Lee: Super Over shouldn’t decide ODI matches

PROTEAS women’s opener Lizelle Lee “totally disagrees” with utilising a Super Over to decide one-day international matches.

The Proteas and the West Indies contested a Super Over after the fifth ODI finished in a thrilling tie on Sunday in Antigua. The West Indies ultimately edged out the Proteas after restricting the visitors to just five runs. Lee and Proteas captain Dane van Niekerk were the batters sent out to face the six balls.

The most famous Super Over in ODI cricket was, of course, when England and New Zealand’s men’s teams contested it at the culmination of the epic 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s.

“It is definitely something that shouldn’t be in an ODI. You can’t take six balls, that’s not going to define what happened in an ODI. I totally disagree with that. I don’t think that should have happened in the first place,” Lee, who is ranked No 2 on the ICC ODI batters list, told reporters.

The opener feels that a Super Over is better suited to T20 cricket due to the fast-paced nature of that format.

“T20s are different. Anything can happen on that day. If you play a bad game then you lose, if you have a good game then you win,” Lee said.

“I think ODIs are more about skill and adapting to the conditions. There are longer periods of batting and bowling. I don’t think ODIs should have a Super Over. I totally disagree with that.”

Although the West Indies claimed the consolation Super Over victory in the final ODI to avoid a 5-0 whitewash, it did not take the shine off superb 4-1 series win by the Proteas. It was also the first time the Proteas had won a series in the Caribbean.

“When we left South Africa and you had told us this would be the result, we would probably have laughed at you because the conditions there are very challenging and the Windies play very well in their conditions,” coach Hilton Moreeng said.

“It shows how hard the girls have worked, and their focus to detail.

“Overall, the unsung heroes for us were the bowlers.”