-match series. "I think we've got a nice balance in our side with a couple of guys that are just proper batters, and then you've got powerhouses like Brevis and [Marco] Jansen that can sort of change the game on its head."

"We've seen [Corbin] Bosh in the last two matches play some really special innings, I think as the top four, it gives you a lot of confidence; you can take a little bit more time because, you know, they've got that explosive power at the back end. So for us, it's just about setting that platform up for them to come in at the end and do their thing. There's a lot of confidence in the batting group at the moment, but we will have to do it again tomorrow," Breetzke concluded. (ANI)

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