Miller Honoured To Return To South Africa Squad

Miller Honoured To Return To South Africa Squad

David Miller has been handed a recall to South Africa's squad and is looking to make the most of the opportunity

©REUTERS / Action Images

South African batsman David Miller was for some an unexpected choice to replace the suspended AB de Villiers for the next two One-Day Internationals against New Zealand.

He says it is an honour to be back in the squad for the first time since 2011 and he is keen to make sure he takes this latest opportunity.

De Villiers was suspended for two matches after South Africa were six overs behind during New Zealand's one-wicket win in Paarl.

Miller, 23, has struggled for form this season, scoring 154 runs in seven one-day innings in South Africa's domestic one-day competition with one half-century but has fared better in his ODI career, in which he has scored 267 runs at 29.66 with a brace of half-centuries.

"It’s a fantastic feeling, it’s been a while since I last played ODI cricket but for me it’s a great honour to be back in the green and gold," Miller said. "It's another opportunity for me so I really hope I make good use of it."

Miller, who bet365 make a 16/1 shot to be man of the match in the next game, says he has used the time away from the international game to develop his game and he now believes he is more suited to play at the highest level.

"There has been a lot of talk in the last couple of years about me not being able to rotate the strike, that is something that I was conscious of while I was overseas and playing T20 cricket," he admitted.

"I have been working off the field  on certain things, especially concentrating on the first few balls of my innings and allowing myself time to get myself in and to assess the conditions."

The second ODI against New Zealand is in Kimberly tomorrow (22nd January) and the third match is in Potchefstroom on Friday (25th January).

Click here to listen to Miller talking at a press conference following his call-up

© Cricket World 2013