Lungi Ngidi says he adapted to the conditions during his match-winning five-wicket haul against Australia in the second ODI in Mackay on Tuesday.

Ngidi, who took 5-33 to seal an 84-run victory and the series for the Proteas, said the current setup under coach Shukri Conrad enables bowlers to trust their instincts.

“It’s pretty much about giving you the freedom to bowl what you want to bowl,” he explained after the game.

“We’ve been playing international cricket for a couple of years now, so we kind of know what we’re good at and what we need to do.

“Set your field and bowl what you want to bowl according to whatever you see in front of you. Play the conditions in front of you and don’t be scared to try things.”

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That included targeting Marnus Labuschagne outside off stump, a tactic he’d noted in the World Test Championship final.

“We do our video analysis and we’ve seen, even from the Test Championship, outside off with the ball shaping away seems to be effective. I just tried to keep it simple and plug away at that length and that line and it seemed to come off. It went according to plan.”

Ngidi also said bowling second allowed him to study Nathan Ellis’ slower-ball variations.

“The beautiful thing about bowling second is I get to sit there and watch what works. I saw Ellis’ plan and he was pretty successful with that. It just gives you an idea of what’s going to work later on in the innings.”

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His second spell ripped through Australia’s lower order, sealing his first Man of the Match award in nearly three years.

“It’s always a battle against Australia. It’s always competitive. It’s a test of character … it’s just a great rivalry that’s always been there. And it’s going to continue for many, many years.”

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