New Zealand vs South Africa | Sticking to Basics & Keeping it Simple: De Grandhomme's Mantra to Success

On a day when every batsman found things not going their way on a tricky Edgbaston surface, Colin de Grandhomme succeeded by keeping it simple and sticking to the basics of cricket.

Coming in at a crucial juncture during the nail-biting encounter between New Zealand and South Africa in the ICC World Cup, De Grandhomme slammed 60 off just 47 balls to provide his side the much-needed impetus in the middle overs.

“I just tried to watch it as hard as I can. I tend to see the ball and hit the ball and it worked," the all-rounder said at the ICC mixed zone.

“That’s just my game and that’s how I play. It went well. I just try to do my job when I can. Some days it doesn’t work, today it did. Cricket is a simple game.”

In what is regarded as his finest ever ODI innings, De Grandhomme stitched a crucial 91-run stand alongside Kane Williamson. He came in when New Zealand were in a bit of trouble at 137/5 but immediately found his feet smashing five fours and two sixes during the course of his innings.

De Grandhomme lauded his captain Kane Williamson and emphasised how crucial his role was to keep things calm out in the middle despite the required rate at time soaring.

“Having Kane at the other end makes it a lot easier, knowing he’s a gun. He didn’t give me too much advice, I don’t take too much in," De Grandhomme said.

“We had to take it to the last ten overs so we had to build for ten overs. Then we could see where we were. Luckily the run-rate didn’t get above seven so we were always still in the game.”