Publications
Partners
South Africa had been sent in to bat at 9.30am with plenty of moisture around after overnight rain, and cool, cloudy conditions to further aid the bowlers. De Villiers came to the crease after 70 minutes with Smith, Amla and Kallis having struggled to 58 for two in 15-and-a-half overs in that time.
"I knew the conditions were quite tricky, so I just focused on the basics more, making sure I watched the ball. I wasn't that positive and I just stuck to my game plan. There's no secret to it, no funny things I did," De Villiers said after his wonderful 134 off 98 balls.
Having been content early on to push the ones and twos and dispatch the occasional boundary, De Villiers still managed to breeze along at a run-a-ball, reaching his half-century off 48 deliveries. But with the sun making an appearance, the 27-year-old began to make hay as he blazed his next 84 runs off just 50 balls, in the process improving his week-old record for South Africa's fastest World Cup century.
His reward was the opportunity to have his knees up in the changeroom when South Africa fielded, having strained his back again in diving in a futile attempt to stave off his run out in the 46th over. With reserve wicketkeeper Morne van Wyk in the team, team management were all in agreement that there was no reason to risk their most successful batsman.
"Not having to keep afterwards was definitely part of my motivation!" De Villiers joked afterwards. "No, I've been feeling my back for the last few days, ever since the West Indies game, so it was some much-needed rest."
De Villiers answered in the affirmative when he was asked whether he felt in really good form, saying his outstanding century against the West Indies in New Delhi had been the turning point.
"I'm timing the ball really well and I'm enjoying batting at the moment. But I worked extremely hard to get back into form after the India series, where I did not meet my expectations," the tournament's second-highest run-scorer said.
